The Contribution of Computed Tomography in the Diagnosis of Paediatric Abdominal Masses: Epidemiological Study and Radiological-Histological Concordance at the Bouaké’s Teaching Hospital

Introduction: Abdominal masses in children present a diagnostic challenge due to the diversity of their causes and the subtlety of clinical signs. Computed tomography (CT) plays a key role in their evaluation. Objective: To describe the epidemiological and CT characteristics of paediatric abdominal masses and to evaluate their concordance with histological findings. Methodology: A descriptive retrospective study conducted over two years at Bouaké University Hospital and a private centre, involving 36 children. Of these, 26 underwent histological confirmation by biopsy or surgical excision, which was used as the basis for calculating sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value. Cases without histology were considered negative after clinical confirmation and/or follow-up imaging over a minimum period of six months. Results: The average age was 5.6 years, with a predominance of males (58.3%). The masses were mainly abdominal (75%), located in the hypochondrium or left flank (24.3%), and often situated in the retroperitoneum (58.3%). The kidneys (19.4%) and adrenal glands (11.1%) were the most commonly affected structures. Tumours were the most common cause (72.2%), with nephroblastoma being the most prevalent (30.6%), followed by lymphoma (16.7%). Based solely on the 26 children with histology, CT showed a sensitivity of 100%, a specificity of 83.3% and a PPV of 95.2%. Conclusion: CT scanning is an essential tool for diagnosing paediatric abdominal masses, facilitating appropriate management, particularly in settings with limited resources.