Neonatal osteoblastic tumor with a novel PTBP1::FOSB fusion.

Congenital/neonatal bone neoplasms are extremely rare. We present the case of a patient with a neonatal bone tumor of the fibula that had osteoblastic differentiation and a novel PTBP1::FOSB fusion. FOSB fusions are described in several different tumor types, including osteoid osteoma and osteoblastoma; however, these tumors typically present in the second or third decade of life, with case reports as young as 4 months of age. Our case expands the spectrum of congenital/neonatal bone lesions. The initial radiologic, histologic, and molecular findings supported the decision for close clinical follow-up rather than more aggressive intervention. Since the time of diagnosis, this tumor has undergone radiologic regression without treatment.

Utility of three-dimensional and reformatted head computed tomography images in the evaluation of pediatric abusive head trauma.

Skull fractures are common in the pediatric population following head trauma and are estimated to occur post head trauma in 11% of children younger than 2 years. A skull fracture indicates potential underlying intracranial injury and might also help explain the mechanism of injury. Multiple primary and accessory sutures complicate the identification of non-depressed fractures in children younger than 2 years. Detection of linear skull fractures can be difficult on two-dimensional (2-D) CT and can be missed, particularly when the fracture is along the plane of image reconstruction. Knowledge of primary and accessory sutures as well as normal anatomical variants is of paramount importance in identifying pediatric skull fractures with a greater degree of confidence. Acute fractures appear as lucent cortical defects that do not have sclerotic borders, in contrast to sutures, which might demonstrate sclerotic margins. Three-dimensional (3-D) CT has increased sensitivity and specificity for detecting skull fractures and is essential in the evaluation of pediatric head CTs for distinguishing subtle fractures from sutural variants, especially in the setting of trauma. In this review, we present our experience of the use of 3-D reformats in head CT and its implications on the interpretation, especially in the setting of accidental or abusive head trauma.

Spinal subdural hemorrhage in abusive head trauma: a pictorial review.

A growing body of evidence links abusive head trauma (AHT) to patterns of direct and indirect spinal injuries, such as spinal subdural hemorrhage (SDH). Identification of evidence of spinal injury such as spinal SDH plays a crucial role in the diagnosis and subsequent management of the index child with AHT and his or her siblings. In a value-based practice of medicine, it can be argued that adding spine imaging to identify spinal SDH in the workup of AHT adds value to both the short- and long-term management of the patient. This pictorial review describes the normal appearance of spinal SDH and challenges of identifying spinal SDH, and it explores the mechanism of spinal SDH development in AHT.

Venous injury in pediatric abusive head trauma: a pictorial review.

Abusive head trauma (AHT) is the leading cause of fatal head injuries in children younger than 2 years. An intracranial pathology can exist even in the setting of a normal physical exam. A delay in the diagnosis of AHT can have serious life-threatening consequences for the child and increases the potential the child will be abused again. In this article, we review the traumatic subdural hematoma as well as various morpho-structural patterns of shearing injuries and thrombosis of intracranial bridging veins. This work serves as a summary of patterns of imaging features of intracranial venous injury in AHT, as described in the literature, to facilitate familiarity and early detection of abusive head trauma in the pediatric population. Essentially, in AHT there is a traumatic injury to the bridging vein with either partial or complete tear. This can secondarily result in thrombosis at the terminal end of the bridging vein with blood clots adjacent to the bridging vein.

Diffusion Tensor MRI of White Matter of Healthy Full-term Newborns: Relationship to Neurodevelopmental Outcomes.

Background It is well known that white matter injuries observed at birth are associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes later in life. Whether white matter developmental variations in healthy newborns are also associated with changes in later neurodevelopment remains to be established. Purpose To evaluate whether developmental variations of white matter microstructures identified by MRI correlate with neurodevelopmental outcomes in healthy full-term infants. Materials and Methods In this prospective study, pregnant women were recruited and their healthy full-term newborns underwent a brain MRI including diffusion tensor imaging at approximately 2 weeks of age. These infants were tested at approximately 2 years of age with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID). Voxel-wise correlation analyses of fractional anisotropy (FA), measured with diffusion tensor MRI, and neurodevelopmental test scores, measured by using BSID, were performed by using tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS), followed by region-of-interest (ROI) analyses of correlations between mean FA in selected white matter ROIs and each BSID subscale score. Results Thirty-eight full-term infants (20 boys, 18 girls) underwent MRI examination at 2 weeks of age (14.3 days ± 1.6) and BSID measurement at 2 years of age (732 days ± 6). TBSS analyses showed widespread clusters in major white matter tracts, with positive correlations (P ≤ .05, corrected for the voxel-wise multiple comparisons) between FA values and multiple BSID subscale scores. These correlations were largely independent of several demographic parameters as well as family environment. Gestational age at birth appeared to be a confounding factor as TBSS-observed correlations weakened when it was included as a covariate; however, after controlling for gestational age at birth, ROI analyses still showed positive correlations (P ≤ .05, R = 0.35 to 0.48) between mean FA in many white matter ROIs and BSID cognitive, language, and motor scores. Conclusion There were significant associations between white matter microstructure developmental variations in healthy full-term newborns and their neurodevelopmental outcomes. © RSNA, 2019 Online supplemental material is available for this article. See also the editorial by Hu and McAllister in this issue.

Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension Progressing to Venous Sinus Thrombosis, Subarachnoid Hemorrhage, and Stroke.

Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is a syndrome characterized by increased intracranial pressure (ICP), the absence of structural lesions on neuroimaging, and normal cerebrospinal fluid composition. Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) is a common cause of increased ICP and can be differentiated from IIH with magnetic resonance venography. We describe a young woman with typical IIH who underwent lumbar puncture and was treated with a short course of high-dose corticosteroids followed by acetazolamide. She subsequently developed CVST, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and stroke. Risk factors that may have resulted in CVST are discussed.

Subarachnoid haemorrhage from undiagnosed mycotic aortic aneurysm in a child.

We report a case of subarachnoid haemorrhage resulting from a mycotic aortic aneurysm in a child with CHD. The patient previously underwent operations for CHD and had a subarachnoid haemorrhage of unknown cause before the scheduled re-operation. During the re-operation, a sealed rupture of an undiagnosed mycotic ascending aortic aneurysm was identified, and the causative organism was later identified as Streptococcus. A postoperative MRI indicated a partially thrombosed cerebral aneurysm. This case demonstrates that a mycotic aortic aneurysm can be a cause of intracranial haemorrhage in children.

Erythropoietin and Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings in Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy: Volume of Acute Brain Injury and 1-Year Neurodevelopmental Outcome.

In the Neonatal Erythropoietin and Therapeutic Hypothermia Outcomes study, 9/20 erythropoietin-treated vs 12/24 placebo-treated infants with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy had acute brain injury. Among infants with acute brain injury, the injury volume was lower in the erythropoietin than the placebo group (P = .004). Higher injury volume correlated with lower 12-month neurodevelopmental scores. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01913340.

Compression of the posterior fossa venous sinuses by epidural hemorrhage simulating venous sinus thrombosis: CT and MR findings.

BACKGROUND: Posterior fossa dural venous sinus thrombus is a well-described complication of head trauma, especially when fracture crosses the dural sinus grooves or in association with epidural hemorrhage. We have found that post-traumatic posterior fossa epidural hematoma compressing a dural venous sinus can mimic dural venous thrombus. OBJECTIVE: To discuss the CT and MRI findings of posterior fossa epidural hemorrhages simulating sinus thrombosis, to make radiologists aware of this important imaging pitfall. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We describe radiologic findings in four children in whom a posterior fossa epidural hemorrhage mimicked dural venous sinus thrombus. Routine CT head and CT venography were obtained on Toshiba volume and helical CT scanners. MRI and MR venography were performed on a Philips scanner. RESULTS: In all cases there was medial displacement and compression of the posterior fossa dural venous sinuses without intraluminal thrombosis. The epidural hemorrhage was seen tracking along sinus grooves in the occipital bone, peeling the dura containing the sinuses from the calvarium and compressing the sinus, simulating thrombosis on axial CT views. CONCLUSION: Both venous sinus thrombosis and posterior fossa epidural hemorrhages in children are well-described complications of head trauma. Posterior fossa epidural hemorrhage can mimic a sinus thrombus by compressing and displacing the sinuses. It is important to recognize this pitfall because treatment of a suspected thrombus with anticoagulation can worsen epidural hemorrhage.

Reliability of magnetic resonance imaging for the detection of hypopituitarism in children with optic nerve hypoplasia.

