J Korean Soc Ultrasound Med.  2006 Sep;25(3):139-143.

Mesenteric Lymphadenopathy in Childhood Epidemic Aseptic Meningitis: Sonographic Features and Clinical Significance

• Mun SH
• Park YC
• Lee YH

Abstract

PURPOSE: To evaluate the sonographic features of mesenteric lymphadenopathy in childhood epidemic aseptic meningitis and to assess their clinical significance.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Thirty-three patients (25 male, 8 female; mean age, 8.6 years) with a diagnosis of aseptic meningitis were prospectively evaluated with abdominal ultrasonography for the presence of enlarged mesen-teric nodes. The size and number of enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes were analyzed in relationship with the pa-tient's age, between the patients with abdominal pain or diarrhea (16 cases, 48%) and asymptomatic patients(17 cases, 52%).
RESULTS
Mesenteric lymphadenopathy was seen in 31 patients (94%), all 16 symptomatic and 15 of the 17 asymp-tomatic patients. The number of enlarged nodes was most prevalent between 6 -10, seen in 16 patients (52%) and the largest node ranged in size from 4 to 8 mm. Among the 31 patients with mesenteric lymphadenopathy, the mean size of the largest node was statistically different between the symptomatic (6.0 mm) and asympto-matic (5.0 mm) groups (p = 0.021). The number of enlarged nodes and the patient's age were not statistically d-ifferent between the two groups.
CONCLUSION
Mesenteric lymphadenopathy was seen in almost all cases of childhood epidemic aseptic meningitis, and may be related to the mesenteric lymphadenitis caused by enterovirus.

Keyword

Lymphatic system, US; Mesentery, US; Children, gastrointestinal tract

MeSH Terms

Abdominal Pain
Diagnosis
Diarrhea
Enterovirus
Female
Humans
Lymph Nodes
Lymphatic Diseases*
Male
Meningitis, Aseptic*
Mesenteric Lymphadenitis
Prospective Studies
Ultrasonography*