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Ntoulia A, Anupindi SA, Back SJ, Didier RA, Hwang M, Johnson AM, McCarville MB, Papadopoulou F, Piskunowicz M, Sellars ME, Darge K. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound: a comprehensive review of safety in children. Pediatr Radiol 2021; 51:2161-2180. [PMID: 34716453 PMCID: PMC11459369 DOI: 10.1007/s00247-021-05223-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) has been increasingly used in pediatric radiology practice worldwide. For nearly two decades, CEUS applications have been performed with the off-label use of gas-containing second-generation ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs). Since 2016, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the UCA Lumason for three pediatric indications: the evaluation of focal liver lesions and echocardiography via intravenous administration and the assessment of vesicoureteral reflux via intravesical application (contrast-enhanced voiding urosonography, ceVUS). Prior to the FDA approval of Lumason, numerous studies with the use of second-generation UCAs had been conducted in adults and children. Comprehensive protocols for clinical safety evaluations have demonstrated the highly favorable safety profile of UCA for intravenous, intravesical and other intracavitary uses. The safety data on CEUS continue to accumulate as this imaging modality is increasingly utilized in clinical settings worldwide. As of August 2021, 57 pediatric-only original research studies encompassing a total of 4,518 children with 4,906 intravenous CEUS examinations had been published. As in adults, there were a few adverse events; the majority of these were non-serious, although very rarely serious anaphylactic reactions were reported. In the published pediatric-only intravenous CEUS studies included in our analysis, the overall incidence rate of serious adverse events was 0.22% (10/4,518) of children and 0.20% (10/4,906) of all CEUS examinations. Non-serious adverse events from the intravenous CEUS were observed in 1.20% (54/4,518) of children and 1.10% (54/4,906) of CEUS examinations. During the same time period, 31 studies with the intravesical use of UCA were conducted in 12,362 children. A few non-serious adverse events were encountered (0.31%; 38/12,362), but these were most likely attributable to the bladder catheterization rather than the UCA. Other developing clinical applications of UCA in children, including intracavitary and intralymphatic, are ongoing. To date, no serious adverse events have been reported with these applications. This article reviews the existing pediatric CEUS literature and provides an overview of safety-related information reported from UCA uses in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aikaterini Ntoulia
- Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 3401 Civic Center Blvd., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
| | - Sudha A Anupindi
- Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 3401 Civic Center Blvd., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Susan J Back
- Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 3401 Civic Center Blvd., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ryne A Didier
- Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 3401 Civic Center Blvd., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Misun Hwang
- Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 3401 Civic Center Blvd., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ann M Johnson
- Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 3401 Civic Center Blvd., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - M Beth McCarville
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | | | | | - Maria E Sellars
- Department of Radiology, King's College Hospital, London, UK
| | - Kassa Darge
- Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 3401 Civic Center Blvd., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound in Children: Implementation and Key Diagnostic Applications. AJR Am J Roentgenol 2021; 217:1217-1231. [PMID: 33908269 DOI: 10.2214/ajr.21.25713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) utilization is expanding rapidly, particularly in children, in whom the modality offers important advantages of dynamic evaluation of the vasculature, portability, lack of ionizing radiation, and lack of need for sedation. Accumulating data establish an excellent safety profile of ultrasound contrast agents in children. Although only FDA-approved for IV use in children for characterizing focal liver lesions and for use during echocardiography, growing off-label applications are expanding the diagnostic potential of ultrasound. Focal liver lesion evaluation is the most common use of CEUS, and the American College of Radiology Pediatric LI-RADS Working Group recommends including CEUS for evaluation of a newly discovered focal liver lesion in many circumstances. Data also support the role of CEUS in hemodynamically stable children with blunt abdominal trauma, and CEUS is becoming a potential alternative to CT in this setting. Additional potential applications that require further study include evaluation of pathology in the lung, spleen, brain, pancreas, bowel, kidney, female pelvis, and scrotum. This review explores the implementation of CEUS in children, describing basic principles of ultrasound contrast agents and CEUS technique and summarizing current and potential IV diagnostic applications based on pediatric-specific supporting evidence.
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