Association of Radiology Findings with Etiology of Community Acquired Pneumonia among Children.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between consolidation on chest radiograph and typical bacterial etiology of childhood community acquired pneumonia (CAP) in the Etiology of Pneumonia in the Community study. STUDY DESIGN: Hospitalized children <18 years of age with CAP enrolled in the Etiology of Pneumonia in the Community study at 3 children's hospitals between January 2010 and June 2012 were included. Testing of blood and respiratory specimens used multiple modalities to identify typical and atypical bacterial, or viral infection. Study radiologists classified chest radiographs (consolidation, other infiltrates [interstitial and/or alveolar], pleural effusion) using modified World Health Organization pneumonia criteria. Infiltrate patterns were compared according to etiology of CAP. RESULTS: Among 2212 children, there were 1302 (59%) with consolidation with or without other infiltrates, 910 (41%) with other infiltrates, and 296 (13%) with pleural effusion. In 1795 children, at least 1 pathogen was detected. Among these patients, consolidation (74%) was the most frequently observed pattern (74% in typical bacterial CAP, 58% in atypical bacterial CAP, and 54% in viral CAP). Positive and negative predictive values of consolidation for typical bacterial CAP were 12% (95% CI 10%-15%) and 96% (95% CI 95%-97%) respectively. In a multivariable model, typical bacterial CAP was associated with pleural effusion (OR 7.3, 95% CI 4.7-11.2) and white blood cell ≥15 000/mL (OR 3.2, 95% CI 2.2-4.9), and absence of wheeze (OR 0.5, 95% CI 0.3-0.8) or viral detection (OR 0.2, 95% CI 0.1-0.4). CONCLUSIONS: Consolidation predicted typical bacterial CAP poorly, but its absence made typical bacterial CAP unlikely. Pleural effusion was the best predictor of typical bacterial infection, but too uncommon to aid etiology prediction.

Inclusion of Pediatric-Specific Indications and Procedures in the New ACR MRI Accreditation Program.

MRI equipment with its complex instrumentation and adaptable software applications is vulnerable to technical and image quality problems, and maintaining quality assurance is essential. Accreditation of MRI centers by the ACR has become a routine practice for radiology departments and imaging centers across the country. In its prior format, the ACR MRI Accreditation Program had examination anatomic modules designed primarily to measure quality and validate MR performance primarily in adult imaging practices. In an effort to more closely meet the specific imaging requirements of pediatric patients, an ad hoc MR accreditation committee was created under the ACR Commission on Pediatric Imaging. The committee, consisting of ACR members from five children's hospitals, was tasked with creating suggested revisions to the anatomic modules and helping develop pediatric-specific studies that could be adopted into the ACR MRI Accreditation Program. Updated ACR MRI accreditation anatomic modules incorporating the ad hoc committee's recommendations were released by ACR in May 2017. This article highlights the recommendations made by the ad hoc committee. The revised modules should allow pediatric imaging centers to achieve ACR MRI accreditation for all anatomic modules and will underscore best imaging practices for patients of all ages.

Safety of limited supplemental iodinated contrast administration in azotemic patients undergoing CO2 angiography.

PURPOSE: To determine if limited doses of iodinated contrast significantly worsen the underlying renal insufficiency that had warranted the use of CO(2) for diagnostic angiography. METHODS: The records of 122 consecutive patients who had undergone CO(2) angiography for peripheral vascular disease at our institution over a 5-year period were reviewed. The volume and type of iodinated contrast and the volume of CO(2) administered were recorded. Serum creatinine measurements obtained before angiography and from 2 to 3 days after angiography were recorded. RESULTS: One hundred patients had pre-angiography and post-angiography creatinine levels available for analysis (51 CO(2) only, 49 CO(2) with iodinated contrast). The average pretreatment creatinine level was 2.8+/-1.5 mg/dL (range 1.8-6.6) for the CO(2) only group and 3.0+/-1.4 mg/dL (range 1.8-8.2) for the CO(2) plus iodinated contrast group (p=0.46). After angiography, the mean change in creatinine was +0.17+/-0.87 mg/dL for the CO(2) only group and +0.03+/-0.98 mg/dL in the CO(2) plus contrast group (p=0.27). Complications included 1 patient with a failing renal transplant who received iodinated contrast and ultimately required return to hemodialysis. A second patient had a transient 1-mg/dL rise of creatinine but did not require dialysis. CONCLUSIONS: This study supports the relative safety of CO(2) angiography with the limited used of iodinated contrast supplementation for diagnostic studies or interventions in azotemic patients with peripheral vascular disease.