St. Luke’s Sugar Land Hospital now offers endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), a minimally invasive, effective method in the assessment and diagnosis of benign and malignant tumors within and around the gastrointestinal tract. As of July 14, St. Luke’s Sugar Land Hospital was the only hospital in Fort Bend County to provide this advanced imaging technology.  

EUS combines endoscopy and ultrasound to obtain images and information about the digestive tract and the surrounding tissues and organs. A small ultrasound transducer is placed on the tip of an endoscope, which allows the transducer to get near the organs, providing a detailed, nonsurgical assessment of certain diseases. The technique has become invaluable in determining if suspicious tumors are malignant. It also provides information regarding the depth of penetration of any cancer and its spread to adjacent tissues and lymph nodes, for staging of cancers and to aid the doctor in determining the proper treatment.  

Board certified gastroenterologist Madhuka Kaw, MD, performed the first EUS at St. Luke’s Sugar Land Hospital in June. Dr. Kaw said, “Based on my experience, endoscopic ultrasound is one of the most powerful tools to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of cancers of the gastrointestinal tract.”