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Published on: February 2, 2015
Ultrasound imaging of bowel obstruction in infants and children
Rida Salman1, Victor J Seghers2, Desi M Schiess3
1Department of Radiology, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA.
Insights
Ultrasound (US) effectively identifies causes of bowel obstruction in children, including appendicitis and intussusception. Familiarity with US findings aids in diagnosis and surgical planning for pediatric bowel obstruction.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Radiology
- Gastrointestinal Imaging
- Abdominal Ultrasound
Background:
- Bowel obstruction is a common surgical emergency in infants and children.
- Accurate diagnosis is crucial for timely management and improved outcomes.
- Ultrasound (US) is a readily available, non-invasive imaging modality for pediatric patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the various etiologies of bowel obstruction in infants and children identifiable via ultrasound.
- To highlight the diagnostic utility of US in pediatric bowel obstruction.
- To emphasize the importance of recognizing specific sonographic findings.
Main Methods:
- Review of literature and case series focusing on ultrasound diagnosis of pediatric bowel obstruction.
- Analysis of sonographic features associated with common causes of obstruction.
- Correlation of imaging findings with clinical presentation and surgical pathology.
Main Results:
- Ultrasound can identify key causes of bowel obstruction, including perforated appendicitis, intussusception, foreign body ingestion, colonic volvulus, intra-abdominal masses, internal hernias, and inflammatory bowel disease.
- Specific US findings are characteristic for each etiology, aiding in differentiation.
- US can obviate the need for further cross-sectional imaging in many cases.
Conclusions:
- Ultrasound is a valuable primary imaging tool for evaluating bowel obstruction in infants and children.
- Familiarity with sonographic appearances of various etiologies is essential for pediatric radiologists and surgeons.
- US facilitates prompt diagnosis, guiding patient management and surgical planning.
Abstract:
We review the etiologies of bowel obstruction in infants and children that can be identified on ultrasound (US) including perforated appendicitis, intussusception, foreign body ingestion, colonic volvulus, intra-abdominal mass lesions, internal hernia, and stricturing inflammatory bowel disease. US can potentially identify the cause of bowel obstruction in these age groups, without the need for additional cross-sectional imaging, and can aid in patient management including interventional and surgical planning. Hence, it is important to be familiar with the sonographic imaging findings of bowel obstruction in infants and children.
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