Point-of-Care Ultrasound For Differentiating Ileocolic From Small Bowel-Small Bowel Intussusception.

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Emergency Medicine
• Diagnostic Imaging
• Ultrasound Technology

Background:

• Intussusception is a critical pediatric condition with two main types: ileocolic intussusception (ICI) and small bowel-small bowel intussusception (SB-SBI).
• Clinical differentiation between ICI and SB-SBI is challenging, impacting management strategies.
• ICI often necessitates radiological and surgical intervention, while SB-SBI may resolve spontaneously.

Purpose of the Study:

• To offer guidance on point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) techniques for identifying intussusception.
• To review existing literature on differentiating ICI from SB-SBI using ultrasound.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was conducted across three databases and gray literature.
• Articles were assessed for quality using the NIH quality assessment tool.
• The linear transducer was identified as the optimal tool for intussusception evaluation.

Main Results:

• Out of 858 identified articles, six met the inclusion criteria for the review.
• All included studies focused on pediatric patients.
• POCUS effectively identifies both ICI and SB-SBI, with distinct sonographic features differentiating them, including abdominal region, intussusception parameters, and lymph node appearance.

Conclusions:

• Sonographic features visualized via POCUS allow for the differentiation of ICI and SB-SBI.
• POCUS empowers emergency physicians with rapid diagnostic capabilities, improving patient management and disposition for intussusception.