Cardiovascular manifestations and cardiac magnetic resonance follow-up of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C).

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the cardiovascular manifestations and surveillance of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) and to determine the correlation of echocardiographic findings with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging findings. METHODS: Forty-four children diagnosed as MIS-C with cardiac involvement were enrolled in this observational descriptive study. The diagnosis of MIS-C was made according to the criteria of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Clinical findings, laboratory parameters, and electrocardiographic and echocardiographic findings at the time of diagnosis and during follow-up were evaluated. Cardiac magnetic resonance was performed on 28 (64%) cases. The 1-year follow-up imaging was performed in all cases with abnormal initial cardiac magnetic resonance findings. RESULTS: Forty-four patients (56.8% male) with a mean age of 8.5 ± 4.8 years were enrolled in this study. There was a significant positive correlation between high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (mean: 162 ± 444.4 pg/ml) and N-terminal pro b-type natriuretic peptide (mean: 10,054 ± 11,604 pg/ml) (p < 0.01). Number of cases with an electrocardiographic and echocardiographic abnormality was 34 (77%) and 31 (70%), respectively. Twelve cases (45%) had left ventricular systolic dysfunction and 14 (32%) cases had pericardial effusion on admission. Three cases (11%) had cardiac magnetic resonance findings that may be attributed to the presence of myocardial inflammation, and pericardial effusion was present in seven (25%) cases. Follow-up cardiac magnetic resonances of all cases were normal. Cardiac abnormalities were completely resolved in all except two cases. CONCLUSIONS: Myocardial involvement can be seen during acute disease, but MIS-C generally does not lead to prominent damage during a year of surveillance. Cardiac magnetic resonance is a valuable tool to evaluate the degree of myocardial involvement in cases with MIS-C.

A Rare Case of "Periportal Cuffing" as an Incidental Finding on 18F-FDG PET/CT.

A 7-year-old boy with known diagnosis of hereditary spherocytosis and ulcerative colitis was referred for 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography after detection of a 28 mm lesion suspicious for malignancy in spleen on upper abdomen magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). As an incidental finding, a moderately increased uptake of 18F-FDG was observed in periportal region with no definable mass. MRI revealed compatible findings with "periportal cuffing" as described on ultrasonography.

Clinical and Imaging Clues of Arteriopathy-Related Pediatric Arterial Ischemic Stroke: A Single Center Experience.

Background and Purpose: Arteriopathy is a common etiology for childhood arterial ischemic stroke (AIS). In this study, we aimed to address clinical, demographic, and neuroimaging characteristics and the reversibility of vasculopathy in patients with childhood stroke due to arteriopathy by classifying them according to Childhood AIS Standardized Classification and Diagnostic Evaluation (CASCADE) criteria. Methods: We included 15 patients with AIS due to arteriopathy presented between 2013 and 2018. All patients were diagnosed and followed up using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies. All acute AIS patients were classified by acute CASCADE criteria (1-4). Moreover, each group was categorized according to the chronic CASCADE criteria, including progressive, stable, reversible, and indeterminate courses. Results: In the study population, CASCADE 2 patients were the most common group, and basal ganglia involvement was the most common involvement in CASCADE 2 patients. Of CASCADE 2 patients, 71.4% received steroids, which was compatible with a favorable outcome. In the study, trauma was present in 33.3% of patients, 60% of which was related to CASCADE 4. In the control visit on month 24, there were neuromotor sequelae of 60%, including hemiparesis, facial paralysis, and decreased fine motor skills; furthermore, the recurrence rate was 20%. Conclusion: We strongly emphasize that arteriopathy should be kept in mind in school-age children presenting with hemiparesis and headache. Moyamoya disease must be considered in the differential diagnosis with anterior circulation involvement, while focal cerebral arteriopathy (FCA) in patients with basal ganglia involvement was detected on MRI and dissection in the patients with a history of head-neck injury. We think that steroids have positive influences on neurologic prognosis in patients with FCA.

Clinical and radiologic evaluation of a Turkish family with hypochondroplasia and a rare FGFR3 variant.

OBJECTIVES: Hypochondroplasia (HCH) is characterized by disproportionate short stature and regarded as a milder form of achondroplasia (ACH), which is another skeletal dysplasia, both caused by variants in fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) gene. HCH diagnosis is based on the clinical features and skeletal survey findings. The most common FGFR3 variant in HCH affects the codon 540, leading to substitution of asparagine with lysine in about 70% of patients. CASE PRESENTATION: Herein, we described the clinical and radiographical manifestations of HCH in affected members of a Turkish family with very rare Asn540Thr (c.1619A>C) variant within hot spot of the gene for this condition. CONCLUSIONS: This is a very rarely reported variant in the literature and this report is the first case with this variant in Turkish population. The report also presents the phenotypic variability within a family with the same variant, which is inherent to HCH.

