Imaging features, classification and clinical features of intrahepatic congenital portosystemic shunts.

Congenital portosystemic shunts (CPSS) are a rare developmental anomaly diverting blood flow from the portal venous system and the liver to the systemic venous system. This case series examines the sonographic imaging findings, shunt classification, ultrasound shunt ratios, and outcomes in nine children (5 females, 4 males) admitted to our institution between 2015 and 2022 were included in this study. The shunts were initially categorized by the Parks classification and were followed by serial ultrasounds. Clinical presentation, clinical course, laboratory data, shunt ratios, and time to shunt closure were all followed on subsequent ultrasounds. The most common type of CPPS was the Type 3 shunt. In cases where shunt ratios were measured, the shunt ratio gradually decreased in tandem with decreasing ammonia levels until spontaneous closure was achieved. Predictors of lack of shunt closure included high shunt ratios and Type 4 shunts. Patients with CPPS can be followed with the shunt ratio calculation obtained from sonographic imaging, which may correlate to ammonia levels and indicate risk of hepatic encephalopathy as well as predict speed and timing of closure.

Pediatric primary lymphoma of bone in epiphysis case report.

Primary lymphoma of the bone (PLB) is a rare entity, with a majority of pediatric cases presenting in the metaphysis of long bones. There have been only seven reported cases to date of pediatric lymphoma of the bone arising from the epiphysis, of which only two have been described in the proximal tibia. We report a pediatric case of PLB in the tibial epiphysis which presented initially with knee pain. Imaging was performed with X-ray, MRI, CT, and PET-CT with bone biopsies revealing diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. This patient also showed a second, synchronous lesion in the left iliac bone, which was also biopsy proven to diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Lymphoma in the epiphysis for children is rare and often confused with infectious etiologies or other types of tumors. Misdiagnosis may result in inappropriate treatment and possible progression of the disease, thus making early identification important to initiate therapy.

Neonatal neurosonography practices: a survey of active Society for Pediatric Radiology members.

BACKGROUND: While neonatal brain US is emerging as an imaging modality with greater portability, widespread availability and relative lower cost compared to MRI, it is unknown whether US is being maximized in infants to increase sensitivity in detecting intracranial pathology related to common indications such as hemorrhage, ischemia and ventriculomegaly. OBJECTIVE: To survey active members of the Society for Pediatric Radiology (SPR) regarding their utilization of various cranial US techniques and reporting practices in neonates. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We distributed an online 10-question survey to SPR members to assess practice patterns of neonatal cranial US including protocol details, use of additional sonographic views, perceived utility of spectral Doppler evaluation, and germinal matrix hemorrhage and ventricular size reporting preferences. RESULTS: Of the 107 institutions represented, 90% of respondents were split evenly between free-standing children's hospitals and pediatric departments attached to a general hospital. We found that most used template reporting (72/107, 67%). The anterior fontanelle approach was standard practice (107/107, 100%). We found that posterior fontanelle views (72% sometimes, rarely or never) and high-frequency linear probes to evaluate far-field structures (52% sometimes, rarely or never) were seldom used. Results revealed a range of ways to report germinal matrix hemorrhage and measure ventricular indices to assess ventricular dilatation. There was substantial intra-institutional protocol and reporting variability as well. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate high variability in neurosonography practice and reporting among active SPR members, aside from the anterior fontanelle views, template reporting and linear high-resolution near-field evaluation. Standardization of reporting germinal matrix hemorrhage and ventricular size would help ensure a more consistent application of neonatal US in research and clinical practice.

Pediatric chest wall masses: spectrum of benign findings on ultrasound.

A palpable finding along the chest wall is a frequent indication for pediatric US. Accurate identification of benign lesions can reassure families and appropriately triage children who need follow-up, cross-sectional imaging, or biopsy. In this pictorial essay, we review chest wall anatomy, illustrate US techniques and discuss key US imaging features of common benign lesions and normal variants.

Value of chest CT over skeletal surveys in detection of rib fractures in pediatric patients.

