Terminal ileitis: a rare gastrointestinal manifestation of IgA vasculitis in a child.

A girl in middle childhood was referred to the paediatric surgical team with acute colicky abdominal pain and bile-stained vomiting. This was preceded by a viral illness. Investigations revealed raised inflammatory markers, and imaging of the abdomen demonstrated ileal and jejunal thickening. Concerns were raised regarding whether she had inflammatory bowel disease. Endoscopy revealed gastritis and duodenitis, and colonoscopy was unremarkable. Video capsule endoscopy demonstrated ulcers in the jejunum and ileum.On day 8 of admission, she developed a symmetrical purpuric rash over both ankles leading to the diagnosis of Henoch-Schonlein-related ileitis. Multidisciplinary team working led to appropriate management of the patient and avoided surgery. Video capsule endoscopy enabled visualisation of the small bowel. She was managed with 5 days of methylprednisolone followed by oral steroids. She made a good recovery with no sequelae. This case highlighted that terminal ileitis is a rare complication of IgA vasculitis with a good prognosis.

Optimal management of gastrojejunal tube in the ENFit era - Interventions that changed practice.

BACKGROUND: We experienced a high incidence of jejunal tube (JEJ) displacement in children who underwent percutaneous endoscopic transgastric jejunostomy (PEGJ), ever since the introduction of ENFit connector (2017). METHODS: Two interventions were introduced in 2018 - fixative suture to PEGJ ENFit connector, and conversion to balloon transgastric-jejunal feeding device (Balloon GJ) whenever possible. Children receiving PEGJ and Balloon GJ in 2.8 years were categorized into 3 eras: 2016 (pre-ENFit), 2017 (ENFit) and 2018 (interventional), for comparison of complications and sequelae. Kaplan-Meier survival curves with log-rank test (P < 0.05) were applied. RESULTS: 100 children underwent 323 JEJ insertions - PEGJ (n = 237), Balloon GJ (n = 86). Complications occurred in 188 JEJs (58%), more frequently with PEGJ than Balloon GJ (69% vs. 29%, P < 0.0005). PEGJ had higher complication/1000-tube-days (6 vs. 0, P < 0.0005). In 2018, complication rate reduced from 76% to 30% (P < 0.0005) owing to effectiveness of PEGJ connector suture application (P = 0.019), and increased utilization of Balloon GJ (16% to 44%, P = 0.005). Balloon GJ showed better JEJ survival (P = 0.019), less morbidity (emergency attendance, X-ray) and greater cost-effectiveness than PEGJ. CONCLUSIONS: Balloon GJ had better overall outcomes than PEGJ. Suture application to connector successfully reduced JEJ internal displacement in PEGJ; however, conversion to Balloon GJ should be strongly considered. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II.

Imaging of Chest and Abdominal Trauma in Children.

Trauma is the commonest cause of death in children over a year old. The injuries sustained and management of these children differs to adults, due to differences in anatomy and physiology. Careful thought must also be given to exposing children to radiation, and CT scans should be performed only in select patients. This article reviews these important points and explains the imaging findings in chest and abdominal trauma.

Paediatric urinary tract infections: a retrospective application of the National Institute of Clinical Excellence guidelines to a large general practitioner referred historical cohort.

BACKGROUND: The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) is a United Kingdom nondepartmental public body accountable to the Department of Health. Before the introduction of the NICE guidelines in the United Kingdom most children younger than 1 year of age had a urinary tract ultrasound, cyclic micturating cystourethrogram and dimercaptosuccinic acid scintigraphy, the latter delayed 6 months post infection. Children older than 1 year had a urinary tract ultrasound only, and further imaging if necessary. OBJECTIVE: Identify who would have been investigated had the NICE imaging strategy been used and who would not. Compare the diagnostic yield and patient outcome with the previous imaging protocol using our prospectively collected historical data. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We applied the new imaging strategy to a historic cohort of 934 patients with a urinary tract infection (UTI) referred by general practitioners to a specialist children's hospital between 1996 and 2002. RESULTS: Of the 934 patients referred, 218 would have been investigated according to the NICE guidelines. In total, there were 105 patients with abnormal imaging findings, and 44 of these (42%) would have been investigated under the NICE guidelines. CONCLUSION: Applying the NICE guidelines to children presenting with UTI will reduce the number imaged by 77% and will lead to missed identification of 58% of imaging abnormalities in the group. The majority of these abnormalities may be important. While supporting conservative investigation protocols, we are concerned that many abnormalities might go undetected.

