Purpose or Case Report: The ability to provide quick, real-time, easily accessible and radiation free diagnostic assessment makes ultrasound (US) imaging one of the most versatile imaging modalities. With the introduction and development of microbubble based ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs) in the early 90’s the ability to detect and visualize complex vascular structures became a reality, overcoming some of the limitations that were existent with grayscale and Doppler imaging. UCA’s are used extensively in the adult population for visualization of vasculature and evaluating vascular kinetics in solid organs and lesions. Although contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) can provide a powerful alternative approach to evaluate various pathologies in the pediatric population that would otherwise require radiation-based computed tomography (CT) or strenuous magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), it is important to understand the interaction between US and the microbubbles to optimize imaging and derive clinically relevant quantitative measures of vascularity.
Methods & Materials: This educational poster will outline the structural properties of microbubbles and the effects of various US imaging parameters on the behavior of these microbubbles. The various methods to perform dynamic CEUS in order to generate qualitative and quantitative measures will be introduced, including certain troubleshooting mechanisms. Finally, an overview of existing applications for CEUS in pediatrics based on experience at our institution will also be presented via cases, and the future of CEUS based on existing pre-clinical research will be briefly described.
Results: Through this educational poster, readers will be introduced to the basic concepts of CEUS including the physics of US interaction, generation of measures of vascular kinetics and some current clinical and research applications.
Conclusions: This poster should provide a good foundation for the reader to either develop on their existing experience with CEUS or be encouraged to use this novel technique for applications in pediatric radiology where CT and MRI can potentially be avoided.