RESUMEN
Because of the inherent danger and associated discomfort of invasive procedures such as colonoscopy or double contrast barium enema involving exposure to radiation, we studied the value of hydrocolonic sonography in the diagnosis of colorectal polyps in children with rectal bleeding. From March 2005 to January 2006, 46 children from 2.5-11 years of age presented with hematochezia were examined by means of hydrocolonic sonography and colonoscopy. On colonoscopy, 21 patients had normal results, 19 had polyps, 3 had proctitis, 2 had lymphonodular hyperplasia and 1 had anal fissure. Only 7 of 19 colorectal polyps were diagnosed by conventional abdominal sonography [37%], whereas hydrocolonic sonography permitted the diagnosis of 17 [89.5%] with a specificity equal to 92.5%. In comparison with colonoscopy, positive predictive value of hydrocolonic sonography was 89.4% and negative predictive value was 92.5%. Hydrocolonic sonography is a accurate and safe approach to evaluating children with rectal bleeding. Thus, it can be regarded as an appropriate replacement of barium enema