Radiology resident preliminary reporting in an independent call environment: multiyear assessment of volume, timeliness, and accuracy.

PURPOSE: The objective of this paper is to assess the volume, accuracy, and timeliness of radiology resident preliminary reports as part of an independent call system. This study seeks to understand the relationship between resident year in training, study modality, and discrepancy rate. METHODS: Resident preliminary interpretations on radiographs, ultrasound, CT, and MRI from October 2009 through December 2013 were prospectively scored by faculty on a modified RADPEER scoring system. Discrepancy rates were evaluated based on postgraduate year of the resident and the study modality. Turnaround times for reports were also reviewed. Differences between groups were compared with a chi-square test with a significance level of 0.05. Institutional review board approval was waived as only deidentified data were used in the study. RESULTS: A total of 416,413 studies were reported by 93 residents, yielding 135,902 resident scores. The rate of major resident-faculty assessment discrepancies was 1.7%. Discrepancy rates improved with increasing experience, both overall (PGY-3: 1.8%, PGY-4: 1.7%, PGY-5: 1.5%) and for each individual modality. Discrepancy rates were highest for MR (3.7%), followed by CT (2.4%), radiographs (1.4%), and ultrasound (0.6%). Emergency department report turnaround time averaged 31.7 min. The average graduating resident has been scored on 2,746 ± 267 reports during residency. CONCLUSIONS: Resident preliminary reports have a low rate of major discrepancies, which improves over 3 years of call-taking experience. Although more complex cross-sectional studies have slightly higher discrepancy rates, discrepancies were still within the range of faculty report variation.

Cerebral venous thrombosis after immune thrombocytopenic purpura and anti-D immune globulin therapy.

Cerebral venous thrombosis has multiple etiologies and a wide variety of clinical manifestations. This article reports on a young girl who developed cerebral venous thrombosis after intravenous anti-D immune globulin therapy for immune thrombocytopenic purpura. In this case, venous infarction was manifested by an unusual pattern of restricted diffusion limited to the corpus callosum. The cause of cerebral venous thrombosis in this patient may be related to both immune thrombocytopenia and immunoglobulin therapy.

Cochlear nerve size evaluation in children with sensorineural hearing loss by high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging.

PURPOSE: To determine differences in size of cochlear nerves among subjects with deafness due to connexin 26 (Cx26) mutations, subjects with deafness of unknown origin, and normal hearing subjects by sagittal high-resolution magnetic resonance (HRMR) imaging of the temporal bone. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cross-sectional and surface areas and volumetric measurements of the cochlear nerve and modiolus were made on HRMR images of the internal auditory canal (IAC) and inner ear in the 3 groups of children (groups 1, 2, and 3). Three-way comparisons of in vivo cochlear nerve measurements on HRMR imaging were made among 17 children with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) and no obvious etiology for the hearing loss (group 1), 7 children with profound SNHL due to a Cx26 mutation (group 2), and 10 normal hearing children (group 3). RESULTS: Children with profound SNHL of unknown cause and children with profound SNHL due to a connexin mutation displayed hypoplastic cochlear nerves as compared with normal controls. HRMR imaging of the temporal bone was accurately delineated potential problems with cochlear nerves in 2 of 17 instances where high-resolution computed tomography did not do so. CONCLUSIONS: Accurate and specific measurements of the cochlear nerve and related structures is possible on HRMR imaging of the temporal bone. The size of the cochlear nerve is mildly hypoplastic in children with profound SNHL of unknown causes or children with a deafness-causing Cx26 mutation. HRMR imaging is superior to high-resolution computed tomography in the investigation of profound SNHL in children.

Central nervous system findings by magnetic resonance in children with profound sensorineural hearing loss.

