Neonatal gastrointestinal emergencies: a radiological review

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Surgery
• Diagnostic Imaging
• Neonatal Care

Background:

• Neonatal abdominal emergencies necessitate surgical intervention, carrying risks of perforation, sepsis, shock, and mortality.
• Radiological imaging is crucial for rapid diagnosis in these critical cases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review common neonatal gastrointestinal emergencies.
• To discuss optimal imaging modalities for diagnosis.
• To illustrate typical radiological findings.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of neonatal gastrointestinal emergencies and their imaging characteristics.
• Analysis of diagnostic utility of various radiological techniques.

Main Results:

• Radiography and ultrasonography are primary diagnostic tools due to neonates' sensitivity to radiation.
• Advanced imaging like CT and MRI have limited, specific applications.

Conclusions:

• Familiarity with basic radiological findings is essential for emergency department providers, especially with limited radiologist availability.
• Minimizing ionizing radiation exposure is paramount in neonatal imaging.
• Early recognition of gastrointestinal emergencies through imaging aids timely surgical management.