Evaluation of the reconstructed carotid artery following extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Over a 12-month period, 28 neonatal patients in respiratory failure were supported with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), and 11 of these underwent successful repair of the right carotid artery post-ECMO. Nine of 11 were studied with duplex color-flow Doppler imaging between 14 and 109 days of age and again at 1 year of age. A velocity ratio (A/B) of the peak systolic velocity above the level of the anastomosis to the peak systolic velocity below the anastomosis was measured to assess the degree of stenosis, if any, at the repair site. Antegrade flow through the carotid was detected post-ECMO in 8 of 9 infants, and antegrade and retrograde flow was documented in 1 infant. A/B ratios ranged from 1.00 to 8.60 (A/B ratio of 1 is normal; 2.0 indicates at least a 50% obstruction to flow). Four of 9 patients had ratios greater than 2.0, and 8 of 9 exhibited some evidence of obstruction. Follow-up scans were performed on 8 of 9 infants between 12 and 18 months of age. All infants examined showed marked improvement in A/B ratio and patency of the vessel, documenting that initial narrowing of the vessel is reversible. No infant had evidence of embolic phenomena to the right side of the brain by magnetic resonance imaging. Repair of the common carotid artery post-ECMO is technically feasible without increasing the risk of brain injury.

High resolution ultrasound with Doppler: a diagnostic adjunct in orbital and ocular lesions in children.

Twenty-six infants and children with orbital and ocular pathology were examined with ultrasound (US) utilizing real-time imaging and Duplex Pulsed Doppler evaluation. Twenty-two of these patients underwent concurrent orbital computed tomography (CT) and two had magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Orbital and periorbital lesions included hemangioma, dermoid, lymphangioma, rhabdomyosarcoma, encephalocoele and abscess. Ocular lesions included infection, trauma, retinal detachment, retinoblastoma, Coat's disease, and persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous. High resolution US with Doppler provided unique diagnostic information in patients with penetrating ocular trauma, orbital and periorbital masses, and intraocular structural abnormalities. High resolution US examination of the eye and periorbital tissues is readily performed using widely available equipment and often delineates subtle structural abnormalities not shown by CT or MRI.

Abscess of the iliopsoas muscle diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasonography.

We have reported a case of abscess of the iliopsoas muscle, in which a limp and hip pain pointed toward pathology of the hip. The diagnosis in such cases may be difficult unless there is close attention to the clinical history and a good physical examination is obtained. One ultrasonographic examination of the hip in such a patient, subtle differences between the iliopsoas muscles should alert the radiologist to examine the psoas muscle. Ultrasonography is instrumental in demonstrating the solid or cystic nature of the iliopsoas mass, while MRI depicts the extent and proximity of adjacent organs. Once an iliopsoas abscess is diagnosed, treatment includes parenteral antibiotics and drainage.

Screening spinal ultrasound in newborns with neural tube defects.

Twenty-six newborns with spina bifida had complete spinal ultrasound (US) prior to initial surgical repair of the neural tube defects. Associated anomalies were found on screening US in seven infants and included diastematomyelia (two cases), hydromyelia (two cases), and dural fat deposits (three cases). Initial surgical therapy was altered in one infant with diastematomyelia. Four closed simple meningoceles showed no internal neural elements on US and none were found at surgery.

High resolution ultrasonography of the parotid gland in children. Part II.

The authors previously have reported a technique for visualizing the parotid gland with high resolution ultrasonography. The fine morphology of the parotid gland as well as normal anatomical landmarks were well visualized with ultrasonography. This study has continued for the past two years, and an additional twenty patients with suspected parotid pathology are presented. Ultrasound was helpful in (1) making a specific diagnosis in sialectasis, (2) determining whether parotid swelling was secondary to enlargement of adjacent tissues or indeed secondary to an intraparotid mass, (3) demonstrating whether enlargement of adjacent tissues was vascular by using duplex Doppler scanning, and (4) follow-up of enlarged nodes within the parotid and adjacent to the parotid for development of abscess formation.

Prognostic factors for healing of bone lesions in histiocytosis X.

Healing characteristics and rates of resolution were retrospectively reviewed in 38 bone lesions in 18 patients with histiocytosis X. Signs which tended to indicate future healing were a change from a nontrabecular pattern to a trabecular pattern by 10 weeks, a nonsclerotic lesion to one with sclerosis by 13 weeks, and loss of distinct margins by 24 weeks. Complete healing then occurred within 36 to 40 weeks after development of these favorable signs. The earliest occurrence of a favorable sign was 6 weeks. A trabecular pattern was found in 90% of the lesions, outside the skull, which eventually healed. Fifty-eight percent (22 of 38) of the lesions completely healed in an average of 13.6 months. Five months was the most rapid occurrence of healing in any of our cases.

The ultrasonographic diagnosis of typhlitis (neutropenic colitis).

Typhlitis is a necrotizing inflammatory disease of the cecum, usually with secondary infection. It is most often found in acute leukemia patients on chemotherapy but has also been reported in other patients on chemotherapeutic drugs. Diagnostic features of typhlitis have been reported on plain radiographs, barium enema, angiography, CT, and one other reported case with ultrasound. We report three cases of typhlitis with a characteristic echogenic thickening of the mucosa on ultrasound. The sonographic findings in the one previous report were identical to those of our three cases. We believe that the sonographic findings of typhlitis are unique and that ultrasound offers an easy noninvasive method of diagnosing this potentially lethal disease.

Intermediate imperforate anus: clinical and radiographic implications.

Five male infants are described with imperforate anus with external signs of a low lesion but with subsequent evidence of a higher lesion with demonstration of a fistula into the anterior urethra either at surgery or by radiographic studies. The cases should be considered an intermediate form of imperforate anus with external signs of a low lesion but with fistula characteristically to the membranous or bulbous urethra. These infants should be treated surgically as high lesions with initial diverting colostomies.

Ultrasound imaging as a screening study for malignant soft-tissue tumors.

Fifty patients who had a palpable soft-tissue mass and an apparently normal radiograph were studied with ultrasound imaging before excision or biopsy of the lesion was done. As shown by the sonograms, thirty-five lesions had a discrete echo pattern (usually reduced echoes and a clearly defined lesional margin) and fifteen had an ill defined pattern (similar to the pattern of the surrounding normal tissues with no definable lesional margin). Fourteen lesions were malignant and thirty-six, benign. The sonograms of all fourteen malignant lesions showed a discrete pattern, while the sonograms of the benign ones showed twenty-one discrete and fifteen ill defined patterns. Therefore, the malignant lesions produced a discrete pattern in every instance, and every lesion that produced an ill defined pattern was benign. Fourteen of the fifty lesions were cystic; of these, thirteen were benign and one was malignant. The sonograms correctly identified the cyst in seven of the thirteen benign lesions and in the one malignant cystic lesion. Based on these findings, we concluded that all palpable soft-tissue masses that appear to be discrete on a sonogram should be diagnosed without delay by examination of a specimen taken at biopsy, whereas lesions that have an ill defined appearance on a sonogram may be assumed to be benign and may safely be observed in selected patients.

High resolution ultrasound characterization of soft tissue masses in children.

Forty-two soft tissue masses in infants and children were examined with high resolution ultrasonography. Sonography was diagnostically specific in 17/42 (40%), useful but not diagnostic in 24/42 (58%), and misleading in 1/42 (2%) of soft tissue masses. Lesions with diagnostic sonographic features included cystic hygroma, fibromatosis colli, lymphadenopathy with abscess formation, and one case of osteomyelitis.

An autonomous functioning cystic thyroid adenoma. An unusual occurrence.

An asymptomatic thyroid nodule that appeared cystic on ultrasound was seen in a 14-year-old girl. Tc-99m pertechnetate thyroid imaging was expected to show a cold nodule, but surprisingly revealed a hyperfunctioning nodule. A partial thyroidectomy revealed an hemorrhagic cystic adenoma. The occurrence of a cystic nodule, which continued to show hyperfunction, is unusual.

Umbilical artery clot in the neonate: spontaneous resolution.

Ultrasound has proved to be an effective means of monitoring umbilical artery catheters in the neonate for clot formation. Once a large clot has formed, it usually takes several weeks to months before it completely disappears. This is a report of a large clot that spontaneously resolved in ten days.

Portal vein ultrasonography in the early diagnosis of necrotizing enterocolitis.

