Pediatric radiology
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Pediatric radiology · Jan 1995
Commentary: sonography in the evaluation of children following blunt trauma: is it to be or not to be?
Over the past decade CT scanning has become generally accepted in North America as the diagnostic modality of choice for the evaluation of abdominal injury in children following blunt trauma [1-5]. Recently, there has been increasing interest in the use of sonography as the primary screening examination in this area. Initial studies utilizing sonography in the evaluation of trauma patients focused primarily on identifying hemoperitoneum in adults [6-8]. ⋯ Their work in this area should be applauded. However, whether widespread application of this modality can be successful remains uncertain. In the space below a critical evaluation of sonography and CT in the assessment of injured children is presented.
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Pediatric radiology · Jan 1995
Comparative StudyReliability of ultrasound in the early diagnosis of developmental dysplasia of the hip.
The purpose of this study was to determine inter- and intra-observer agreement in assessing hip morphology and stability by ultrasound. Three groups of infants, of 206, 74 and 78 newborns respectively, were examined. Morphology was classified into four categories (normal, immature, minor dysplastic and major dysplastic) according to subjective assessment, objective measurement (of the acetabular inclination angle alpha) or a combination of the two. ⋯ The authors concluded that a high degree of inter- and intra-observer agreement in classifying hip morphology may be obtained for the reading of recorded ultrasound scans. Inter- and intra-observer agreement in producing the scans is poorer than for reading. To obtain a high degree of inter-observer agreement in assessing hip morphology and stability in the newborn, substantial training, attention to details in the technique, and evaluation of results are necessary.
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Pediatric radiology · Jan 1995
Case ReportsPartially reduced intussusception: when are repeated delayed reduction attempts appropriate?
The imaging techniques for diagnosis and monitoring of reduction of intussusception by fluoroscopy and ultrasound continue to evolve. The common goal of all protocols is to reduce the intussusception by enema in as many patients as possible and avoid laparotomy with its potential morbidity. We report two infants in whom the initial attempt at reduction by air enema only achieved partial reduction, from the descending colon to the transverse colon in one, and from the splenic flexure to the caecum in the other. ⋯ In infants with partially reduced intussusception we suggest that if the patient becomes asymptomatic and stable, surgery can be safely delayed to permit further attempts at enema reduction. Sonography has a valuable role in determining the persistence of the intussusception prior to repeat enema. Close cooperation with the surgeon and careful clinical monitoring of the patient are essential requirements for this proposal.
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Pediatric radiology · Jan 1995
Blunt hepatic and splenic trauma in children: correlation of a CT injury severity scale with clinical outcome.
The purpose of this report is to compare a computed tomography (CT) injury severity scale for hepatic and splenic injury with the following outcome measures: requirement for surgical hemostasis, requirement for blood transfusion and late complications. Sixty-nine children with isolated hepatic injury and 53 with isolated splenic injury were prospectively classified at CT according to extent of parenchymal involvement. Clinical records were reviewed to determine clinical outcome. ⋯ The severity of injury by CT scan did not correlate with need for surgery. Increasing grade of hepatic injury at CT was associated with increasing frequency of blood transfusion. CT staging was not discriminatory in predicting transfusion requirement in splenic injury.
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Pediatric radiology · Jan 1995
Percutaneous translumbar central venous catheter in infants and small children.
Vascular occlusion is a common clinical problem in children dependent on prolonged vascular access. As an alternative to conventional central venous catheter placement we report our experience of four children receiving translumbar inferior vena cava catheter on 12 different occasions. ⋯ The median catheter patency was 4.8 months (range 1-10 months). The translumbar route for central venous access is safe and reliable and should be considered when prolonged use is anticipated in infants and small children.