[Sonographic patterns and pathological correlation of neuroblastoma]

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Radiology
• Oncology

Background:

• Neuroblastoma is a common pediatric malignancy originating from neural crest cells.
• Accurate diagnosis and differentiation from other abdominal masses are crucial for effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To correlate pathological findings with sonographic results in neuroblastoma.
• To analyze the sonographic patterns of neuroblastomas and assess sonography's utility in differentiating them from other pediatric tumors.

Main Methods:

• Prospective correlation of pathological findings with sonographic results in two operated neuroblastoma cases.
• Retrospective analysis of sonographic patterns in 14 neuroblastoma cases from hospital records.
• High-resolution ultrasound of resected specimens with ultrasound-guided needle biopsy for pathological correlation.

Main Results:

• Hyperechoic areas on ultrasound corresponded to tumor necrosis, hemorrhage, calcifications, and hypercellularity.
• Hypoechoic areas indicated less cellularity with loosely arranged tumor cells.
• Common sonographic findings included heterogeneous mixed (65%) and heterogeneous hyperechoic (21%) patterns, with calcifications noted in 11 cases. Tumors were often large (>8 cm), ill-defined, and crossed the midline (73%).

Conclusions:

• Sonography is valuable for diagnosing pediatric abdominal masses.
• Ultrasound patterns can aid in differentiating neuroblastomas from other pediatric tumors, guiding further diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.