Factors related to detection of blood flow by color Doppler ultrasonography in intussusception

Color Doppler ultrasonography was performed in 125 patients with 134 intussusceptions. Color flow was present in 121 cases of intussusception (group A) and was absent in 13 cases (group B). Young age and duration of symptoms greater than 48 hr were significantly related to the nonvisualization of blood flow detected by color Doppler sonography (P < 0.05). The successful rate of air reduction was significantly higher in group A than in group B (109 of 121 versus 4 of 13). Color Doppler ultrasonography is useful to predict the reducibility of an intussuscepted intestine. The nonvisualization of blood flow by this method is not a contraindication for air reduction.