Table 1.

Comparative assessment of new endoscopic ultrasound imaging techniques

EUS technique	Advantage	Disadvantage	Cost	Invasiveness
Real-time sono-elastography	Improved diagnosis of focal pancreatic masses	Assessment in large RCTs needed	Average	Minimal
Contrast-enhanced EUS	Improved diagnosis and staging of focal pancreatic masses	Assessment in large RCTs needed	Average	Minimal
3D-EUS	Moderate improvement of staging in pancreatic area	Limited assessment in clinical applications	Average	Minimal
Optical diagnosis	Improvement of real-time diagnosis	Limited assessment in clinical applications	High	Average
EUS-NOTES	Improvement of therapeutic options	Limited assessment in clinical applications	High	High

EUS: Endoscopic ultrasound; RCTs: Randomized clinical trials; 3D-EUS: Tridimensional EUS; NOTES: Natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery.