Primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus: diagnostic value of endoscopic ultrasonography.

Primary malignant melanomas of the esophagus have been clinically diagnosed as exophytic tumors by esophagography and esophagoscopy. We first applied endoscopic ultrasonography to the tumors; the tumors were demonstrated as "submucosal tumors" and smooth-surfaced with clear margins, and their internal echo-architectures depended upon the tumor sizes. We consider the disease can be clinically diagnosed by the above three diagnostic modalities.