Pediatric idiopathic intracranial hypertension: clinical and demographic features.

Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is a clinical condition characterized by elevated intracranial pressure and absence of clinical, laboratory or radiographic evidence of central nervous system infection, vascular malformation, intracranial space occupying lesion or hydrocephalus. In the last years the raising understanding of pediatric IIH, especially concerning its demographics and epidemiology, has brought up to a redefinition of diagnostic criteria and reevaluation of pathogenesis and treatment. The authors reviewed the records of nineteen consecutive children with newly diagnosed IIH in order to compare demographic characteristics, clinical pictures and ophthalmologic aspects as optic disc evaluation and visual field evaluation, as well as treatment modalities and follow up. Beside obesity and female gender, potential alternative risk factors remains to be investigated, which need a good collaboration between neuro-ophthalmologists and pediatric neurologists.

The renal parenchyma evaluation: MAG3 vs. DMSA.

Scintigraphy with Tc-99m dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) is considered a reference method for assessment of parenchymal lesions and estimation of differential kidney function. The aim of study was to evaluate Tc-99m mercaptoacetyltriglycine (MAG3) dynamic renal scintigraphy for the same purpose. 188 patients, submitted to both studies within three months, were divided in two groups. In the first, 83 DMSA images were compared to parenchymal phase of MAG3 scintigraphy. Kidney morphology was independently evaluated by four observers. In the second group (N = 105), differential function was calculated in MAG3 and DMSA studies and the respective results were compared. Findings corresponded completely in 85% of patients. There were no statistically significant differences between calculated differential function on DMSA and MAG3 images. The results showed that most of parenchymal lesions detected on DMSA scans can be identified on MAG3 parenchymal scans. Both studies can be equally used for the calculation of differential kidney function.