The possible diagnostic role of endoscopic ultrasound in patients with dyspepsia.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Dyspepsia is common in clinical practice with frequent relapses and often requires multiple investigations to assess intraluminal and extraluminal etiologies. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) has the potential of serving both purposes in a single setting. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Patients with dyspepsia who underwent EUS in four-year period were retrospectively reviewed. Diagnostic findings of US, final diagnoses were noted and compared with the reference standards. RESULTS: 131 patients with a mean age +/- SD of 50 +/- 12.7 years were included. The common diagnoses were non-ulcer dyspepsia in 56%, symptomatic gallstone (GS) in 22.9%. EUS detected two GS missed by transabdominal ultrasound (TUS). EUS missed one GS documented by surgery. EUS detected seven cases of ERCP-proven CBD stones undetected by TUS and had a sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value for CBD stones of 87.5%, 91.7%, 87.5%, and 91.7% respectively. CONCLUSION: EUS is a potential investigation for the management of dyspepsia.