Contrast-enhanced ultrasound of the small organs in children

In pediatric and adult populations, intravenous contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) remains off-label for imaging of organs other than the liver and heart. This limited scope inhibits potential benefits of the new modality from a more widespread utilization. Yet, CEUS is potentially useful for imaging small organs such as the thyroid gland, lymph nodes, testes, ovaries and uterus, with all having locations and vasculature favorable for this type of examination. In the adult population, the utility of CEUS has been demonstrated in a growing number of studies for the evaluation of these small organs. The aim of this article is to present a review of pediatric CEUS of the thyroid gland, lymph nodes, testes, ovaries and uterus as well as to draw from the adult literature indications for possible applications in children.

Automated summary

CEUS is currently limited to liver and heart imaging in pediatric and adult populations, but has great potential for imaging small organs like the thyroid gland, lymph nodes, testes, ovaries, and uterus. While studies in adults have shown the utility of CEUS for evaluating these small organs, there is still untapped potential for its application in children based on adult literature.