Neonatal Med.  2015 May;22(2):92-97. 10.5385/nm.2015.22.2.92.

Usefulness of Abdominal Sonography in Accurate Diagnosis for Necrotizing Enterocolitis

• Moon CJ
• Lim GY
• Kim SY
• Sung IK
• Youn YA
• Yum SK

• KMID: 2052167
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5385/nm.2015.22.2.92

Abstract

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to examine the usefulness of abdominal sonography in the diagnosis of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC).
METHODS
We reviewed the medical records of 51 neonates who were diagnosed with NEC in the neonatal intensive care unit at Yeouido St. Mary's Hospital of the Catholic University in Korea between January 2008 and December 2012. The neonates underwent abdominal ultrasonography on the day of their diagnosis and on the third day after diagnosis. Simple abdominal radiography was performed on the same day as the sonography. The neonates were diagnosed with NEC in accordance with the abdominal sonographic findings. Abdominal radiography and sonography were used to assess the NEC stages in the neonates.
RESULTS
On the day of NEC diagnosis by abdominal sonography, 50 neonates were diagnosed with stage II NEC and 1 was diagnosed with stage III NEC. However, simple radiography diagnosed 49 neonates with stage I NEC, 1 with stage II NEC, and 1 with stage III NEC. On the third day after NEC diagnosis by abdominal sonography, 48 neonates were diagnosed with stage II NEC and 3 were diagnosed with stage III NEC. On the other hand, simple radiography diagnosed 26 neonates with stage I NEC, 24 with stage II NEC, and 1 with stage III NEC.
CONCLUSION
Abdominal sonography can be used as a tool for accurately diagnosing NEC and treating neonates showing ambiguous symptoms during the early stages of NEC.

Keyword

Newborn; Necrotizing enterocolitis; Ultrasonography; Early diagnosis

MeSH Terms

Diagnosis*
Early Diagnosis
Enterocolitis, Necrotizing*
Hand
Humans
Infant, Newborn
Intensive Care, Neonatal
Korea
Medical Records
Radiography
Radiography, Abdominal
Ultrasonography