Pediatric abdominal masses

What are pediatric abdominal masses?

An abdominal mass is an abnormal growth in the stomach, intestines or other area of your child’s abdomen. 

An abdominal mass may be located in one of four areas of the abdomen, including:

• Left-upper quadrant

• Left-lower quadrant

• Right-upper quadrant

• Right-lower quadrant

Not all abdominal masses are cancerous tumors. In some cases, an abdominal mass is benign (noncancerous), however, it can still cause problems.

What are the signs and symptoms of pediatric abdominal masses?

Abdominal masses can cause symptoms that include:

• Abdominal pain

• Fever

• Irritability

• Lack of appetite

• Nausea and/or vomiting

• Swelling

• Unexplained weight gain or loss

In some cases, a child has no symptoms of an abdominal mass other than the fact that the mass can be felt when touching the abdomen.

What are the causes of pediatric abdominal masses?

There are multiple causes of abdominal masses in children, including:

• Abdominal aortic aneurysm 

• Benign tumor

• Bowel obstruction

• Cancer

• Cholecystitis  (inflammation of the gallbladder)

• Congenital anomaly (mass present at birth)

• Diverticulitis (inflammation in the colon)

• Enlarged organ due to disease

• Hydronephrosis

• Infection

• Ovarian cyst 

• Traumatic injury

• Uterine fibroid (noncancerous growth in the uterus)