Sonographic diagnosis of mesenteric hematoma

Blunt abdominal trauma is common in children. Handlebar injuries may produce duodenal hematoma and pancreatic injuries, but mesenteric hematoma is relatively uncommon. We report a mesenteric hematoma resulting from a handlebar injury in a 4-year-old boy. Abdominal sonography showed a heterogeneous hypoechoic mass with an echogenic wall in the central portion of the abdomen. Color Doppler study revealed vascularity at the periphery of the lesion, suggesting mesenteric hematoma. CT, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, and a small bowel x-ray series confirmed the diagnosis.