New contrast-enhanced ultrasound improves safety and comfort for children needing urinary tract evaluation.
Oklahoma Children’s OU Health has performed an innovative new pediatric contrast-enhanced voiding urosonography (ceVUS) procedure, marking a milestone in the hospital’s expanded contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) program that increases access to safe, radiation-free imaging for children.
Unlike traditional methods, ceVUS uses ultrasound technology and a special contrast agent to produce detailed images without radiation exposure. The procedure is commonly used to diagnose vesicoureteral reflux (VUR), where urine flows backward from the bladder to the kidneys.
VUR is one of the most common urinary tract abnormalities in children, affecting up to 1–2% of all kids and as many as 30–40% of those who experience urinary tract infections. Because untreated VUR can lead to kidney damage and repeated infections, accurate and safe diagnosis is critical — and ceVUS offers that without exposing children to radiation.
Oklahoma Children’s is the only pediatric facility in Oklahoma offering this specialized, radiation-free diagnostic option.
Few pediatric radiologists nationwide are trained to perform the procedure. Dr. Sandeep Prabhu, M.D., MBBS, and Dr. Adam Rensing, M.D., FACS, both pediatric urologists at Oklahoma Children’s, are launching a prospective research study on ceVUS that has garnered interest from leading institutions, including Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston.
“This is a game-changer for our pediatric patients and their families,” said Prabhu, who also serves as assistant professor and chief of the Section of Pediatric Radiology at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine. “Children can now undergo this important diagnostic procedure in a more natural, comfortable position without any exposure to radiation.”
The introduction of ceVUS reflects Oklahoma Children’s commitment to expanding pediatric CeVUS as a diagnostic tool for multiple conditions. Through OU Health’s strategic partnership with Siemens Healthineers — focused on enhancing equipment, modernizing technology and improving the patient experience — Oklahoma Children’s is bringing innovative, patient-friendly imaging options to families across Oklahoma.
“We’re not just introducing one new procedure, we’re transforming how we approach pediatric imaging,” said Prabhu. “Oklahoma children are more sensitive to radiation than adults, so having these radiation-free alternatives is incredibly important for their long-term health.”
Compared to the traditional imaging method (voiding cystourethrogram or VCUG), ceVUS offers several advantages:
No radiation exposure
Child can stay near a parent or caregiver
Smaller, less intimidating equipment
Allows upright voiding
Research shows that ceVUS detects more cases of urinary reflux — and at higher grades — than traditional imaging.
“We look forward to further use and evaluation of this innovative technology for the benefit of our patients here in Oklahoma,” said Rensing, who also serves as an associate professor in the Department of Urology at OU College of Medicine. “It is important as the only tertiary, standalone children’s hospital in the state to continually evaluate new technology and its potential benefits for our pediatric patients.”
The technique can also be used during surgery. When surgeons perform minimally invasive procedures to correct urinary reflux, ceVUS provides real-time feedback to confirm success and make immediate adjustments, improving surgical outcomes and reducing the need for follow-up procedures.
Oklahoma’s first ceVUS procedure followed months of preparation, including specialized staff training and an observational site visit to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia to learn best practices from experts.
