Purpose or Case Report: Ultrasound is the first-line screening tool for numerous pediatric pathologies. Its advantages include lack of ionizing radiation, non-invasiveness, real-time dynamic evaluation, and flow assessment capabilities. While conventional Doppler is used for macrovascular evaluation in conditions such as ischemia, infections, and neoplasms, ultrasound microbubble contrast agents allow for more precise perfusion quantification. Microvascular flow imaging (MVI) is a novel technique that employs advanced algorithms for clutter and noise suppression, enabling superior visualization of small vessels and slow-velocity flow without contrast. This technique may reduce the need for contrast-enhanced follow-up studies, except when arterial and venous wash-in and wash-out characteristics are crucial for diagnosis. The utility of MVI in pediatric conditions needs further exploration as this technology is part of ultrasound clinical systems.
Methods & Materials: This educational exhibit aims to:
1. Review commercially available MVI software.
2. Provide a side-by-side comparison of conventional Doppler and MVI images.
3. Summarize current literature on MVI use in the pediatric population for the following organs: Brain, thyroid gland, liver, kidney, lymph nodes, bowel, and urinary bladder.
4. Provide MVI images examples of normal anatomy versus pathology in these organs.
5. Describe current limitations of MVI and potential solutions.
6. Summarize key imaging characteristics of pathology and anatomy for pediatric radiologists' reference.
Results:
Conclusions: