Ultrasonography of the healing process during a 3-month follow-up after a splenic injury

We present a 14-year-old boy with a grade III splenic injury due to a bicycle accident, who was treated conservatively. The boy's medical history included splenomegaly due to thalassemia. The splenic lesion was initially investigated with computed tomography (CT) and then, was followed by ultrasonography for 3 months. CT revealed a large intraparenchymal hematoma which appeared hyperechoic on ultrasonography. During follow-up, the hematoma developed a more complex echogenicity and became gradually hypoechoic. The hematoma increased in size during the first week but then, started decreasing until it eventually resolved completely. The patient had an uneventful full recovery. In this report, we discuss the ultrasonographic changes of the hematoma throughout the healing process.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography of the carotids

Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography of the carotids has recently emerged as a complementary examination to conventional carotid Doppler ultrasonography. It is an examination providing improved visualization of the vascular lumen, more accurate and detailed delineation of the vascular wall, and identification of atherosclerotic plaques. Moreover, contrast-enhanced ultrasonography has specific advantages over conventional ultrasonography and plays an important role in the diagnosis of the vulnerable carotid plaque, as it can identify intraplaque neovascularization and carotid plaque ulceration. Given the specific advantages and improved imaging of the carotids provided by this method, radiologists should be familiar with it. This pictorial essay illustrates the advantages of this technique and discusses its value in the imaging of carotid arteries.