Abstract

Role and potential of modern ultrasound in pediatric abdominal imaging

Author(s): A Pilhatsch and M Riccabona

Ultrasound (US) has gained its place as the preferred first-line imaging modality in the child’s abdomen. Especially in infants US has advantages – the small amount of tissue and fat creating restrictions to CT and MRI allows for application of high-resolution (especially linear) transducers, offering excellent imaging capabilities; in addition, US is applicable at the bedside and can be performed without sedation. As radiation protection has become a key issue for imaging children, exploiting US to the utmost using all its possibilities and applying modern methods that have significantly widened US potential is an indispensable and increasingly important approach. This review illustrates standard US techniques, basic and new applications throughout the entire abdomen and its different organ systems, trying to point out the enormous potential of US in different clinical scenarios, focusing on gastrointestinal and urogenital issues. Future perspectives provided by new modalities such as contrastenhanced and 3D US will further strengthen the diagnostic value of this powerful imaging tool, hopefully contributing to continuing reduction of diagnostic radiation burden to children, by diminishing the need for CT.