Pancreas
What is the typical echogenicity of the pancreas on ultrasound?
What are the limitations of ultrasound after 6 months of age?
Bone ossification causes acoustic shadowing, which limits image quality
What position is the patient placed in for renal biopsy?
Prone
When is the ideal time to scan an infant for the liver and biliary system?
Just before the next feeding
Where is pancreatic adenocarcinoma most often located?
In the pancreatic head.
What vessels are seen in the pancreatic head on ultrasound?
CBD and GDA
What are the 2 standard scan planes used for infant hip ultrasound?
Coronal and transverse
Why is the lower pole of the kidney preferred for biopsy?
It is less vascular and reduces the risk of bleeding.
What is the most common surgical emergency in children?
Why is early detection of adenocarcinomas difficult?
Symptoms usually occur late, and small tumors are hard to detect on ultrasound.
What percentage of the pancreas is exocrine, and what enzymes are produced?
90%, amylase, lipase, trypsinogen, chymotrypsinogen, and nucleases.
What is the normal sonographic appearance of the spinal cord in neonates?
A hypoechoic, tubular structure located anterior in the spinal canal and surrounded by cerebrospinal fluid
What is a complication specific to prostate biopsy?
Urethral injury
What are common congenital anomolies of the pancreas in children?
Annular pancreas and pancreatic divisum
How does CEUS help in disease evaluation?
It visualizes microvascular patterns, helping differentiate tumor types based on vascularity.
What are the functions of the cells found in the Islets of Langerhans?
Alpha cells produce glucagon (increase blood sugar)
Beta cells produce insulin (lower blood sugar)
Delta cells produce somatostatin (inhibits secretion of both insulin and glucagon)
What are the 3 bones of the pelvic girdle and what do they form?
Ilium, ischium, and pubis, the form the acetabulum.
What most commonly causes a pseudoaneurysm?
Arterial puncture
Why might metastases appear in the pediatric liver?
The liver recieves dual blood supply and acts as a filter, which makes it a common site for secondary tumors.
How does cystic fibrosis affect the pancreas?
Reduces enzyme production and leads to recurrent pancreatitis. Causes exocrine pancreatic failure in children.
Under what condition is the main pancreatic duct more readily visualized sonographically?
When an obstruction is present (leads to a diltaed duct)
What is the filum terminale?
A thin echogenic structure that anchors the spinal cord
What is the main difference between FNA and core biopsy?
FNA collects cells for cytology, while core biopsy collects tissue cores for histology.
How can adrenal hemorrhage be differentiated from neuroblastoma on ultrasound?
Hemorrhage resolves and changes from solid → cystic over time.
Neuroblastomas persist, grow, and may contain calcifications.
Which two neuroendocrine tumors are most common
Insulinomas and gastrinomas