The Diagnostic Value of Abdominal Ultrasound in the Primary Diagnosis of Intussusception in Clinically Suspected Children. (English)

Background: Intussusception is the most common abdominal emergency in children younger than two years of age. Delay in diagnosis and treatment can ultimately lead to ischemia, perforation, peritonitis, and death. The aim of the present study was to investigate the diagnostic value of abdominal ultrasound in the primary diagnosis of intussusception in clinically suspected children in addition to estimate the mean age and sexual distribution of affected children. Methods: This cross-sectional study investigated 85 patients with clinically suspected Intussusception. A standard questionnaire contained age, sex, ultrasonographic signs, and final diagnosis has been used. The sensitivity, specificity, positive, and negative predictive values of abdominal ultrasound in primary diagnosis of intussusception as well as the mean age and sexual distribution of participants were calculated. Findings: From the enrolled children, 69.1% were male and 30.9% were female. 85.5% of children were equal to or less than 2 years of age. The sensitivity, specificity, positive, and negative predictive values of abdominal ultrasound were 98.2, 93.3, 96.4, and 96.6 percent, respectively. Conclusion: Abdominal ultrasound is a sensitive and specific diagnostic procedure in primary diagnosis of intussusception in children. Thus it may be considered as a substitute of barium enema to decrease the costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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