Endoscopic techniques

Endoscopy can be used to identify NETs in the stomach, duodenum, and rectum.1 Endoscopic ultrasound is another minimally invasive procedure that is useful in the localization and evaluation of pancreatic NETs,2,3 particularly when combined with fine-needle aspiration.3

Depending on the location of the NET, there are a number of endoscopic techniques that may aid in visualization.4-7

• Flexible endoscopes can be used to view both the upper and lower GI tracts from the pharynx to the upper duodenum and beyond, and from the anus to the terminal ileum5
• Device-assisted endoscopic techniques may allow visualization of the entire small bowel, along with the potential for biopsy to be performed. For example, double-balloon enteroscopy is a procedure in which a latex balloon is affixed to the distal ends of both endoscope and overtube. Coordinated inflation and deflation of the balloons aids in the advancement of the endoscope deep into the small intestine7
• Capsule endoscopy (also called video capsule endoscopy) is an imaging technique in which the patient swallows a small, pill-shaped capsule that transmits video images as it travels through the GI tract. The capsule can also be inserted using an endoscope in patients who have difficulty swallowing6