Color Doppler ultrasonography in pediatric intussusception.

CDU was used in 11 children with intussusception. Demonstration of vascular images within the "pseudokidney" mass was possible in none 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 reduction, and surgery had to be performed: no necrosis was observed in the surgical specimen. Both patients in whom CDU failed to demonstrate vascular signals had necrosis at surgery, and bowel resection was performed. Because of the limited number of patients examined at this time, no firm conclusions can be drawn from our experience. However, CDU seems a promising technique in detecting vascular changes occurring in intussusception, with a possible role as a predictive tool of bowel necrosis.