PURPOSE: It is essential to identify hypopituitarism in children with optic nerve hypoplasia (ONH) because they are at risk for developmental delay, seizures, or death. The purpose of this study is to determine the reliability of neurohypophyseal abnormalities on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the detection of hypopituitarism in children with ONH. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred one children with clinical ONH who underwent MRI of the brain and orbits and a detailed pediatric endocrinologic evaluation. METHODS: Magnetic resonance imaging studies were performed on 1.5-Tesla scanners. The imaging protocol included sagittal T1-weighted images, axial fast fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery/T2-weighted images, and diffusion-weighted images of the brain. Orbital imaging included fat-saturated axial and coronal images and high-resolution axial T2-weighted images. The MRI studies were reviewed by 2 pediatric neuroradiologists for optic nerve hypoplasia, absent or ectopic posterior pituitary, absent pituitary infundibulum, absent septum pellucidum, migration anomalies, and hemispheric injury. Medical records were reviewed for clinical examination findings and endocrinologic status. All patients underwent a clinical evaluation by a pediatric endocrinologist and a standardized panel of serologic testing that included serum insulin-like growth factor-1, insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3, prolactin, cortisol, adrenocorticotropic hormone, thyroid-stimulating hormone, and free thyroxine levels. Radiologists were masked to patients' endocrinologic status and funduscopic findings. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Sensitivity and specificity of MRI findings for the detection of hypopituitarism. RESULTS: Neurohypophyseal abnormalities, including absent pituitary infundibulum, ectopic posterior pituitary bright spot, and absent posterior pituitary bright spot, occurred in 33 children. Magnetic resonance imaging disclosed neurohypophyseal abnormalities in 27 of the 28 children with hypopituitarism (sensitivity, 96%). A normal neurohypophysis occurred in 67 of 73 children with normal endocrinologic function (specificity, 92%). CONCLUSIONS: Neurohypophyseal abnormalities on MRI are sensitive and specific indicators of hypopituitarism in children with ONH.

Diffusion tensor imaging in extremely low birth weight infants managed with hypercapnic vs. normocapnic ventilation.

BACKGROUND: Permissive hypercapnia is a ventilatory strategy used to prevent lung injury in ventilated extremely low birth weight (ELBW, birth weight ≤1,000 g) infants. However, there is retrospective evidence showing that high CO2 is associated with brain injury. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to compare brain white matter development at term-equivalent age in ELBW infants randomized to hypercapnic vs. normocapnic ventilation during the first week of life and in healthy non-ventilated term newborns. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-two ELBW infants from a randomized controlled trial were included in this study; 11 received hypercapnic (transcutaneous PCO2 [tcPCO2] 50-60 mmHg) ventilation and 11 normocapnic (tcPCO2 35-45 mmHg) ventilation during the first week of life while still intubated. In addition, ten term healthy newborns served as controls. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was performed at term-equivalent age for the ELBW infants and at approximately 2 weeks of age for the control infants. White matter injury on conventional MRI was graded in the ELBW and control infants using a scoring system adopted from literature. Tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) was used to evaluate for differences in DTI measured fractional anisotropy (FA, spatially normalized to a customized template) among the ELBW and term control infants. RESULTS: Conventional MRI white matter scores were not different (7.3 ± 1.7 vs. 6.9 ± 1.4, P = 0.65) between the hypercapnic and normocapnic ELBW infants. TBSS analysis did not show significant differences (P < 0.05, corrected) between the two ELBW infant groups, although before multiple comparisons correction, hypercapnic infants had many regions with lower FA and no regions with higher FA (P < 0.05, uncorrected) compared to normocapnic infants. When compared to the control infants, normocapnic ELBW infants had a few small regions with significantly lower FA, while hypercapnic ELBW infants had more widespread regions with significantly lower FA (P < 0.05, fully corrected for multiple comparisons). CONCLUSIONS: Normocapnic ventilation vs. permissive hypercapnia may be associated with improved white matter development at term-equivalent age in ELBW infants. This effect, however, was small and was not apparent on conventional MRI. Further research is needed using larger sample sizes to assess if permissive hypercapnic ventilation in ELBW infants is associated with worse white matter development.

Multi-tiered analysis of brain injury in neonates with congenital heart disease.

Early brain injury occurs in newborns with congenital heart disease (CHD) placing them at risk for impaired neurodevelopmental outcomes. Predictors for preoperative brain injury have not been well described in CHD newborns. This study aimed to analyze, retrospectively, brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in a heterogeneous group of newborns who had CHD surgery during the first month of life using a detailed qualitative CHD MRI Injury Score, quantitative imaging assessments (regional apparent diffusion coefficient [ADC] values and brain volumes), and clinical characteristics. Seventy-three newborns who had CHD surgery at 8 ± 5 (mean ± SD) days of life and preoperative brain MRI were included; 38 also had postoperative MRI. Thirty-four (34 of 73, 47 %) had at least one type of preoperative brain injury, and 28 of 38 (74 %) had postoperative brain injury. The 5-min APGAR score was negatively associated with preoperative injury, but there was no difference between CHD types. Infants with intraparenchymal hemorrhage, deep gray matter injury, and/or watershed infarcts had the highest CHD MRI Injury Scores. ADC values and brain volumes were not different in infants with different CHD types or in those with and without brain injury. In a mixed group of CHD newborns, brain injury was found preoperatively on MRI in almost 50 %, and there were no significant baseline characteristic differences to predict this early brain injury except 5-min APGAR score. We conclude that all infants, regardless of CHD type, who require early surgery should be evaluated with MRI because they are all at high risk for brain injury.

