Ultrasound for necrotizing enterocolitis: how can we optimize imaging and what are the most critical findings?

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a common condition in the neonatal intensive care unit that continues to present challenges in terms of diagnosis and management. Traditionally NEC has been diagnosed and managed by clinical and radiographic findings, but US has shown promise in characterizing and...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Pediatric radiology 2023-06, Vol.53 (7), p.1237-1247
Main Authors: May, Lauren A., Epelman, Monica, Daneman, Alan
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Enterocolitis
Gastrointestinal diseases
Imaging
Improving Protocols
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Necrosis
Necrotizing enterocolitis
Neonates
Neuroradiology
Newborn babies
Nuclear Medicine
Oncology
Pediatrics
Radiology
Ultrasound
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Summary:Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a common condition in the neonatal intensive care unit that continues to present challenges in terms of diagnosis and management. Traditionally NEC has been diagnosed and managed by clinical and radiographic findings, but US has shown promise in characterizing and prognosticating NEC. In this manuscript we review the abdominal US technique for NEC, the clinical significance of individual sonographic findings of NEC, and how US can be integrated in the clinical decision process for diagnosing and managing NEC. We also discuss the potential value-added role of a limited abdominal US protocol that focuses on the sonographic findings most indicative of a poor prognosis to include pneumoperitoneum, complex free fluid and focal fluid collections.
ISSN:1432-1998
0301-0449
1432-1998
DOI:10.1007/s00247-022-05545-x