# Expanding Role of Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound and Elastography in the Evaluation of Abdominal Pathologies in Children **Authors:** Natae Fekadu Lemessa, Laith R. Sultan, Santiago Martinez-Correa, Laura May Davis, Misun Hwang PMC · DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics15131680 · Diagnostics · 2025-07-01 ## TL;DR This review discusses how contrast-enhanced ultrasound and elastography are increasingly used to diagnose abdominal issues in children. ## Contribution The paper provides a comprehensive summary of the expanding role of two ultrasound technologies in pediatric abdominal pathology evaluation. ## Key findings - Contrast-enhanced ultrasound and elastography are expanding ultrasound's diagnostic capabilities in children. - These technologies are being used for hepatic, renal, pancreatic, splenic, urinary tract, and scrotal pathologies. - The review covers technical aspects, applications, and limitations of these imaging techniques. ## Abstract Contrast-enhanced ultrasound and elastography are two ultrasound technologies that are becoming increasingly popular in the evaluation of different abdominal pathologies in children. The use of these technologies has expanded the diagnostic scope of ultrasound into areas that were traditionally covered by advanced imaging modalities such as computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and fluoroscopy. In this review, we summarize the use of contrast-enhanced ultrasound and elastography in the evaluation of hepatic, renal, pancreatic, splenic, urinary tract, and scrotal pathologies in children. We describe the technical aspects, applications, and limitations, intending to make readers more acquainted with the technologies. ## Full-text entities - **Diseases:** obesity (MESH:D009765), bleeding (MESH:D006470), infectious mononucleosis (MESH:D007244), splenomegaly (MESH:D013163), esophageal varices (MESH:D004932), pyelonephritic lesions (MESH:D009059), nausea (MESH:D009325), steatosis (MESH:D005234), venous malformations (MESH:C563977), Hyperemia (MESH:D006940), focal nephritis (MESH:D009393), Vascular and lymphatic malformations (MESH:D054079), Gaucher's disease (MESH:D005776), testicular tumors (MESH:D013736), Testicular torsion (MESH:D013086), APN (MESH:D011704), renal (MESH:D006030), fat accumulation (MESH:D004620), ischemia (MESH:D007511), acute myelogenous leukemia (MESH:D015470), stenosis (MESH:D003251), anaphylaxis (MESH:D000707), masses (MESH:C536030), Wilson's disease (MESH:D006527), Congenital hepatic fibrosis (MESH:C562378), hematoma (MESH:D006406), variceal hemorrhage (MESH:D014648), cirrhosis (MESH:D005355), testicular fracture (MESH:D013733), hemoperitoneum (MESH:D006465), headache (MESH:D006261), chronic liver disease (MESH:D008107), Renal abscesses (MESH:D000038), IBD inflammation (MESH:D007249), Trauma (MESH:D014947), reflux (MESH:D005764), Bowel (MESH:D012778), biliary atresia (MESH:D001656), Pancreas (MESH:D010190), pneumatosis (MESH:D011006), acute necrotizing pancreatitis (MESH:D019283), left upper quadrant pain (MESH:D010146), fracture (MESH:D050723), Lymphatic malformations (MESH:D008209), renal pathologies (MESH:D002114), benign (MESH:D009369), diabetes (MESH:D003920), splenic pseudoaneurysms (MESH:D017541), rupture (MESH:D012421), ischemic (MESH:D002545), vascular lesions (MESH:D014652), NAFLD (MESH:D065626), multiorgan failure (MESH:D051437), Splenic infarctions (MESH:D013159), acute pancreatitis (MESH:D010195), hepatitis B and C (MESH:D006509), chronic kidney disease (MESH:D051436), cystic fibrosis (MESH:D003550), pneumoperitoneum (MESH:D011027), abdominal abnormalities (MESH:D015746) - **Chemicals:** methotrexate (MESH:D008727), iron (MESH:D007501), copper (MESH:D003300), cholesterol (MESH:D002784), C-peptide (MESH:D002096), gadolinium (MESH:D005682), lipid (MESH:D008055), Lumason (MESH:D013459), UCA (-) - **Species:** human gammaherpesvirus 4 (Epstein Barr virus, no rank) [taxon 10376], Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606] ## Full text _Full body text omitted from this summary view._ Fetch the complete paper as Markdown: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12248446/full.md ## Figures 11 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12248446/full.md ## References 134 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12248446/full.md --- Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12248446