Prediction of degree of carotid stenosis with the transluminal attenuation difference ratio.

PURPOSE: We aimed to assess the diagnostic performance of transluminal attenuation difference (TAD) in predicting the severity of internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis. METHODS: The study cohort consisted of 48 patients with <50% stenosis, 50%-69% stenosis, 70%-99% stenosis, and 51 controls without plaque development in ICA. A total of 143 measurements were performed through right and left internal and common carotid arteries. The TAD ratio was calculated as the difference between the mean attenuation values of the common carotid artery (CCA) and ICA, divided by the MAV of the CCA, multiplied by 100. RESULTS: TAD ratio was significantly higher in severe (>70%) stenosis compared with control arteries and low-moderate stenosis. A TAD ratio cutoff of 4.5 predicted 70%-99% stenosis with a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 93%. The inter- and intraobserver agreements in TAD measurements were almost perfect (ICC, 0.89-0.86). CONCLUSION: Assessment of TAD ratio predicts the degree of stenosis in concordance with NASCET system.

A rare cause of scalp swelling in infancy: delayed subaponeurotic fluid collections in five cases.

Subaponeurotic (subgaleal) fluid collection (DSFC) is a rare clinical entity of unknown etiology. We aimed to present our series of infants who were diagnosed with DSCF at Ankara University Children's Hospital. We retrospectively reviewed clinical findings, imaging studies, laboratory tests, management, and clinical courses of infants diagnosed with DSCF between June 2014 and June 2018. Five infants (4 males, 1 female), aged 5-14 weeks, were identified during the study period. All deliveries were non-progressive (3 normal deliveries, 2 cesarean sections) while instrumentation (vacuum extraction or forceps) was used in 2. History of recent trauma, concern for child abuse, and family or personal history of coagulopathy were negative for all patients. Conservative management with the spontaneous resolution was observed in 2 to 12 weeks in all infants. Although rare, DSFC should always be kept in mind in the differential diagnosis of scalp swelling in young infants. The diagnosis is primarily clinical, and current treatment is conservative.

Assessment of developmental and radiological long-term outcomeof children with surgically treated midgut volvulus.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The aim is to evaluate the long-term outcome of asymptomatic patients who underwent surgical correction for midgut volvulus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seven patients managed surgically for midgut volvulus in the last 3 years were included. Demographic features, symptoms at presentation, diagnoses, surgical procedures, and complications were recorded. Patients were then contacted for follow-up and evaluation of long-term outcomes. General physical conditions, anthropometric parameters, feeding habits, and defecation histories were evaluated. Laboratory examinations were performed. Color Doppler ultrasonography (CDUS) was performed to evaluate blood flow in the superior mesenteric artery (SMA). RESULTS: In total, seven patients were identified. The median age at admission was 3 days (0-90 days). Mean age at follow-up was 17 ± 2 months. Growth parameters were normal in all cases. Four patients had low levels of ferritin and transferrin saturation. One patient had microcytic anemia. Another patient had low serum zinc level. One patient who had ileal resection had a high level of steatorrhea in stool examination. In CDUS, SMA blood flow volume was low in all cases. Peak-systolic velocity and resistance index were low in all but one case. CONCLUSION: Despite uneventful postoperative courses, all patients operated on for midgut volvulus showed mild laboratory changes and decreased blood flow in the SMA in long-term follow-up.

The role of tissue harmonic imaging ultrasound combined with power Doppler ultrasound in the diagnosis of childhood febrile urinary tract infections.

AIM: This study assessed the ability of tissue harmonic imaging ultrasound combined with power Doppler ultrasound in the detection of childhood febrile urinary tract infections in comparison with the gold standard reference method: Tc-99m dimercaptosuccinicacid renal cortical scintigraphy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This prospective study included 60 patients who were hospitalized with a first episode of febrile urinary tract infections. All children were examined with dimercaptosuccinicacid scan and tissue harmonic imaging ultrasound combined with power Doppler ultrasound within the first 3 days of admission. RESULTS: Signs indicative of acute infection were observed in 29 patients according to the results of tissue harmonic imaging ultrasound combined with power Doppler ultrasound while dimercaptosuccinicacid scan revealed abnormal findings in 33 patients. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of tissue harmonic imaging combined with power Doppler ultrasound using dimercaptosuccinicacid scintigraphy as the reference method in patients diagnosed with first episode febrile urinary tract infections were calculated as 57.58% (95% confidence interval: 40.81%-72.76%); 62.96% (95% confidence interval: 44.23%-78.47%); 65.52% (95% confidence interval: 52.04%-77%); 54.84% (95% confidence interval: 41.54%-67.52%); respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Although current results exhibit inadequate success of power Doppler ultrasound, this practical and radiation-free method may soon be comprise a part of the routine ultrasonographic evaluation of febrile urinary tract infections of childhood if patients are evaluated early and under appropriate sedation.