PICTORIAL ESSAY   

Il Giornale Italiano di Radiologia Medica 2019 Maggio-Giugno;6(3):259-67

DOI: 10.23736/S2283-8376.19.00167-0

Copyright © 2019 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English, Italian

Ultrasound assessment of peritoneal and retroperitoneal masses in pediatric age

Eugenio ROSSI ¹, Rocco MINELLI ² ✉, Marco DI SERAFINO ³, Carmela BRILLANTINO ¹, Elio BIGNARDI ⁴, Norberto VEZZALI ⁵, Gianfranco VALLONE ⁶, Massimo ZECCOLINI ¹

¹ Department of Radiology, Santobono-Pausilipon Children Hospital, Naples, Italy; ² University of Milan, Postgraduation, Milan, Italy; ³ Department of Radiology, Antonio Cardarelli Hospital, Naples, Italy; ⁴ Department of Radiology, Cotugno Hospital, Naples, Italy; ⁵ Department of Radiology, Regional Hospital of Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy; ⁶ Department of Radiology, Federico II University, Naples, Italy

Pediatric tumors are rare and comprise a heterogeneous group of neoplasms with substantial histological diversity. Almost all types of pediatric tumors can occur in fetal life; however, the presentation and behavior of tumors often differs from that in older children, leading to differences in diagnosis and management. The causes of pediatric tumors are unclear, but genetic factors probably have a key role, play an important role the presence of teratoma and neuroblastoma are the most common histological types with renal tumors, and hepatic tumors also among the more frequent types. The finding in prenatal detection, most often on routine ultrasound or in the context of a known predisposition syndrome, is becoming more common. The managing pediatric raises diagnostic, therapeutic, and ethical issues, and management requires a multidisciplinary approach.

KEY WORDS: Ultrasonography; Child; Neoplasms