Imaging of Congenital Spine Malformations.

Congenital malformations of the spine and spinal cord are a large and diverse group of diagnoses, which are often broadly referred to as spinal dysraphisms (SDs). Derived from the Greek words dys (bad) and raphe (suture), the term dysraphism describes missteps in the process of forming a midline seam during the zipper-like fusion of the neural folds in primary neurulation. As such, the term "spinal dysraphism" is a designation that should technically be reserved for malformations resulting from aberrations in primary neurulation. In medical practice, however, it is a catch-all designation regularly used to describe any of the numerous abnormalities demonstrating incomplete midline closure of mesenchymal, osseous, and nervous tissue, occurring at any point during embryologic development. For the sake of clarity and completeness, this article will also include that breadth in the discussion of congenital abnormalities of the spine.

Use of Point-of-Care Ultrasonography in the NICU for Diagnostic and Procedural Purposes.

Point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS) refers to the use of portable imaging performed by the provider clinician at the bedside for diagnostic, therapeutic, and procedural purposes. POCUS could be considered an extension of the physical examination but not a substitute for diagnostic imaging. Use of POCUS in emergency situations can be lifesaving in the NICU if performed in a timely fashion for cardiac tamponade, pleural effusions, pneumothorax, etc, with potential for enhancing quality of care and improving outcomes. In the past 2 decades, POCUS has gained significant acceptance in clinical medicine in many parts of the world and in many subspecialties. Formal accredited training and certification programs are available for neonatology trainees as well as for many other subspecialties in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Although no formal training program or certification is available to neonatologists in Europe, POCUS is widely available to providers in NICUs. A formal institutional POCUS fellowship is now available in Canada. In the United States, many clinicians have the skills to perform POCUS and have incorporated it in their daily clinical practice. However, appropriate equipment remains limited, and many barriers exist to POCUS program implementation. Recently, the first international evidence-based POCUS guidelines for use in neonatology and pediatric critical care were published. Considering the potential benefits, a recent national survey of neonatologists confirmed that the majority of clinicians were inclined to adopt POCUS in their clinical practice if the barriers could be resolved. This technical report describes many potential POCUS applications in the NICU for diagnostic and procedural purposes.

The new pediatric radiologist.

This article discusses challenges in becoming a pediatric radiologist and contains words of advice from two young pediatric radiologists. Discussions include fellowship challenges and adjustment to being a new attending, including balancing work and life and difficult cases.