Ultraschall Med 2016; 37 - P2_13
DOI: 10.1055/s-0036-1587928

Contrast enhanced ultrasound of the spleen in pediatric patients

D Grothues 1, EM Jung 2, J Vermehren 1, B Knoppke 1, M Melter 1
  • 1University Hospital Regensburg, Department of Pediatrics, Regensburg, Germany
  • 2University Hospital Regensburg, Department of Radiology, Regensburg, Germany

Purpose: Retrospective analysis of the diagnostic accuracy and safety of contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in children.

Material and methods: Retrospective analysis of the diagnostic findings of CEUS in 9 pediatric patients. After written informed consent all patients underwent CEUS with a high-end ultrasound machine using sulfur hexafluoride microbubbles (Sonovue®) and a multi-frequency probe (1 – 5 MHz, 6 – 9 MHz).

Results: 9 patients (median age 12.4 years, min. 5.1 years, max. 16.2 years; male n = 4) underwent CEUS for the following reasons: demonstration of the perfusion of the spleen after partial embolization (n = 3) and after trauma (n = 1) and characterization of focal lesions (n = 5): one lesion was considered to malignant (histopathologic diagnosis hodgkin lymphoma), the remaining 4 were characterized as benign ((hem)angioma n = 3, cyst n = 1). No complications or side effects were observed.

Conclusions: We could demonstrate that CEUS is safe and accurate for the examination of the spleen in pediatric patients.