title: Ultrasound body applications in children.
abstract: A major goal of imaging is to obtain the correct examination to answer the clinical questions with the lowest possible radiation exposure. While CT examination provides essential information in many cases, other modalities that do not entail ionizing radiation exposure may be appropriate substitutes either as an initial screening study or as an alternative to CT. US has become a valuable imaging tool in children encompassing many different clinical scenarios. This manuscript highlights some of the less well-accepted applications of US as the first imaging study in pediatric patients, especially in the emergency room environment. These include evaluation of suspected appendicitis, abdominal mass, pleural effusion/empyema, thymic abnormality vs. mediastinal mass and extremity soft-tissue mass or vessel patency. Adoption of US imaging as a problem-solving tool for issues such as these requires appropriate allocation of resources to ensure high-quality performance and interpretation of pediatric US studies around the clock.
authors.affiliation: Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Stanford University School of Medicine, 725 Welch Road, Stanford, CA 94305-5913, USA. bevn@stanford.edu
authors.forename: Beverley
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Newman
mesh_terms: D000008:Abdominal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D016724:Empyema, Pleural / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005121:Extremities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000379:methods*; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color / Q000379:methods; D014654:Vascular Patency