Endoscopic sonography of the stomach: findings in benign and malignant lesions

Endoscopic sonography combines direct visualization of the luminal surface of the gut with sonographic examination of the gut wall and surrounding structures. Lesions arising from different layers of the wall can be identified, staged, and in some cases characterized. Endoscopic sonography is complementary to endoscopy, barium studies, transabdominal sonography, and CT examination of gastrointestinal lesions. A thorough examination with endoscopic sonography may determine the layer of origin, size, echogenicity, and extent of gastric lesions and allows differentiation of lesions arising in the stomach from lesions arising outside the stomach. The purpose of this essay is to illustrate the findings from endoscopic sonography of a variety of benign and malignant lesions of the stomach.