ULTRASONOGRAPHIC DIAGNOSIS OF JUVENILE COLONIC POLYPS

To reduce the risks of air-contrast barium enemas and colonoscopy, we studied the use of saline enemas for ultrasonographic examination of children with rectal bleeding. Thirty-nine children, from 2 years 8 months to 8 years 3 months of age, were examined. Juvenile colonic polyps were ultrasonographically demonstrated and histologically confirmed in 25 children; all the polyps were solitary and pedunculated, and were located in the splenic flexure in 3 children, the descending colon in 6, the sigmoid colon in 12, and the rectum in 4. Ultrasonographic findings by hydrocolonic ultrasonography were identical to those obtained by immersion ultrasonography of removed specimens. Hypoechoic areas within more hyperechoic polyps were shown histologically to be dilated glandular canals. The 14 children in whom no abnormal ultrasonographic findings were shown had no further rectal bleeding after resuming regular defecation, and 5 of these 14 had negative colonoscopic findings. No adverse reactions were noted in any child during or after the saline enema examination. We conclude that ultrasonographic examination with a saline enema is a safe and accurate method of assessing children with rectal bleeding, especially for the diagnosis of juvenile colonic polyps.