Assessing colonic anatomy normal values based on air contrast enemas in children younger than 6 years

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Radiology
• Gastroenterology
• Anatomy

Background:

• Contrast enemas are used to evaluate pediatric constipation and identify anatomical issues.
• Clear definitions for normal colonic size and abnormalities like dilation or redundancy are lacking in children.
• Establishing normative data is essential for accurate diagnosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To define normal colonic anatomy in children without constipation using air contrast enemas.
• To provide normative values for colonic size ratios in pediatric patients.
• To aid in the interpretation of contrast studies for colonic evaluation.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective chart review of 119 children aged 0-5 years who underwent air contrast enemas for intussusception.
• Measurement of colonic segment lengths and diameters, normalized to the L2 vertebral body width.
• Analysis of ratios for rectosigmoid length, and rectal, sigmoid, descending, transverse, and ascending colon diameters.

Main Results:

• Colonic segment length ratios showed no significant age-related changes, with borderline significance for the rectosigmoid/L2 ratio (P=0.05).
• Rectal and ascending colon diameter ratios increased significantly with age.
• No significant differences were observed based on gender or race.

Conclusions:

• The study provides essential reference data for colonic anatomy in young children.
• These normative values are valuable for interpreting contrast enema studies in pediatric patients.
• The findings support better identification of colonic abnormalities in children.