Motorized dirt bike injuries in children.

BACKGROUND: The number of dirt bike injuries in children in the United States is increasing and poses a public health problem. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study was to identify the imaging patterns of dirt bike injuries in children and associations with morbidity and mortality. METHODS: The study included 85 children (83 boys, 2 girls) <18 year of age (mean age 12.3 years, standard deviation 3 years) with dirt bike injury treated at a tertiary care pediatric hospital. Imaging studies and hospital medical records were reviewed. Outcomes were classified into the following categories: short-term disability, long-term disability or no follow-up available. Imaging studies were reviewed for head, torso, and extremity injuries. One-tailed z test for two proportions was used to determine significant differences between various proportions. Chi-square test with Yates correction was used to determine the significance of long-term disability with injury type. RESULTS: Long bone fractures were the most common injuries. Lower extremity fractures accounted for 79% of extremity fractures and were significantly more common than upper extremity fractures (p = 0.001). Head injuries included fractures (n = 9), brain contusion (n = 5), and meningeal hemorrhage (n = 2). Head injury was associated with long-term disability (p < 0.0001). All torso injuries were solitary. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term disability was associated with head injuries but not with torso or extremity injuries. Lower extremity injuries were significantly more common than upper extremity injuries. Torso solid organ injuries were uniformly solitary.

CT findings in pediatric blunt intestinal injury.

Trauma is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children. Computed tomography examinations play an important role in the management of patients with major trauma. Though abdominal trauma is less common compared to head injuries, the associated morbidity and mortality are substantial. It is easier to diagnose solid abdominal injuries than intestinal or mesenteric injuries on CT examinations. However, recognition of bowel injury is very important as a delay in diagnosis increases the morbidity and mortality. Hence, with every CT of the abdomen and pelvis, the radiologist must look for signs of bowel and mesenteric injury. This pictorial review presents various CT findings of blunt intestinal injury in children.

Can you see with CT? Is cervical spine computed tomographic imaging sufficient in pediatric trauma?

BACKGROUND: Traumatic cervical spine injury (CSI) is fundamentally different in children, and imaging recommendations vary; however, prompt diagnosis is necessary. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study, evaluating children who presented after traumatic injury from 7/1/2012 to 12/31/2019 receiving a cervical spine CT. Evaluation of the incidence and clinical significance of CSI undetected on CT subsequently diagnosed on MRI was conducted. Additionally, all with CSI underwent image review to evaluate for potential overlooked, but visible pathology. RESULTS: 1487 children underwent a cervical spine CT, revealing 52 with CSI. 237 underwent MRI due to an abnormal CT or continued clinical concern. Ultimately, three were discovered to have clinically significant CSI missed on CT. In all cases, retrospective review demonstrated a retroclival hematoma when soft tissue windows were formatted in sagittal and coronal views. CONCLUSIONS: A normal CT may be sufficient to rule-out clinically significant CSI. However, the presence of a retroclival hematoma must be evaluated.

Impact of a statewide computed tomography scan educational campaign on radiation dose and repeat CT scan rates for transferred injured children.

PURPOSE: Research demonstrates that children receive twice as much medical radiation from Computed Tomography (CT) scans performed at non-pediatric facilities as equivalent CTs performed at pediatric trauma centers (PTCs). In 2014, AFMC outreach staff educated Emergency Department (ED) staff on appropriate CT imaging utilization to reduce unnecessary medical radiation exposure. We set out to determine the educational campaign's impact on injured children received radiation dose. METHODS: All injured children who underwent CT imaging and were transferred to a Level I PTC during 2010 to 2013 (pre-campaign) and 2015 (post-campaign) were reviewed. Patient demographics, mode of transportation, ED length of stay, scanned body region, injury severity score, and trauma center level were analyzed. Median effective radiation dose (ERD) controlled for each variable, pre-campaign and post-campaign, was compared using Wilcoxon rank sum test. RESULTS: Three hundred eighty-five children under 17 years were transferred from 45 and 48 hospitals, pre- and post-campaign. Most (43%) transferring hospitals were urban or critical access hospitals (30%). Pre- and post-campaign patient demographics were similar. We analyzed 482 and 398 CT scans pre- and post-campaign. Overall, median ERD significantly decreased from 3.80 to 2.80. Abdominal CT scan ERD declined significantly from 7.2 to 4.13 (P-value 0.03). Head CT scan ERD declined from 3.27 to 2.45 (P-value < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: A statewide, CT scan educational campaign contributed to ERD decline (lower dose scans and fewer repeat scans) among transferred injured children seen at PTCs. State-level interventions are feasible and can be effective in changing radiology provider practices.