Endoscopic ultrasonography in leiomyoma of gastric cardia

Gastric submucosal tumors are relatively common. Using the current diagnostic techniques, however, differentiating these tumors from external gastric compression may sometimes be difficult. The nature of submucosal tumors, which may have therapeutic implications, may also be quite difficult to elucidate using current techniques, such as bore biopsy, high-frequency-wave scalpel biopsy, topical infusion of pure ethanol, and submucosography. We report a case of a sumucosal tumor of the gastric cardia and discuss the usefulness of endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) in determining the internal structure of these tumors. After endoscopic ultrasonography, the tumor was diagnosed as a myoma of the gastric cardia, whose bulk had grown out the gastric cavity.