This study retrospectively analyzed the safety of sulfur hexafluoride microbubble contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in 447 pediatric patients (median age 8 years 4 months) at a single center. Using weight-based dosing (≤ 0.03 mL/kg of SonoVue), the overall adverse event incidence was 1.6% (7/447). Events included nausea/vomiting, severe cough, headache, rash, and transient hypertension, all mild and transient with no serious outcomes. All seven events were classified as mild, and no serious adverse events (e.g., anaphylactic shock, laryngeal edema) occurred in this study. No significant differences were found across gender or age groups. With standardized procedure and monitoring, CEUS demonstrated a highly favorable safety profile as a valuable radiation-free imaging tool in pediatrics.
SONG et al. (2026) studied this question.