Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 25, 2026
A Coregistered Ultrasound and Photoacoustic Imaging Protocol for the Transvaginal Imaging of Ovarian Lesions
Published on: March 3, 2023
Ultrasonography and Computed Tomographic Manifestations of Abdominal Sarcoidosis in Children
Baptiste Morel1, Chiara Sileo, Ralph Epaud
1*Université Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris 6), Sorbonne Universités †Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Hôpital A. Trousseau, Service de Radiologie Pédiatrique, Paris ‡Inserm U955, Equipe 5, Faculté de Médecine, Créteil §Centre Hospitalier Intercommunal de Créteil, Créteil, Centre de Référence des Maladies Respiratoires Rares ||Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Service de Pneumologie Pédiatrique, Hôpital Armand Trousseau, Centre National de Référence des Maladies Respiratoires Rares ¶Institut National de la Santé et la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), UMR_S 933 #Institut National de la Santé et la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), UMR_S 938, CDR Saint-Antoine, Université Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris 6), Sorbonne Universités **AP-HP, Hôpital Armand Trousseau, Service de Nutrition et Gastroentérologie Pédiatriques, Paris, France.
Insights
Pediatric abdominal sarcoidosis is common and often presents non-specifically. Associated thoracic involvement is key for diagnosing abdominal sarcoidosis in children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Radiology
- Gastroenterology
- Immunology
Background:
- Sarcoidosis is a multisystem granulomatous disease.
- Abdominal sarcoidosis in children is rarely described radiologically.
- This study focuses on radiologic manifestations in pediatric abdominal sarcoidosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the frequency and appearance of abdominal radiologic findings in pediatric sarcoidosis.
- To aid in the diagnosis of abdominal sarcoidosis in children.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of radiological examinations in 22 pediatric patients (ages 1-15) with proven sarcoidosis.
- Analysis of liver, spleen, abdominal lymph nodes, and gastrointestinal tract abnormalities.
- Correlation with biopsy locations and angiotensin-converting enzyme levels.
Main Results:
- Abdominal manifestations were present in 11 of 22 children.
- Hepatomegaly was the most frequent finding (8/11), often homogeneous.
- Lymphadenopathy and splenomegaly were also observed; nodular changes were rare.
- All patients with abdominal findings had concurrent thoracic sarcoidosis.
Conclusions:
- Abdominal sarcoidosis in children is frequent but shows nonspecific radiologic signs.
- Nodular hepatosplenomegaly is uncommon.
- Concurrent thoracic involvement is a significant indicator for diagnosing abdominal sarcoidosis in pediatric patients.
Objectives:
Sarcoidosis is a multisystem, granulomatous inflammatory disease affecting both pediatric and adult patients. So far in children, very few radiological descriptions of abdominal sarcoidosis manifestations have been reported. The present study describes the frequency and the appearance of abdominal radiologic manifestations in pediatric patients with histologically proven sarcoidosis.
Methods:
We reviewed retrospectively all of the radiological examinations of 22 patients ages 1 to 15 years at diagnosis with proven sarcoidosis evaluated in a university pediatric hospital between 1994 and 2014. The locations of biopsies and the angiotensin-converting enzyme level were reported. The size, shape, and parenchymal homogeneity of the liver and spleen, the presence of abdominal lymph nodes, and abnormalities of the gastrointestinal tract were tabulated.
Results:
The study included 22 children (mean age: 9.9 ± 2.8 years). The liver was the most frequent location of biopsy (12/22), even without radiological involvement. Abdominal manifestations were present in 11 of 22 children with sarcoidosis. Hepatomegaly was the most frequent abnormality, reported in 8 of 11 cases either homogeneous (n = 7) or nodular (n = 1). Homogeneous lymph node enlargement was noted in 6 of 11 cases and splenomegaly in 4 of 11 cases. No calcification was observed. All patients with initial abdominal sarcoidosis had simultaneous thoracic involvement.
Conclusions:
Abdominal manifestations in children sarcoidosis are frequent but often nonspecific. Nodular hepatosplenomegaly is rare. All of our patients with abdominal abnormalities had a more specific associated thoracic involvement. Awareness of this association could assist the clinicians in assessing the initial diagnosis of abdominal sarcoidosis in children.
More Related Videos
11:27A Modified Sonographic Algorithm for Image Acquisition in Life-Threatening Emergencies in the Critically Ill Newborn
Published on: April 7, 2023
05:56Implementation of Non-invasive Point of Care Transient Elastography for Evaluation of Liver Disease in Pediatric Populations with Cystic Fibrosis
Published on: August 29, 2025
Related Concept Videos
01:17Ultrasonography
During an ultrasonography procedure, a handheld device called...
01:10Computed Tomography
The technique was invented in the 1970s and is based on the principle that as X-rays pass through the body, they are absorbed or reflected at different levels. In the technique, a patient lies on a motorized platform while a computerized axial tomography (CAT) scanner rotates...
01:25Ultrasound II: Endoscopic Ultrasound and FibroScan
Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS):
01:27Imaging Studies III: Computed Tomography
01:20Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System III: X-Ray
Definition and Purpose
An X-ray, or radiograph, is a non-invasive method that uses ionizing radiation to take images of internal structures. It is mainly used in cardiac imaging to examine the heart, lungs, and major blood vessels, aiming to identify abnormalities in the heart's size, shape, and position, such as heart failure, congenital defects, and vascular...
01:24Imaging Studies II: Ultrasonography