Optimal assessment of paediatric IBD with MRI and barium follow-through.

OBJECTIVES: The present UK criterion standard for assessing children with suspected inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is upper endoscopy, ileocolonoscopy, and barium follow-through (BaFT). Significant doses of radiation, unpalatable contrast, and volume intolerance are involved with BaFT. Practice in investigating Crohn disease (CD) is changing with the increasing use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The aim of the present study was to compare BaFT and a new abdominal MRI protocol in a paediatric IBD population. METHODS: All consecutive patients with a new diagnosis of IBD or requiring reassessment from September 2008 to December 2010 were investigated with both abdominal MRI and BaFT in accordance with a specific local paediatric IBD protocol. The studies were reported by nonblinded radiologists with an interest in gastrointestinal imaging. The reports were compared in conjunction with case note review. RESULTS: Eighty-seven patients underwent both BaFT and MRI abdomen. Thirty-one percent of patients had additional pathology on MRI, not seen on the BaFT. Sixty-seven percent of patients (n=59) had an MRI finding equivalent to BaFT. Using histology as a criterion standard for detecting terminal ileal disease, BaFT had a sensitivity and specificity of 76% and 67%, and MRI had a sensitivity and specificity of 83% and 95%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This is the largest series of small bowel MRI in a paediatric population. MRI reports were at least equivalent to BaFT. MRI had higher sensitivity and, particularly, specificity in detecting terminal ileal pathology. These findings suggest that MRI should become the criterion standard investigation in children with IBD in centres with appropriate expertise, with zero radiation exposure being highly advantageous.

Patterns of shift in ADC distributions in abdominal tumours during chemotherapy-feasibility study.

BACKGROUND: Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) relates to tissue cellularity, and change in ADC during chemotherapy may be a promising tool for assessing oncological response. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility of measuring changes in ADC distribution in solid abdominal and pelvic paediatric tumours during chemotherapy, and to assess patterns of change. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Consecutive children were included in a prospective observational study. ADC maps were calculated at presentation and following chemotherapy from a diffusion-sensitised sequence. ADC distribution in the whole tumour, excluding areas of low or absent gadolinium-enhancement, was investigated. Change during chemotherapy was assessed for each patient individually. Histopathological slices from the resected specimens were reviewed. RESULTS: There were seven children (nine tumours) included in the study. ADC in all except one deviated from a normal distribution. All tumours changed their ADC distribution during chemotherapy. Median ADC increased in all upper abdominal tumours, but more in tumours with histopathologically good or marked response to chemotherapy. Seven out of nine tumours attained a wider ADC distribution, the remaining two showed little chemotherapy response. CONCLUSION: ADC distribution changes during chemotherapy in childhood abdominal tumours are measurable. Distinct patterns of shift can be observed and ADC change is therefore promising as a noninvasive biomarker for therapy response.

Carpal-tarsal osteolysis with elbow involvement.

Carpal-tarsal osteolysis is a rare condition that manifests as the progressive resorption of carpal and tarsal bones in young children. The diagnosis of this condition is often difficult and delayed as the initial clinical presentation is non-specific. Radiographic changes occur gradually, are often not seen at presentation and depend on recognising loss of bone in the ossification centres of the carpus and tarsus. MRI demonstrates morphological abnormalities in the cartilaginous, as well as the osseous components, of the developing carpal and tarsal bones and therefore may be helpful in predating the radiographic changes. Ultrasound appears to contribute little to the diagnosis and may be misleading. Exclusion of other conditions, particularly juvenile idiopathic arthritis, is important in making the diagnosis. MRI can be useful in excluding an inflammatory arthropathy, and suggesting the diagnosis of carpal-tarsal osteolysis.