Usefulness of Abdominal Sonography in Accurate Diagnosis for Necrotizing Enterocolitis

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the usefulness of abdominal sonography in the diagnosis of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Methods: We reviewed the medical records of 51 neonates who were diagnosed with NEC in the neonatal intensive care unit at Yeouido St. Mary’s Hospital of the Catholic University in Korea between January 2008 and December 2012. The neonates under­ went abdominal ultrasonography on the day of their diagnosis and on the third day after diagnosis. Simple abdominal radiography was performed on the same day as the sonography. The neonates were diagnosed with NEC in accordance with the ab­ dominal sonographic findings. Abdominal radiography and sonography were used to assess the NEC stages in the neonates Results: On the day of NEC diagnosis by abdominal sonography, 50 neonates were diagnosed with stage II NEC and 1 was diagnosed with stage III NEC. However, sim­ ple radiography diagnosed 49 neonates with stage I NEC, 1 with stage II NEC, and 1 with stage III NEC. On the third day after NEC diagnosis by abdominal sonography, 48 neonates were diagnosed with stage II NEC and 3 were diagnosed with stage III NEC. On the other hand, simple radiography diagnosed 26 neonates with stage I NEC, 24 with stage II NEC, and 1 with stage III NEC. Conclusion: Abdominal sonography can be used as a tool for accurately diagnosing NEC and treating neonates showing ambiguous symptoms during the early stages of NEC.