Congenital and Acquired Pathologies of the Pediatric Gastrointestinal Tract

Abstract

AbstractAge is a key factor in the differential diagnosis of gastrointestinal (GI) pathology in children. Imaging is crucial in a range of pediatric GI disorders. In term neonates, congenital anomalies of the GI tract causing obstruction are at the forefront: atresia, intestinal malrotation with or without midgut volvulus, Hirschsprung’s disease, meconium plug syndrome, and meconium ileus. In the premature neonate, necrotizing enterocolitis can be a life-threatening complication.Intussusception is the most common cause of obstruction in infants and young children. Inflammatory bowel disease is the main focus in older children and adolescents. Appendicitis can occur at any age although most frequently in children older than 5 years of age. The distal ileum is where GI tract duplication cysts are most frequently situated. They are usually detected on prenatal ultrasound and sometimes only later in life when causing obstruction.Different imaging modalities can be used to image the GI tract. Plain films, ultrasound, and contrast studies are the principal imaging tools. CT and MRI are problem solvers and are used in a specific context, such as trauma, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), diseases of the biliary tree, and tumoral pathology.