Usefulness and Pitfall of Abdominal Ultrasonographic Examination by a Pediatrician in Children

Jae Hong Park

doi:10.5223/kjpgn.2011.14.3.245

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Park: Usefulness and Pitfall of Abdominal Ultrasonographic Examination by a Pediatrician in Children

Review Article

Korean Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition

Korean Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition 2011; 14(3): 245-250.

Published online: 30 September 2011

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5223/kjpgn.2011.14.3.245

Usefulness and Pitfall of Abdominal Ultrasonographic Examination by a Pediatrician in Children

Jae Hong Park, M.D.

Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Pusan National University, Busan, Korea.

Corresponding author (jhongpark@pusan.ac.kr)

Received 1 September 2011 Accepted 9 September 2011

Abstract

Ultrasonographic examination plays an important role in non-invasive and prompt screening examinations in detecting abdominal diseases. In this review, the author's experience of the usefulness and pitfalls of ultrasonographic examinations in children with gastrointestinal symptoms is presented. A total of 1,000 cases of children who underwent ultrasonographic evaluation in the Department of Pediatrics, Pusan National University Hospital were reviewed. The main causes leading to ultrasonographic evaluation were abdominal pain (43.9%), vomiting (17.3%), elevated liver enzymes (11.8%), and jaundice (9.8%). Abnormal ultrasonographic findings accounted for 57.9% of cases. The major abnormal findings were mesenteric lymphadenitis (29.2%), fatty liver (12.1%), hepatitis (6.4%), hepatosplenomegaly (6.2%), and acute appendicitis (4.8%). The major findings in children with abdominal pain were mesenteric lymphadenitis (32.6%), intussusception (2.7%), and acute appendicitis (2.7%). The major findings in children with vomiting were mesenteric lymphadenitis (12.7%), hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (10.4%), acute appendicitis (3.5%). The major ultrasonographic findings in children with urinary tract diseases were hydronephrosis (45.4%), urolithiasis (21.5%) and cystic renal disease (18.1%). Ultrasonography performed by pediatricians is advantageous because pediatricians are able to perform the procedure with clinical information at the right time.

Keywords: Abdominal ultrasonography, Children, Pediatrician

Figures and Tables

Table 1

Causes Leading to Ultrasonographic Evaluation

^*Anomaly evaluation, defecation difficulty, hepatosplenomegaly, hypercholesterolemia, maternal oligohydramnios, obesity, poor growth, poor feeding, poor weight gain.

Table 2

Ultrasonographic Findings in Children with Abdominal Pain

^*Duodenal intramural hematoma, gastric ulcer, colitis, pleural effusion, pericardial effusion, tuberculous peritonitis, abscess in abdominal wall.

Table 3

Ultrasonographic Findings in Children with Vomiting

^*Meconium peritonitis, duodenal ulcer, duodenal web, wall edema of gallbladder, ileitis, meconium plug syndrome, mesenteric cyst, renal cystic mass, hepatic arteriovenous malformation.

Table 4

Ultrasonographic Findings in Children with Elevated Liver Enzyme

^*Congestive hepatopathy, inspissated bile syndrome, sludge in gallbladder, hemangioendothelioma.

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