COLOR DOPPLER ULTRASONOGRAPHY IN PEDIATRIC INTUSSUSCEPTION

CDU was used in 11 children with intussusception. Demonstration of vas cular images within the ''pseudokidney'' mass was possible in nine of 11 cases. Of them, eight could be treated by hydrostatic reduction. In the remaining case, marked edema of the bowel wall did not allow redu ction, and surgery had to be performed: no necrosis was observed in th e surgical specimen. Both patients in whom CDU failed to demonstrate v ascular signals had necrosis at surgery, and bowel resection was perfo rmed. Because of the limited number of patients examined at this time, no firm conclusions can be drawn from our experience. However, CDU se ems a promising technique in detecting vascular changes occurring in i ntussusception, with a possible role as a predictive tool of bowel nec rosis.