Sonography of the Surgical Abdomen in Children

The introduction of the graded-compression sonographic technique and continued advances in ultrasound technology have increased the use of sonography in evaluating the child who has a suspected surgical abdomen. Sonography is used to characterize the nature of the many conditions associated with acute abdominal symptoms and signs and to differentiate between those requiring urgent surgical intervention and those that do not. This article reviews the sonographic evaluation of common important surgical conditions of the abdomen in children. Indications for performing sonography, sonographic features of common lesions, and the sonographic techniques best suited to making a diagnosis are addressed.