Endosonography: clinical implications as currently obtainable of more than16 years

Endosonography is an imaging diagnostic technique recently introduced in ou r country. It allows us to perform an ultrasound from within the digestive tube. Because of the transductor proximity to the gut wall and the high fre cuency of emission we are able to visualize with great resolution small les ions as well as differentiate the five layers of the gastric wall and exami ne structures close to the digestive lumen with a 7 to 8 cm penetration. Th is is a brief introduction to the basic pillars of endosonography and its m ain indications, well defined after sixteen years of clinical practice.