INTRODUCTION: High-resolution magnetic resonance studies are an important tool in the investigation of the etiology of childhood sensorineural hearing loss. An added benefit with magnetic resonance is the ability to screen the central nervous system for findings which may adversely affect the neurodevelopmental outcome of these children. OBJECTIVE: To determine the proportion of cases and significance of associated intracranial abnormalities as detected by central nervous system high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging in children with profound sensorineural hearing loss. METHODS: Retrospective chart review of children undergoing evaluation for cochlear implantation in a tertiary care academic children's hospital with high-resolution magnetic resonance of the temporal bone and brain during a 21 month period. Magnetic resonance studies were interpreted by an experienced senior neuroradiologist blinded to the identity and clinical data of the patients. RESULTS: Forty patients were identified. All had the same magnetic resonance study consisting of a 3D high-resolution sequence through the temporal bone as well as a T1 sagittal and T2 axial screening sequence of the brain. Eight patients (20%) showed significant brain abnormalities by magnetic resonance imaging ranging from myelination delays to migrational anomalies. Temporal bone abnormalities were not seen. Three patients with Connexin-26 mutations had no associated brain abnormalities by magnetic resonance. CONCLUSIONS: A significant proportion of our patients being investigated by magnetic resonance imaging for profound sensorineural hearing loss show migrational abnormalities of the central nervous system, suggesting a central origin to their hearing loss. Some of these findings may result in neurodevelopmental delay and hence, negatively impact the success of cochlear implantation. We propose that magnetic resonance imaging of the temporal bone as part of the evaluation protocol for cochlear implantation in children should include central nervous system screening.

Treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma with Epstein-Barr virus--specific T lymphocytes.

Conventional treatment for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) frequently fails and is accompanied by severe long-term side effects. Since virtually all undifferentiated NPCs are associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), this tumor is an attractive candidate for cellular immunotherapy targeted against tumor-associated viral antigens. We now demonstrate that EBV-specific cytotoxic T-cell (CTL) lines can readily be generated from individuals with NPC, notwithstanding the patients' prior exposure to chemotherapy/radiation. A total of 10 patients diagnosed with advanced NPC were treated with autologous CTLs. All patients tolerated the CTLs, although one developed increased swelling at the site of pre-existing disease. At 19 to 27 months after infusion, 4 patients treated in remission from locally advanced disease remain disease free. Of 6 patients with refractory disease prior to treatment, 2 had complete responses, and remain in remission over 11 to 23 months after treatment; 1 had a partial remission that persisted for 12 months; 1 has had stable disease for more than 14 months; and 2 had no response. These results demonstrate that administration of EBV-specific CTLs to patients with advanced NPC is feasible, appears to be safe, and can be associated with significant antitumor activity.

Etomidate versus pentobarbital for sedation of children for head and neck CT imaging.

OBJECTIVES: We compare etomidate to pentobarbital for sedation of children for head and neck computed tomography imaging. METHODS: We performed a prospective, randomized, double-blinded trial of patients aged 6 months to 6 years enrolled from the emergency department or radiology department at a large urban children's hospital. The primary outcome measure was sedation success rate. RESULTS: A total of 61 patients were enrolled in the study (27 etomidate group, 34 pentobarbital group) at 2 different dosing regimens for etomidate. The final analysis group included 17 etomidate patients and 33 pentobarbital patients. The success rate for the etomidate group was 57% at total doses of up to 0.3 mg/kg (n = 7) and 76% at total doses of up to 0.4 mg/kg (n = 17), in contrast to a success rate of 97% for pentobarbital at a total dose of up to 5 mg/kg (n = 33). The success rate for pentobarbital was significantly greater than the final etomidate group (P = 0.04; difference in proportions 20.5%, 95% CI 1.9% to 44.4%). Patients receiving etomidate had significantly shorter induction times (P = 0.02; difference of means 2.1 minutes, 95% CI 0.35 to 3.86), sedation times (P < 0.001; difference of means 31.3 minutes, 95% CI 24.0 to 38.5), and total examination times (P < 0.001; difference of means 53.1 minutes, 95% CI 40.8 to 65.3). Significantly more parents in the etomidate group perceived their child to be back to baseline by discharge from the hospital (P < 0.001; difference of proportions 60.7, 95% CI 29.1 to 92.4) and expressed fewer concerns about their child's behavior after discharge (P = 0.024; difference of proportions 28.6, 95% CI 6.5 to 50.7). CONCLUSIONS: At the dosing used in this study, pentobarbital is superior to etomidate when comparing success rates for sedation. However, among the successful sedations, the duration of sedation was shorter in the etomidate group than in the pentobarbital group. Pentobarbital is associated with more frequent side effects and parental concerns compared to etomidate.