Recent literature has raised concerns about the sensitivity and accuracy of radiographs at diagnosing rib fractures. Studies have shown that chest computed tomography (CT) has far greater sensitivity at detecting rib fractures than radiographs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity of skeletal survey (SS) radiographs at diagnosis of rib fractures compared to CT in the pediatric population. This retrospective review included 57 patients who had undergone both a SS and a CT chest or CT chest/abdomen/pelvis within 30 days of each other for the indication of either non-accidental (NAT) or accidental trauma between 2009 and 2017. Images and reports were analyzed by a pediatric radiology fellow for presence/absence of fracture, evidence of healing and location of rib fracture, including rib level, location within the rib (anterior, lateral, and posterior), and side (right versus left). 225 rib fractures were identified in 25 patients on CT. 38 of those fractures were missed on the preceding SS, yielding a miss rate of 17%. Acute fractures were more likely to be missed than chronic or healing fractures (p ≤ 0.01). Location within the rib did not impact rib detection on radiographs. Left-sided rib fractures were not more common in NAT patients, compared to accidental trauma. SS miss approximately 17% of all rib fractures and CT is more sensitive modality in the detection of rib fractures, particularly acute rib fractures, regardless of location. Low-dose Chest CT could be a helpful modality in the work-up of NAT trauma.

Pediatric ankle injuries: utilizing the Dias-Tachdjian classification.

Pediatric ankle injuries require timely diagnosis due to their involvement of the distal tibial physis and subsequent impact on long bone growth. These injuries occur in a predictable pattern based on ankle position, direction of force, and degree of closure of the distal tibial physis. The Dias-Tachdjian classification describes possible ankle injury patterns for the completely open physis, and we present a simplified algorithm for applying this system in routine radiographic interpretation. Similar to the Lauge-Hansen classification in adults, the Dias-Tachdjian system is based on the position of the foot and direction of force at the time of injury with four major patterns: supination-inversion, pronation-eversion external rotation, supination-plantar flexion, and supination-external rotation. In addition, we examine the effect that the closing distal tibial physis has on adolescent fracture patterns (specifically, Tillaux and triplane fractures). Awareness of these injury patterns helps the radiologist to identify nondisplaced fractures and subtle physeal injuries with implications for surgical and/or conservative management.

Progressive pseudorheumatoid dysplasia: a report of three cases and a review of radiographic and magnetic resonance imaging findings.

Progressive pseudorheumatoid dysplasia (PPD) is a rare disorder of postnatal skeletal and cartilage development that often presents with similar clinical findings to juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Patients with PPD display findings of progressive cartilage loss and secondary osteoarthritis over serial imaging studies and have an absence of elevation of inflammatory markers. Awareness of the imaging features of PPD on radiographs and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be important for early diagnosis and surveillance of the disease.

Deep venous thrombosis in a child with inferior vena cava and renal anomalies: KILT syndrome.

Kidney and inferior vena cava abnormalities with leg thrombosis is a newly described entity in the literature termed KILT (kidney and inferior vena cava (IVC) abnormalities with leg thrombosis) syndrome. We present a case of newly diagnosed KILT syndrome in an 11-year-old girl presenting with pain and problems with ambulation. We also review the few cases of KILT syndrome previously reported in the literature.

Unusual migration of fractured ERCP guidewire: A case report.

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) routinely uses hydrophilic guidewires to cannulate ducts and traverse stenoses. Fracture of these guidewires have been reported, however, migration of these fractured fragments is an extremely rare occurrence that has yet to be reported in the literature. We present a case of a fractured ERCP guidewire with extensive migration in the retroperitoneal and lower extremity soft tissues and vasculature with radiologic correlation across multiple modalities-MRI, CT, and radiographs-as well as pathologic correlation. This case illustrates a rare but serious complication of ERCP and demonstrates the imaging findings associated with it.

Inter-observer agreement on the assessment of relative liver lesion signal intensity on hepatobiliary phase imaging with gadoxetate (Gd-EOB-DTPA).

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to assess the inter-observer agreement on the qualitative and quantitative evaluation of relative signal intensity of liver lesions on delayed hepatobiliary phase (HBP) MRI with gadoxetate (Gd-EOB-DTPA). METHODS: 105 patients with liver lesions, who had delayed HPB MRI using gadoxetate were reviewed retrospectively. For each patient, four readers (two fellows in training and two attending radiologists) qualitatively assessed the relative SI of the largest representative lesion on a five point scale, and quantitatively measured the relative SI of the lesion to adjacent liver parenchyma using region of interests (ROI). Intra-class correlation (ICC) and kappa statistics with quadratic weights (k) analysis, and maximally selected rank statistic were performed. RESULTS: Substantial agreement between fellows (k = 0.719; ICC = 0.705) and almost perfect agreement between attending radiologists (k = 0.853; ICC = 0.849) were found for both qualitative and quantitative assessments of relative SI on delayed HPB imaging. A cut-off ratio to differentiate between hypointense and iso- to hyperintense lesions by ROI was calculated to be 0.90. CONCLUSION: Inter-observer agreement of liver lesion relative SI on delayed HBP imaging is high and may improve with radiologist experience. A cut-off ratio of relative SI at 0.90 may be useful to quantitatively distinguish hypointense from iso- to hyperintense liver lesions.

