Use of the barium enema in the diagnosis of necrotizing enterocolitis

P UKEN; W SMITH; E. A FRANKEN; E FREY; Y SATO; C ELLERBROEK

doi:10.1007/BF02395755

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Use of the barium enema in the diagnosis of necrotizing enterocolitis

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Use of the barium enema in the diagnosis of necrotizing enterocolitis

P UKEN, W SMITH, E. A FRANKEN, E FREY, Y SATO and C ELLERBROEK

Pediatric radiology, Vol.18(1), pp.24-27

1988

DOI: 10.1007/BF02395755

PMID: 3340430

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Abstract

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality in infants. The diagnosis relies heavily upon radiographic and clinical features. Failure to accurately diagnose NEC is associated with a risk of complications and death, however overdiagnosis also causes both morbidity and mortality as well as excessive medical costs. This report documents the use of barium enema to evaluate suspected clinical or radiographic NEC in 31 premature infants with ambiguous clinical and radiographic signs. The enema was normal in 26 infants and no treatment for NEC was given. Only one of these infants developed signs of NEC subsequent to the examination. Five infants had radiographic evidence of colitis including small ulcerations, spasm, intramural extravasation of barium and mucosal irregularity. Two of the five positive cases are pathologically documented. The barium enema can represent a significant improvement in the specificity of the diagnosis of NEC. Its greatest value is in the exclusion of NEC in ambiguous cases.

Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen

Stomach. Duodenum. Small intestine. Colon. Rectum. Anus

Biological and medical sciences

Medical sciences

Other diseases. Semiology

Details

Title: Subtitle: Use of the barium enema in the diagnosis of necrotizing enterocolitis
Creators: P UKEN - Univ. Iowa hosp., dep. radiology, Iowa City IA 52242, United States
W SMITH - Univ. Iowa hosp., dep. radiology, Iowa City IA 52242, United States
E. A FRANKEN - Univ. Iowa hosp., dep. radiology, Iowa City IA 52242, United States
E FREY - Univ. Iowa hosp., dep. radiology, Iowa City IA 52242, United States
Y SATO - Univ. Iowa hosp., dep. radiology, Iowa City IA 52242, United States
C ELLERBROEK - Univ. Iowa hosp., dep. radiology, Iowa City IA 52242, United States
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Pediatric radiology, Vol.18(1), pp.24-27
Publisher: Springer; Berlin
DOI: 10.1007/BF02395755
PMID: 3340430
ISSN: 0301-0449
eISSN: 1432-1998
Language: English
Date published: 1988
Academic Unit: Radiology; Stead Family Department of Pediatrics
Record Identifier: 9984051531902771

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