Contrast-enhanced Ultrasound of the Pediatric Bowel

Overview

Journal Pediatr Radiol

Specialty Pediatrics

Date 2021 May 12

PMID 33978797

Citations 5

Authors

Ami Gokli

Jonathan R Dillman

Paul D Humphries

Damjana Kljucevsek

Hans-Joachim Mentzel

Erika Rubesova

Marcelo S Takahashi

Sudha A Anupindi

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) has emerged as a valuable modality for bowel imaging in adults and children. CEUS enables visualization of the perfusion of the bowel wall and of the associated mesentery in healthy and disease states. In addition, CEUS images can be used to make quantitative measurements of contrast kinetics, allowing for objective assessment of bowel wall enhancement. Bowel CEUS is commonly applied to evaluate inflammatory bowel disease and to monitor treatment response. It has also been applied to evaluate necrotizing enterocolitis, intussusception, appendicitis and epiploic appendagitis, although experience with these applications is more limited. In this review article, we present the current experience using CEUS to evaluate the pediatric bowel with emphasis on inflammatory bowel disease, extrapolating the established experience from adult studies. We also discuss emerging applications of CEUS as an adjunct or problem-solving tool for evaluating bowel perfusion.

Citing Articles

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound of Crohn's disease in children and young adults: quantitative metric correlations and MRI disease severity associations.

Dillman J, Prasanphanich A, Epstein K, Towbin A, Trout A Pediatr Radiol. 2025; .

PMID: 40080165 DOI: 10.1007/s00247-025-06203-8.

Imaging for Diagnosis and Assessment of Necrotizing Enterocolitis.

Mishra V, Cuna A, Singh R, Schwartz D, Chan S, Maheshwari A Newborn (Clarksville). 2023; 1(1):182-189.

PMID: 36864828 PMC: 9976546. DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-11002-0002.

Ultrasound for necrotizing enterocolitis: how can we optimize imaging and what are the most critical findings?.

May L, Epelman M, Daneman A Pediatr Radiol. 2022; 53(7):1237-1247.

PMID: 36445392 DOI: 10.1007/s00247-022-05545-x.

Emerging prediction methods for early diagnosis of necrotizing enterocolitis.

Wu S, Di S, Liu T, Shi Y Front Med (Lausanne). 2022; 9:985219.

PMID: 36186788 PMC: 9523100. DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.985219.

Microbubbles in the belly: optimizing the protocol for contrast-enhanced ultrasound of the pediatric abdomen.

Davis L, Back S Pediatr Radiol. 2022; 53(7):1224-1236.

PMID: 36006474 DOI: 10.1007/s00247-022-05464-x.

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