Amplitude coded colour Doppler sonography in paediatrics.

Objective: The goal of this study was to evaluate the use of amplitude code d colour Doppler sonography (aCDS) in infants and children. Methods: We ana lysed our own experiences in 270 patients (mean age: 6.3 years, range: newb orn -16 years) with various paediatric aCDS applications. The aCDS results of 460 individual investigations were correlated with conventional CDS resu lts, clinical findings and the results of other imaging modalities. Additio nally, relevant literature is reviewed and discussed. Results: ACDS is a va luable tool in paediatric sonography. It enriches the diagnostic field of u ltrasound, particularly in regard to renal, abdominal, oncological and smal l part applications. ACDS could successfully be performed in 92.4% of inves tigations. Overall accuracy was 86.6% (in regard to the total number), sens itivity was 92% (calculated for the number of successful investigations), a dditional diagnostic information was gained in 18.6% to 48% of patients - d epending on the field of application. Conclusion: ACDS is applicable to the majority of infants and children, in spite of the risk of motion artefacts . It is a valuable addition to conventional paediatric ultrasound and colou r Doppler sonography. In conjunction with new modalities like three-dimensi onal sonography, harmonic imaging and ultrasound contrast agents it promise s to continuously widen sonographic diagnostic potential.