Differential diagnosis of neonatal adrenal haemorrhage and congenital neuroblastoma by colour coded Doppler sonography and power Doppler sonography

The differentiation between neonatal neuroblastoma and adrenal haemorrhage may be very difficult in the individual case. We investigated eight neonates with adrenal haemorrhage and one patient with congenital neuroblastoma by colour coded Doppler sonography and power Doppler sonography. Six haemorrhages were cystic, whereas the neuroblastoma and four adrenal haemorrhages had a solid appearence. Colour coded Doppler sonography and power Doppler demonstrated vessels within the neuroblastoma. In none of the ten adrenal haemorrhages could flow be shown either with conventional colour coded Doppler sonography or power Doppler sonography. Conclusion Conventional colour coded Doppler sonography and power Doppler sonography are useful to differentiate between neuroblastoma and adrenal haemorrhage.