Sonography of the biliary tract in infants and children

Diseases of the gallbladder and biliary system are particularly well suited for investigation with sonography. As such, sonography has completely supplanted oral cholecystography in the evaluation of these disorders. Because it is easy to perform and does not expose the patient to radiation or contrast agents, sonography is being used more often in children to diagnose disorders of the gallbladder and biliary tract. Many of the sonographic signs of these diseases (e.g., cholelithiasis, cholecystitis) are well established in adults and are the same in children. However, the circumstances under which these diseases occur and their different causal factors are different in children and adults. This article reviews the distinctive aspects of gallbladder-biliary tract disease in children, concentrating on the role that sonography plays in its evaluation and therapy.