Diagnostic value and disease evaluation significance of abdominal ultrasound inspection for neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis

Objective: to summarize abdominal plain x-rays and ultrasound characteristics of 144 cases of neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (nec) and to analyze diagnostic value and disease evaluation significance of abdominal ultrasound inspection for nec. methods: clinical data of 144 nec patients were retrospectively analyzed from february 2014 to december 2015. the patients were divided into suspected nec group (n=74) and confirmed nec group (n=70) according to amended bell-nec classification and diagnostic criteria. meanwhile,we divided them into internal medicine treatment group (n=95) and surgery/death group (n=49) according to clinical prognosis and took records of their clinical manifestations,laboratory inspection results and abdominal plain x-rays and ultrasound characteristics. results: for confirmed nec group,the detection rate of portal venous gas (pvg) and dilatation of intestine by abdominal ultrasound was obviously higher than by plain x-rays (p<0.05). abdominal ultrasound inspection revealed that the incidence rate of dilatation of intestine,bowel wall thickening and ascites (acoustic transmission difference) of the surgery/death group was higher than that of the internal medicine treatment group by comparing risk ratio (rr) and 95% confidence interval (ci) of rr; the difference was statistically significant (p<0.05). the abdominal plain x-rays inspection only showed the result that dilatation of intestine and free intraperitoneal air was more often found in the surgery/death group (p<0.05). conclusion: compared with abdominal plain x-rays,abdominal ultrasound has certain clinical value and offers more advantages in some aspects; therefore,it can be considered as the reference index in prediction of clinical prognosis. © 2016,professional medical publications. all rights reserved.