Role of Abdominal Ultrasonography in the assessment of Neonatal Necrotising Enterocolitis

Abstract

Aim of work: To evaluate the role of ultrasound and color Doppler in diagnoses and predicting the outcome of necrotising enterocolitis patients at neonatal ICU. Subjects and methods: Thirty neonates clinically diagnosed with NEC were examined, 51 ultrasound examinations were done including color Doppler sonography and findings were compared with laboratory data, clinical picture, staging, abdominal radiography and patient's outcome. Results: Bloody stools and abdominal discoloration correlated with highest risk, low PH and neutropenia and increased DAAS score matched poor outcome. echoegnic free fluid, thin bowel wall, absent wall perfusion, aprestalsis, dilated anechoic bowel, increased bowel perfusion and pneumatoses intestinalis matched adverse outcome. sonographic signs of pneumatoses intestinalis interrelated with radiographic signs. Conclusion: US was found to be highly sensitive and specific in diagnosing, staging and predicting the outcome of NEC patients, based on group of findings that were categorized per their risk ratio and correlated with outcome. Keywords: Necrotising enterocolitis, Ultrasonography, NICU