Abdominal complications of chemotherapy in pediatric malignancies: imaging findings

To describe the imaging findings of abdominal complications caused by chemotherapy in pediatric cancer patients.

Radiology studies of 243 patients treated in our Children Cancer Center were reviewed, 164 of whom had abdominal studies. Medical records of 54 patients with abnormal imaging findings were studied.

Ultrasound and/or CT findings showed the following complications: (1) gallbladder sludge/crystals (n=13), gallstones (n=8), cholecystitis (n=3); (2) liver steatosis (n=23), siderosis (n=1), veno-occlusive disease (n=2); (3) pancreatitis (n=7); (4) typhlitis (n=12), esophagitis (n=2).

Awareness of these complications is essential for appropriate management, decreasing their mortality and morbidity.