Sonographic evaluation of common peroneal neuropathy in patients with foot drop.

The common peroneal nerve arises from the sciatic nerve and is subject to a variety of abnormalities. Although diagnosis is often is based on the clinical findings and electrodiagnostic tests, high-resolution sonography has an increasing role in determining the type and location of common peroneal nerve abnormalities and other peripheral nerve disorders. This article reviews the normal sonographic appearance of the common peroneal nerve and the findings in 21 patients with foot drop related to common peroneal neuropathy.

Bone age advancement in prepubertal children with obesity and premature adrenarche: possible potentiating factors.

Obesity and premature adrenarche (PA) are both associated with bone age (BA) advancement of unclear etiology, which may lead to earlier puberty, suboptimal final height and obesity in adulthood. Our objective was to understand the hormonal and anthropometric characteristics of BA advancement in a spectrum of prepubertal children with and without obesity and PA. In this cross-sectional study of 66 prepubertal children (35 PA, 31 control, 5-9 years), BMI z-score, hormonal values and response to an oral glucose tolerance test were the main outcome measures. Subjects were divided into tertiles by BA divided by chronological age (BA/CA), an index of BA advancement. Subjects in the top tertile for BA/CA had the highest dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), free testosterone (%), hemoglobin A(1C), BMI z-score, and weight (P < 0.05). BMI z-score (r = 0.47), weight (r = 0.40), free testosterone (%) (r = 0.34), and DHEAS (r = 0.30) correlated with BA/CA (P < 0.02). Regression analysis showed greater BA/CA in PA compared to controls after controlling for weight (0.21 ± 0.56, P < 0.004). An exploratory stepwise regression model showed that weight, estradiol, and DHEAS were the strongest predictors of BA/CA accounting for 24% of its variance. Obesity was highly associated with BA advancement in this study of prepubertal children. In addition, children with PA had greater BA/CA at any given weight when compared to controls. These findings suggest a possible hormonal factor, which potentiates the effect of obesity on BA advancement in children with obesity and/or PA.

Utility of early insulin response and proinsulin to assess insulin resistance.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether obesity and premature adrenarche are additive events increasing the risk of insulin resistance and beta-cell failure, using early insulin response (EIR) or the insulinogenic index and proinsulin (PI) as markers. STUDY DESIGN: This was a prospective case-control study conducted at a tertiary care academic medical center involving 81 prepubertal, predominantly Hispanic children (34 males, 47 females), classified as lean controls (4 males, 6 females; mean age, 6.5 +/- 1.2 years; mean body mass index [BMI] z-score, 0.08 +/- 0.6), obese controls (20 males, 10 females; mean age, 7.2 +/- 1.5 years; mean BMI z-score, 2.5 +/- 0.5), lean premature adrenarche (3 males, 11 females; mean age, 7.1 +/- 1.2 years; mean BMI z-score, 0.09 +/- 0.6), and obese premature adrenarche (7 males, 20 females; mean age, 7.3 +/- 1.0; mean BMI z-score, 2.2 +/- 0.4). Fasting glucose (G(0)), insulin (I(0)), PI(0), androgen levels, insulin-like growth factor 1, insulin-like growth factor binding protein 1, and lipid levels were obtained. An oral glucose tolerance test was performed. EIR was calculated as (I(30) - I(0))/(G(30) - G(0)). Between-group differences were assessed by 2-way analysis of variance, with interactions and associations explored with correlation/regression. RESULTS: EIR was greater in the obese subjects with and without premature adrenarche. Combined analysis of the independent variables obesity and premature adrenarche showed that the obese premature adrenarche group had the highest EIR. The obese subjects with premature adrenarche had greater fasting PI levels than their lean counterparts. The differences in fasting PI/I ratio among the groups were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Using EIR and PI as markers to assess the risk of insulin resistance and impaired insulin secretion indicates that obese children with premature adrenarche may be at greater risk for the development of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes mellitus compared with their lean counterparts.