The nonoperative diagnosis of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is dependent upon the radiographic finding of pneumatosis intestinalis. A significant number of neonates develop clinical signs compatible with NEC but nondiagnostic radiographs. This can result in delayed, inappropriate, or unnecessary therapy. This paper presents experience with portal vein (PV) ultrasonography in the diagnosis of NEC. Since January 1984, 15 newborns with suspected NEC have undergone PV ultrasonography (mean gestation 33 weeks, mean weight 1,705 g). Each had developed abdominal distention with evidence of sepsis. Stool was positive for occult blood in 11. Abdominal radiographs were interpreted as abnormal but nonspecific in 10 neonates, definite pneumatosis in 3, and normal in 2. No infant had portal vein air on plain abdominal radiograph. Occult PV air was detected by ultrasonography in five infants. These included all infants with obvious pneumatosis, a newborn with a nonspecific radiograph and a neonate with a "normal" x-ray. Of the ten infants without PV air on ultrasound, clinical symptoms resolved without specific therapy in seven. Two infants were proven to have nonenteric sepsis, and the remaining newborn developed intestinal necrosis secondary to aortic thrombus. In the five infants with occult PV air on ultrasound, two subsequently required intestinal resection. The remaining three were treated medically for ten days without sequelae. PV ultrasonography has proven to be a helpful adjunct in the early diagnosis of NEC. This diagnostic maneuver, when applied appropriately, may enable early therapy of the infant with NEC and avoid inappropriate or unnecessary therapy in the suspected case.

The distended gasless abdomen: a fertile field for ultrasound.

Ultrasonography has proven to be a helpful imaging modality in evaluating the child with a distended gasless abdomen. The presence of an unsuspected mass can easily be detected as well as the presence of ascites and/or abnormally dilated loops of small bowel. Thickened loops of bowel can also be easily detected in the abdomen with very little gas. Closed loop obstruction and intussusception, as well as meconium ileus equivalent (distal intestinal obstruction syndrome), are described.

Primary bronchopulmonary leiomyosarcoma in childhood.

There have been only nine cases of primary bronchopulmonary leiomyosarcoma (PBPL) in children reported in the English language literature, to our knowledge. Herein, we report the tenth case of PBPL in a 24-hour-old newborn infant with associated nonimmunologic hydrops fetalis. We believe this to be the youngest patient ever reported to have PBPL, and the first such tumor, to our knowledge, to be a possible cause of nonimmunologic hydrops fetalis. The patient was alive and well 34 months after a right-sided lower lobectomy, without the need for radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy. We review the clinical pathologic features, treatment, and follow-up of PBPL.

The opaque chest: when to suspect a bronchial foreign body.

A bronchial foreign body should be strongly suspected in a child with an opaque chest without a previous history of airways disease when there is: any sign of volume loss or atelectasis in the lung density and bronchiectasis within the lung density. Ultrasound may be helpful to rule out the presence of pleural fluid and may even demonstrate the bronchiectasis when the bronchi are fluid-filled.

Apparent gut excretion of Tc-99m-DISIDA in a case of extrahepatic biliary atresia.

Our patient had DISIDA scan at 39 days of age to exclude biliary atresia. Gut excretion was seen 18 h after injection and the diagnosis of neonatal hepatitis was made. Because of continued elevated liver function values, liver biopsy was performed and demonstrated findings consistent with biliary atresia. Exploratory laparotomy performed 8 days after the scan showed patent cystic duct, bile duct, and gallbladder, but an atretic common hepatic duct. This case is an example of documented biliary atresia demonstrating gut excretion on the DISIDA scan.

High resolution ultrasonography of the parotid gland in children.

High resolution ultrasonography has revolutionized imaging of the superficial parotid gland. The fine morphology of the parotid gland can be exquisitely visulized. Anatomical landmarks such as the mastoid tip, the sternocleidomastoid muscle, the styloid process, the posterior facial vein, the internal jugular vein, and the external carotid artery can easily be identified in relationship to the parotid. The course of the facial nerve can be inferred by visualization of these landmarks. Common masses within the parotid in children such as hemangiomas, mixed parotid tumors, and lymphadenopathy can be demonstrated. Parotid masses are uncommon in children but can be easily evaluated by high resolution ultrasonography.