Ultrasound screening for neoplasms in children up to 6 years old.

The aim of the ultrasound (US) screening program was to detect neoplastic lesions in children, together with other pathologies of the developmental age in the area of the neck, abdomen, female pelvis, and scrotum in boys.US screening scans, including cervical, abdominal, pelvical, and scrotal US, were performed in the population of asymptomatic children aged from 9 months to 6 years. The children were scanned in Mobile Pediatric US Unit, consisting of 2 independent consulting rooms.The scans of 14,324 children were analyzed, 7247 boys and 7077 girls. Totally 42,538 US examinations were performed, including 14,187 cervical scans, 14,259 abdominal scans, 6942 female pelvical scans, and 7150 scrotal scans. Totally 5426 abnormalities were detected, which represent 12.7% of all examinations and 30% of patients. Three tumors were recognized, which are renal malignant tumor diagnosed as Wilms tumor, neurogenic tumor of the rib, and teratoma of the testis.US screening in pediatric population can be used to reveal lesions inaccessible to clinical examination, like tumors or other pathologies of developmental age before the onset of clinical symptoms. Due to the large number of detected abnormalities it should be recommended to the whole population of certain age.

Color Doppler dynamic tissue perfusion measurement: a novel tool in the assessment of renal parenchymal perfusion in children with vesicoureteral reflux.

INTRODUCTION: Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) occurs in 20-50% of children suffering from recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) and is associated with an increased risk of renal scarring and impaired renal function. Early detection of renal perfusion deterioration would allow for the implementation of more aggressive treatment and potentially prevent further damage to the renal parenchyma. The aim of the study was to assess renal parenchymal perfusions in children with recurrent UTIs with and without coexisting VUR, and compare the findings with the results of healthy patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Color Doppler sonographic dynamic renal parenchymal perfusion measurements were performed with PixelFlux (Chameleon-Software, Germany) software in 77 children with recurrent UTIs and coexisting VUR and in 30 children with UTIs without VUR. The findings were compared with the results of 53 healthy children. RESULTS: Cortical parenchymal perfusion of children suffering from UTIs and VUR was significantly reduced when compared to the control group. Statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) were found in all perfusion parameters (i.e. mean velocity (v mix ), mean perfused area (A mix ), mean perfusion intensity (I mix ), tissue pulsatility index (TPI), and tissue resistance index (TRI)) between the control group and children suffering from UTIs and VUR, particularly VUR grades III and IV. There were no significant differences between the UTI group and the control group. No differences were found between the controls and VUR grade II. CONCLUSIONS: Renal parenchymal perfusion decreases significantly with higher grades of VUR.

Two-dimensional (2D), three-dimensional static (3D) and real-time (4D) contrast enhanced voiding urosonography (ceVUS) versus voiding cystourethrography (VCUG) in children with vesicoureteral reflux.

BACKGROUND: Two-dimensional (2DUS) contrast enhanced voiding urosonography has been used in the diagnosis and treatment monitoring of the vesicoureteral reflux in children for over 15 years. The opportunity of performing this examination with the use of three-dimensional static (3DUS) and real-time (4DUS) techniques opens up new diagnostic horizons. OBJECTIVE: To analyze if 3DUS/4DUS bring additional information leading to an increased detection rate or change in the grading of reflux compared to 2DUS and voiding cystouretrography. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We evaluated 69 patients (mean 4.1 years) who underwent 2DUS/3DUS/4DUS contrast enhanced voiding urosonography (ceVUS) and voiding cystourethrography (VCUG) for the diagnosis and grading of vesicoureteral reflux. RESULTS: 2DUS and 3DUS/4DUS urosonography diagnosed 10 more refluxes (7.25%) than cystourethrography and in 3 refluxes (2.17%) detected a higher grade. In 9 refluxes (6.52%) 3DUS/4DUS urosonography and cystourethrography diagnosed a higher grade than 2DUS. There was a statistically significant difference between cystourethrography and 3DUS/4DUS urosonography when the number of detected refluxes and differences in grading were compared. 4DUS enabled a better visualization of reflux than 3DUS. CONCLUSIONS: 3DUS/4DUS techniques bring additional information leading to a change in reflux grading compared to 2DUS and a detect higher number of refluxes compared to cystourethrography.

Intraoperative contrast-enhanced urosonography during endoscopic treatment of vesicoureteral reflux in children.

BACKGROUND: There are many controversies surrounding the effectiveness of endoscopic treatment of vesicouretheral reflux (VUR) in children, thus it is of highest priority to analyze factors influencing the outcome of therapy and to search for new methods that would increase the success rate and reduce the number of reinjections. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to analyze whether intraoperative contrast-enhanced urosonography (ce-US) may increase the effectiveness of endoscopic anti-reflux therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Intraoperative contrast-enhanced urosonography (ce-US) with SonoVue® was performed in 17 patients (25 ureteral units) undergoing endoscopic treatment of VUR. Ce-US was performed in the operating room before the procedure and after injection of the bulking material. When VUR persisted, the operator repeated the injection, which was followed by ce-US. The results were compared with those obtained from a control group (15 patients; 22 ureteral units). RESULTS: A repeat injection during a single endoscopic treatment was required in 24% of cases. The overall success rate confirmed at 6-12 months' follow-ups was 84%. The success rate was significantly higher in comparison to the control group (success: 64%). CONCLUSION: Intraoperative ce-US performed during endoscopic treatment of VUR enables immediate monitoring of outcome and provides the opportunity for repeat injection during the same procedure, thus increasing the efficacy of the procedure and reducing the number of reinjections.

2D/3D/4D contrast-enhanced voiding urosonography in the diagnosis and monitoring of treatment of vesicoureteral reflux in children - can it replace voiding cystourethrography?

INTRODUCTION: Vesicoureteral reflux appears in 20-50% of pediatric patients with recurrent urinary tract infections. The most common method of diagnosing this disease is voiding cystourethrography. However, contemporary pediatric radiology does not favor this method due to exposure to X-radiation. AIM: The aim of this study was to assess the usefulness of 2D/3D/4D contrast-enhanced voiding urosonography in the diagnosis and treatment monitoring of vesicoureteral reflux in children and the possibility of using contrast-enhanced voiding urosonography to replace voiding cystourethrography. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Voiding cystourethrography and contrast-enhanced voiding urosonography were conducted in 80 pediatric patients in order to assess sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values as well as the number of vesicoureteral refluxes detected by each of the two methods. The second stage of the study involved performing voiding urosonography in an extended protocol in 58 children in order to determine the usefulness of three-dimensional (3D/4D) examinations in the assessment of vesicoureteral reflux and the ability to assess the urethra. RESULTS: The concordance between the two methods was 86.95%. The sensitivity of voiding urosonography was 84.51%, specificity - 90.99%, positive predictive value - 85.71% and negative predictive value - 90.17%. A 3D/4D assessment of the urinary bladder and transperineal 2D morphological assessment of the urethra were possible in all patients (100%). Assessment of the urethra during micturition with the use of 2D/3D/4D techniques was possible in all patients in whom voiding was elicited (95.83%), and 3D/4D assessment of vesicoureteral reflux was possible in all patients with reflux (100%). Although the application of 3D/4D techniques allowed accurate specification of the grade of reflux in all cases (100%), it appeared particularly useful in differentiating between grades II and III (70.97%). CONCLUSIONS: Contrast-enhanced voiding urosonography allows the diagnosis and monitoring of treatment of vesicoureteral reflux in pediatric patients as well as assessment of the urethra in both girls and boys. The method is characterized by high sensitivity and specificity. Moreover, it is safe, relatively inexpensive and can replace voiding cystourethrography.