Uveal melanoma incidentally diagnosed with neuroimaging, a case series of 3 patients.

Uveal melanoma is the most common primary intraocular malignancy and can occur in the choroid, the ciliary body, or the iris. It is most often diagnosed based on clinical examination by an ophthalmologist. Nearly all patients present with visual symptoms. Characteristic findings on clinical examination include pigmented or pale choroidal masses with serous retinal detachments and acoustic hollowness seen with ocular ultrasonography. CT and MRI of the orbits are not traditionally utilized for the diagnosis of uveal melanoma. We present 3 cases in which uveal melanoma was an incidental finding on neuroimaging for unrelated conditions in asymptomatic patients. Radiologists should maintain a high suspicion for uveal melanoma when an intraocular mass of greater than 2 mm in thickness is seen on CT or MRI.

Evaluation of previously embolized intracranial aneurysms: inter-and intra-rater reliability among neurosurgeons and interventional neuroradiologists.

BACKGROUND: The angiographic evaluation of previously coiled aneurysms can be difficult yet remains critical for determining re-treatment. OBJECTIVE: The main objective of this study was to determine the inter-rater reliability for both the Raymond Scale and per cent embolization among a group of neurointerventionalists evaluating previously embolized aneurysms. METHODS: A panel of 15 neurointerventionalists examined 92 distinct cases of immediate post-coil embolization and 1 year post-embolization angiographs. Each case was presented four times throughout the study, along with alterations in demographics in order to evaluate intra-rater reliability. All respondents were asked to provide the per cent embolization (0-100%) and Raymond Scale grade (1-3) for each aneurysm. Inter-rater reliability was evaluated by computing weighted kappa values (for the Raymond Scale) and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) for per cent embolization. RESULTS: 10 neurosurgeons and 5 interventional neuroradiologists evaluated 368 simulated cases. The agreement among all readers employing the Raymond Scale was fair (κ=0.35) while concordance in per cent embolization was good (ICC=0.64). Clinicians with fewer than 10 years of experience demonstrated a significantly greater level of agreement than the group with greater than 10 years (κ=0.39 and ICC=0.70 vs κ=0.28 and ICC=0.58). When the same aneurysm was presented multiple times, clinicians demonstrated excellent consistency when assessing per cent embolization (ICC=0.82), but moderate agreement when employing the Raymond classification (κ=0.58). CONCLUSIONS: Identifying the per cent embolization in previously coiled aneurysms resulted in good inter- and intra-rater agreement, regardless of years of experience. The strong agreement among providers employing per cent embolization may make it a valuable tool for embolization assessment in this patient population.

Pediatric isolated thoracic and/or lumbar transverse and spinous process fractures.

OBJECTIVE Isolated transverse and spinous process fractures (TPFx and SPFx) in the thoracic and/or lumbar region have been deemed clinically insignificant in the adult population. This same rule is often applied to the pediatric population; however, little evidence exists in this younger group. The goal of this study was to describe the clinical, radiographic, and long-term data on isolated TPFx and SPFx in an exclusively pediatric population. METHODS A retrospective chart review at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt University identified 82 pediatric patients with isolated TPFx and/or SPFx following a traumatic event between January 2000 and December 2013. Patient demographic information, presenting symptoms, radiographic characteristics, and follow-up data were collected. Follow-up was used to determine the outcome (presence of neurological deficits) of such injuries via complete physical examination and, when available, radiographic evidence. RESULTS In the 82 identified patients, the mean age was 15.5 ± 3.1 years (mean is expressed ± SD throughout), with 72 injuries (87.8%) resulting from a motor vehicle, motorcycle, or all-terrain vehicle accident. There was a mean of 1.7 ± 1.0 fractured vertebral levels involved and a mean of 1.8 ± 1.1 fractures was identified per patient. Seventy-one patients (86.6%) needed bedside pain control, 7 (8.5%) were prescribed a brace, and 4 patients (4.9%) received a collar. Physical therapy was recommended for 12 patients (14.6%). A total of 84.1% had follow-up, and the mean length of follow-up was 19 ± 37 months. No patients had true neurological deficits at presentation or follow-up as a result of their isolated fractures, whereas 95.1% had other associated system injuries. CONCLUSIONS These data shows that there is no appreciable long-term complication associated with isolated thoracic and/or lumbar TPFx and/or SPFx in an exclusively pediatric population. Because these fractures are, however, associated with high-energy blunt trauma, they often result in associated soft-tissue or other skeletal injury. All pediatric patients in the cohort benefited from conservative management and aggressive treatment of their comorbidities.