Special Considerations for Image-Guided Interventions in Pediatric Patients

Abstract

Image-guided interventions are increasingly gaining importance in interventional clinical routine. These include minimally invasive diagnostic procedures as well as percutaneous therapeutic interventions. Generally speaking, percutaneous interventions are less invasive than surgical procedures and should be considered whenever possible, particularly in patients in whom resection of the primary tumor is not intended or possible. Compared with interventional procedures in adults, several specific features have to be taken into account for image-guided interventions in pediatric patients. Children need special care, and they suffer from other diseases than grown-up patients. Proper physician training is imperative to provide the necessary confidence and expertise. In general, ultrasound and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging guidance should be preferred whenever possible, because unlike computed tomography (CT)-guided interventions, they are not associated with radiation exposure. In this chapter, special considerations for image-guided interventions in pediatric patients are presented.