Orthopaedic magnetic resonance imaging challenge: apophyseal avulsions at the pelvis.

Apophyseal avulsion injuries of the hip and pelvis are frequent athletic injuries in children and adolescents, most commonly associated with explosive movement or sprinting. This article details typically encountered apophyseal injuries and their appearance on magnetic resonance imaging.

Does thumb immobilization contribute to scaphoid fracture stability?

Immobilization protocols for nondisplaced scaphoid fractures have included the elbow, wrist, and thumb. This study attempts to demonstrate whether or not immobilization of the thumb makes a difference in preventing motion at the scaphoid fracture site. Using six fresh frozen forearm specimens, a transverse waist scaphoid fracture was created through a dorsal approach. Metallic markers were imbedded on either side of the fracture. Sutures were secured to the flexor pollicus longus (FPL) and extensor pollicus longus (EPL). Each specimen was loaded in extension and flexion by attaching 50-g weights to the EPL and FPL, first with no casting, then with a short arm cast, and finally a short arm thumb spica cast. Angulation and displacement at the fracture site were measured in the coronal, sagittal, and axial planes utilizing image reconstructions from computed tomography. One-way ANOVA with repeated measures and Tukey-Kramer multiple comparison test post hoc analysis were used for statistical evaluation. There was no significant difference in fracture angulation or rotation between spica and short arm casts. There was a significant difference in angulation and rotation in all three planes when comparing between casting and no casting, p < 0.05. In our cadaveric model, wrist immobilization is crucial for nondisplaced scaphoid waist fractures, and short arm casting was just as effective as thumb spica casting in preventing fracture displacement.

Gadodiamide-associated nephrogenic systemic fibrosis: why radiologists should be concerned.

OBJECTIVE: Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) is a rare multisystemic fibrosing disorder that principally affects the skin but may affect other organs of patients with renal insufficiency. The purpose of our study was to identify any common risk factors and determine whether i.v. gadodiamide is associated with the development of NSF. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed for all 12 patients diagnosed with NSF at our institution between 2000 and 2006 to identify the clinical manifestations, timing, and dose of gadodiamide administration; dialysis records; concurrent medications; comorbid conditions and surgeries; laboratory findings; imaging findings; and clinical outcome. A review of the dialysis and MR records between 2000 and 2006 showed 559 MRI examinations on 168 dialysis patients (including 301 contrast-enhanced examinations). RESULTS: NSF was diagnosed by clinical findings and tissue diagnosis. All 12 patients had renal insufficiency--eight with dialysis-dependent chronic renal insufficiency and four with acute hepatorenal syndrome. All 12 patients developed skin fibrosis within 2-11 weeks after gadodiamide administration. The odds ratio for development of NSF after gadodiamide exposure was 22.3. No other common event or exposure could be found. Four patients had abnormal scintigraphic bone scans with skin and muscle uptake and lower-extremity MRI finding of edema in the muscles, intermuscular fascia, and skin. Despite the fact that 10 patients were dialyzed within 2 days of gadodiamide administration, this did not prevent the development of NSF. CONCLUSION: Development of NSF was strongly associated with gadodiamide administration in the setting of either acute hepatorenal syndrome or dialysis-dependent chronic renal insufficiency.

Thoracic lymphangiomatosis in a child.

An 8-year-old boy who presented with a mediastinal mass, pulmonary infiltrates, and disseminated intravascular coagulation was diagnosed with lymphangiomatosis. Despite medical management, he developed multiple organ failure and died. The authors discuss the diagnostic findings, medical management, and pathology and review 52 additional cases of thoracic lymphangiomatosis from the literature. Patients presented with chylothorax (49%), a mass (47%), pulmonary infiltrates (45%), bone lesions (39%), splenic lesions (19%), cervical involvement (15%), disseminated intravascular coagulation (9%), and skin involvement (7%). Children (<16 years) had a worse prognosis than older patients (39% vs. 0% mortality). All patients who died had either parenchymal lung involvement or pleural effusion. Thoracic lymphangiomatosis should be included in the differential diagnosis of a mediastinal mass with pulmonary findings.