endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration

Definition of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration

endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (en-doh-SKAH-pik UL-truh-sownd-GY-ded … NEE-dul AS-pih-RAY-shun): A procedure to take a sample of tissue for examination under a microscope. An endoscope with an ultrasound probe and a biopsy needle at the end is inserted through the mouth into the esophagus. An endoscope is a thin, tube-like instrument that has a light and a lens for viewing. The ultrasound probe is used to bounce high-energy sound waves off internal organs and tissues to make a picture on a monitor. This picture helps the doctor see where to place the biopsy needle. Also called EUS-FNA.

Source: NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms