Diagnostic Accuracy of Abdominal Ultrasound in Pediatric Patients with Signs and Symptoms of Intussusception
- 1Ultrasound Imaging Department, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- 2College of Medicine, Almaarefa University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Abstract
Objective: Aims of the study were to evaluate the diagnostic performance of abdominal ultrasonography, specifically its positive predictive value, in children younger than 36 months presenting with suspected intussusception to the emergency department of a major tertiary care center in Saudi Arabia and to describe the associated clinical and sonographic features.
Methods: This retrospective study reviewed the medical records and radiological findings of 150 pediatric patients aged less than 36 months who presented with suspected intussusception to the emergency department in a major tertiary care center in Saudi Arabia between 2005 and 2015. Ultrasound was used as the initial diagnostic modality, and findings were confirmed using contrast enema, computed tomography scan, or intraoperative findings when applicable.
Results: Out of 150 suspected cases, 36 patients (24.0%) were confirmed to have intussusception. All 36 ultrasound-positive cases were subsequently confirmed by contrast enema, computed tomography, or surgery, giving a positive predictive value of 100% (36/36). Because the 114 ultrasound-negative patients were classified on the basis of clinical course rather than an independent reference standard, sensitivity, specificity, and negative predictive value could not be validly estimated and are not reported. Vomiting and bloody stool were significantly associated with confirmed diagnosis; no significant association was found with gender.
Conclusion: In this single-center retrospective cohort, a positive abdominal ultrasound reliably predicted confirmed intussusception, supporting its established role as the first-line imaging modality for suspected pediatric intussusception. Although these regional data add local confirmation but given the retrospective design and the absence of an independent reference standard for ultrasound-negative cases, they should be interpreted with caution.
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BibTeX
@article{khattab2026diagnostic,
title = {{Diagnostic Accuracy of Abdominal Ultrasound in Pediatric Patients with Signs and Symptoms of Intussusception}},
author = {Atef Khattab and Mohamed El-Sharkawy and Abdullah M.A. Khattab and Abdelrahman Brakat and Abdelrahman Almasri and Fahad Alatawi},
journal = {Medical Principles and Practice},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1159/mpp/adpag026},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1159/mpp/adpag026},
note = {CC BY-NC 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Diagnostic Accuracy of Abdominal Ultrasound in Pediatric Patients with Signs and Symptoms of Intussusception
AU - Atef Khattab
AU - Mohamed El-Sharkawy
AU - Abdullah M.A. Khattab
AU - Abdelrahman Brakat
AU - Abdelrahman Almasri
AU - Fahad Alatawi
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/22
JO - Medical Principles and Practice
DO - 10.1159/mpp/adpag026
UR - https://doi.org/10.1159/mpp/adpag026
AB - Objective: Aims of the study were to evaluate the diagnostic performance of abdominal ultrasonography, specifically its positive predictive value, in children younger than 36 months presenting with suspected intussusception to the emergency department of a major tertiary care center in Saudi Arabia and to describe the associated clinical and sonographic features. Methods: This retrospective study reviewed the medical records and radiological findings of 150 pediatric patients aged less than 36 months who presented with suspected intussusception to the emergency department in a major tertiary care center in Saudi Arabia between 2005 and 2015. Ultrasound was used as the initial diagnostic modality, and findings were confirmed using contrast enema, computed tomography scan, or intraoperative findings when applicable. Results: Out of 150 suspected cases, 36 patients (24.0%) were confirmed to have intussusception. All 36 ultrasound-positive cases were subsequently confirmed by contrast enema, computed tomography, or surgery, giving a positive predictive value of 100% (36/36). Because the 114 ultrasound-negative patients were classified on the basis of clinical course rather than an independent reference standard, sensitivity, specificity, and negative predictive value could not be validly estimated and are not reported. Vomiting and bloody stool were significantly associated with confirmed diagnosis; no significant association was found with gender. Conclusion: In this single-center retrospective cohort, a positive abdominal ultrasound reliably predicted confirmed intussusception, supporting its established role as the first-line imaging modality for suspected pediatric intussusception. Although these regional data add local confirmation but given the retrospective design and the absence of an independent reference standard for ultrasound-negative cases, they should be interpreted with caution.
SN - 1011-7571
SN - 1423-0151
ER -