Ultrasound enhanced with sulphur-hexafluoride-filled microbubbles agent (SonoVue) in the follow-up of mild liver and spleen trauma.

PURPOSE

This study assessed the role of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in the follow-up of patients with a diagnosis of traumatic liver or spleen lesions.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Between April 2006 and February 2008, 18 patients (13 males and five females, age range 8-42 years) with blunt abdominal trauma were evaluated with computed tomography (CT) and CEUS at the emergency department of our institution. Seven were diagnosed as surgical emergencies and were excluded from the study. The remaining 11 were treated conservatively and were monitored with CEUS at variable time intervals, depending on their clinical needs.

RESULTS

CEUS confirmed lesion sites identified on presentation and allowed us to follow all phases of the repair process until complete resolution.

CONCLUSIONS

The conservative management of abdominal lesions in both adults and children is increasingly widespread but requires accurate follow-up over time. As a noninvasive, versatile, easy to perform and repeatable technique with a low rate of adverse reactions, CEUS is ideally suited for this purpose and allowed us to reduce the number of CT scans, especially in the follow-up of young patients.