Contrast-enhanced ultrasound of pediatric lungs.
Pediatr Radiol
; 51(12): 2340-2350, 2021 Nov.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-33978798
ABSTRACT
In addition to radiography, ultrasound (US) has long proved to be a valuable imaging modality to evaluate the pediatric lung and pleural cavity. Its many inherent advantages, including real-time performance, high spatial resolution, lack of ionizing radiation and lack of need for sedation make it preferable over other imaging modalities such as CT. Since the introduction of ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs), contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) has become a valuable complementary US technique, with many well-established uses in adults and evolving uses in children. Lung CEUS applications are still not licensed and are performed off-label, although the added value of CEUS in certain clinical scenarios is increasingly reported. The limited evidence of CEUS in the evaluation of pediatric lungs focuses primarily on community-acquired pneumonia and its complications. In this clinical setting, CEUS is used to confidently and accurately diagnose necrotizing pneumonia and to delineate pleural effusions and empyema. In addition to intravenous use, UCAs can be administered directly into the pleural cavity through chest catheters to improve visualization of loculations within a complex pleural effusion, which might necessitate fibrinolytic therapy. The purpose of this paper is to present the current experience on pediatric lung CEUS and to suggest potential additional uses that can be derived from adult studies.
Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Banco de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Derrame Pleural
/
Neumonía
Tipo de estudio:
Diagnostic_studies
Límite:
Adult
/
Child
/
Humans
Idioma:
En
Año:
2021
Tipo del documento:
Article