[Radiologic diagnosis of congenital anomalies of the digestive tract].

UNLABELLED: The aim of the study is to analyze the frequency of the congenital anomalies of the digestive tract in the period of 1993-1998. The patients and methods: Our group included 67 patients (47 males and 20 females; age range 1-12 months) suspected of digestive tract anomalies. First, all of them have been examined by pediatric surgeon. At the first place, we used the most conventional radiological procedures for digestive tract examination. They were followed by US in cases with suspicion on hypertrophic pyloric stenosis and biliary atresia (bile-duct atresia). CT and MR were performed in patients with anorectal anomalies. In cases with suspected associated anomalies of other organs, intravenous urography and chest radiography were used.

RESULTS: Congenital anomalies and abnormalities of the digestive tract were diagnosed in 25 patients. The most frequent anomaly was hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (n = 14), followed by invagination (n = 12) and megacolon congenitum (n = 9), all predominant in male sex. All radiological findings we confirmed at surgery (100%).

CONCLUSION: Conventional radiology is still extremely useful in the diagnosis of the digestive tract anomalies; also US revealed to be essential in the diagnosis of the hypertrophic pyloric stenosis and the intestinal invagination. Recognition of the associated anomalies should lead to application of the other examination techniques like CT and MR. MR might be useful in the anorectal malformations and hepatobiliary tract anomalies, but we have no experience in that field, till now.