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State of the Art Cranial Ultrasound Imaging in Neonates
Published on: February 2, 2015
Ultrasound screening for cervical, abdominal and scrotal malignant and benign abnormalities in children
Grzegorz Jedrzejewski1,2, Agnieszka Zaucha-Prazmo3, Albert Matera1,2
1Department of Pediatric Radiology, Medical University of Lublin, Poland.
Insights
Pediatric ultrasound screening identified numerous abnormalities in over 67,000 children. This noninvasive approach effectively detects early signs of cancer and developmental disorders in young patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric imaging
- Diagnostic ultrasonography
- Public health screening
Background:
- Ultrasonography is a vital, noninvasive tool for diagnosing pediatric diseases.
- It serves as a first-line test for various conditions, including lymphadenopathy, thyroid, abdominal, and testicular abnormalities.
- Early diagnosis through screening programs is crucial for improving outcomes in children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of the "No to Cancer in Children" ultrasound screening program.
- To detect neoplastic lesions and developmental disorders in asymptomatic children for early diagnosis.
- To assess the prevalence of abnormalities in a large cohort of young children.
Main Methods:
- A screening program utilized mobile ultrasound units (Ronald McDonald Care Mobile) equipped with high-tech devices.
- Comprehensive ultrasound scans (cervical, abdominal, pelvic, scrotal) were performed on asymptomatic children.
- Data collected from 67,594 children (9 months to 6 years) between 2006-2019.
Main Results:
- A total of 18,544 abnormalities were detected across various regions.
- Neck abnormalities were found in 11.2% (7,542 children), abdominal/urinary tract in 6.65% (4,528 children).
- Male reproductive system abnormalities affected 18.5% (6,474 boys), and 12 tumors were identified.
Conclusions:
- Pediatric ultrasound screening is highly effective for early detection of cancerous and precancerous lesions.
- The program facilitates the early identification of other childhood anomalies.
- Continued screening efforts are recommended for comprehensive detection of pediatric health issues.
Introduction:
Ultrasonography plays an important role in evaluation of many diseases in the pediatric population. The noninvasiveness of the method allows for its wide use in children. It is a first-line diagnostic test for detecting lymphadenopathy, benign and malignant abnormalities of the thyroid gland, abdominal structures or testes in boys. The ultrasound screening program "No to Cancer in Children" was introduced to detect neoplastic lesions and possible developmental disorders in children with no symptoms to allow early diagnosis.
Material And Methods:
The children were scanned in a special mobile ambulance - a Ronald McDonald Care Mobile - equipped with two high-tech ultrasound devices. Ultrasound scans, including cervical, abdominal, pelvic and scrotal ultrasound, were performed in the population of asymptomatic children. In the years 2006-2019, 67 594 children, 34 892 boys and 32 702 girls aged from 9 months to 6 years were examined.
Results:
In total, 18 544 various abnormalities were detected. In the case of the neck they were found in 7542 children, which represent nearly 11.2% of all patients. Changes in abdominal and urinary tract ultrasound were found in 4528 cases (6.65%). Abnormalities of the male reproductive system were detected in 6 474 boys (18.5%). Twelve tumors were detected.
Conclusions:
Screening has proved to be very useful for the early identification cancerous as well as precancerous lesions. It is also worth continuing for effective detection of other childhood anomalies.
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