Mesenteric Lymphadenopathy in Childhood Epidemic Aseptic Meningitis: Sonographic Features and Clinical Significance

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To evaluate the sonographic features of mesenteric lymphadenopathy in childhood epidemic aseptic meningitis and to assess their clinical significance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-three patients (25 male, 8 female; mean age, 8.6 years) with a diagnosis of aseptic meningitis were prospectively evaluated with abdominal ultrasonography for the presence of enlarged mesen-teric nodes. The size and number of enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes were analyzed in relationship with the pa-tient's age, between the patients with abdominal pain or diarrhea (16 cases, 48%) and asymptomatic patients(17 cases, 52%). RESULTS: Mesenteric lymphadenopathy was seen in 31 patients (94%), all 16 symptomatic and 15 of the 17 asymp-tomatic patients. The number of enlarged nodes was most prevalent between 6 -10, seen in 16 patients (52%) and the largest node ranged in size from 4 to 8 mm. Among the 31 patients with mesenteric lymphadenopathy, the mean size of the largest node was statistically different between the symptomatic (6.0 mm) and asympto-matic (5.0 mm) groups (p = 0.021). The number of enlarged nodes and the patient's age were not statistically d-ifferent between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Mesenteric lymphadenopathy was seen in almost all cases of childhood epidemic aseptic meningitis, and may be related to the mesenteric lymphadenitis caused by enterovirus.