J Korean Soc Emerg Med.  2003 Dec;14(5):610-614.

Sonography of the Pediatric Acute Abdomen in the Emergency Center

• Kim TK
• Kim KH
• Sohn DK
• Kim AJ
• Kim HY

Abstract

PURPOSE
Diagnosis of acute abdomen in infants and children is difficult. The aim of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of sonography in the children suffering from acute abdominal pain.
METHODS
From January 2001 through July 2002, abdominal sonography was carried out in 265 children who had abdominal pain, vomiting, or irritability. The suspected diagnosis were acute appendicitis, intussusception, congenital pyloric obstruction, inguinal hernia, and illeocolitis. Medical records were reviewed retrospectively for age, sex, sonographic diagnosis, and the impact of the sonography in the treatment was evaluated by comparing the sonographic diagnosis with the final diagnosis (guidance for treatment).
RESULTS
Among 265 patiens, the sex ratio (male:female) was 1.7:1. According to the findings of sonographic studies, mesenteric lymphadenitis (40.8%) was the most common diagnosis and was followed by acute appendicitis (21.9%), normal abdomen (19.2%), intussusception (14.3%), ileus (3.4%), and epididymitis (0.4%). In 259 of the 265 patients, sonography helped guideline for treatment (97.7%).
CONCLUSION
Sonography is very useful in the diagnosis and establishing the treatment guideline of pediatric patients with acute abdomen.

Keyword

Ultrasonography; Acute abdomen; Child

MeSH Terms

Abdomen
Abdomen, Acute*
Abdominal Pain
Appendicitis
Child
Diagnosis
Emergencies*
Epididymitis
Hernia, Inguinal
Humans
Ileus
Infant
Intussusception
Male
Medical Records
Mesenteric Lymphadenitis
Retrospective Studies
Sex Ratio
Ultrasonography
Vomiting