Purpose or Case Report: Imaging pediatric patients calls for modalities that are rapid and reduce or eliminate radiation exposure. As such, ultrasound is an exceedingly important modality in pediatric radiology. Ultrasound can be used for a large variety of indications and provides clinicians and radiologists with a real-time, point of care evaluation without radiation exposure. Grey scale and color Doppler ultrasonographic images do have some limitations including an inability to accurately define vasculature or detect/characterize lesions in solid organs. Fortunately, contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) is now available for use in the United States. Ultrasound contrast agents are gas-filled microbubbles that are injected into the systemic vasculature that appear echogenic on grey scale ultrasound. Contrast enhanced ultrasound allows for more precise visualization of vasculature, determination of relative blood flow, and enhanced visualization of solid organs and lesions. The availability of CEUS provides pediatric radiologists with a powerful new tool for the evaluation of a variety of pathologies that traditionally required high radiation computed tomography or lengthy magnetic resonance imaging.
Methods & Materials: This educational exhibit will discuss evidence-based advantages of contrast ultrasound and several current and future clinical and research application of CEUS.
Results: Specifically this exhibit will review cases, diagrams, and literature that describe: (1) Current applications of non-contrast ultrasound imaging and its advantages and disadvantages; (2) Ultrasound contrast agents; (3) Advantages of contrast ultrasound including improved solid organ resolution, organ perfusion, and lesion characterization; (4) Future and current clinical applications of contrast ultrasound including neurologic, genitourinary, gastrointestinal, solid organs, and trauma; (5) Future and current research applications of contrast ultrasound including targeted contrast agents and tumor response quantification.
Conclusions: From this exhibit, readers will understand the advantages, current clinical and research applications, and future uses of CEUS. In addition, we hope to encourage the use of CEUS for a wide array of indications, further reducing radiation dose and providing higher quality ultrasonographic images for our pediatric patient population.