Understanding Subdural Collections in Pediatric Abusive Head Trauma.

Life-threatening physical abuse of infants and toddlers is frequently correlated with head injuries. A common variant of the abusive head trauma is the shaken baby syndrome. The present review article sheds light on subdural collections in children with abusive head trauma and aims at providing a recent knowledge base for various medical disciplines involved in diagnostic procedures and legal proceedings. To this end, the different subdural collection entities are presented and illustrated. The pathophysiologic background is explained. Differential and age-diagnostic aspects are discussed and summarized by tabular and graphic overviews. Two problematic constellations frequently occurring during initial CT investigations are evaluated: A mixed-density subdural collection does not prove repeated trauma, and hypodense subdural collections are not synonymous with chronicity. The neuroradiologic analysis and assessment of subdural collections may decisively contribute to answering differential diagnostic and forensic questions. In addition to more reference data, a harmonization of terminology and methodology is urgently needed, especially with respect to age-diagnostic aspects.

Diagnostic value of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) for the assessment of the small bowel in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

AIM: To evaluate diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) compared to standard magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI) in the assessment of inflammatory lesions of the small bowel. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two readers retrospectively analysed MRI images of the small bowel including DWI followed by capsule endoscopy (CE) and ileocolonoscopy (ICS) in 30 consecutive patients with a suspected or established diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease. Small bowel CE and the combination of CE + ICS were used as the standards of reference. Inflammatory lesions of the small bowel detected at endoscopy were compared with the findings of (1) sMRI alone (MRI without DWI), (2) DWI alone, and (3) sMRI in combination with DWI (sMRI + DWI). The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were calculated for all three readouts. The results of the three readouts were compared with each other. RESULTS: Using CE + ICS as the standard of reference, the mean sensitivity and specificity for the detection of inflammatory lesions of the small bowel at sMRI were 55.2% and 99.5%, at DWI 60% and 99%, and at sMRI + DWI 70% and 99%. Interobserver agreement between the two readers was very good (k=0.87-0.95). Two lesions in different patients were only detected at DWI. CONCLUSION: DWI of the small bowel not only allowed for the detection of inflammatory lesions with high accuracy, but also enabled the identification of additional lesions that were not found using sMRI alone.

Quantitative assessment of small bowel motility in patients with Crohn's disease using dynamic MRI.

BACKGROUND: Assessment of motility alterations by functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contributes to improved evaluation of inflammatory bowel disease. The aim of the study was to quantify motility in inflammatory bowel segments and to compare motility alterations with MR-based parameters for activity of inflammation in Crohn's disease (CD). METHODS: Thirty consecutive patients with CD underwent bowel MRI which included a dynamic sequence for automatic generation of parametric maps facilitating quantification of bowel motility. Mean motility score (MMS) of small bowel segments with signs of inflammation was measured and compared with MMS of the whole gastrointestinal tract (GI tract). MRI-based score of inflammatory activity and lesion length were correlated with the MMS ratio of inflammatory small bowel lesion and whole GI tract. KEY RESULTS: Inflammatory bowel segments showed a mean value of MMSs of 1080, whereas the whole GI tract showed a mean value of MMSs of 2839 (p < 0.0001). Decrease in motility ranged between 20 and 87% in inflammatory bowel segments compared to the MMS of the whole GI tract. The MMS ratio of an inflammatory small bowel segment and whole GI tract showed negative correlation with MR activity score (r = -0.5921, p = 0.0003) and length of the lesion (r = -0.3495, p = 0.0462). CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES: Quantitative assessment of motility alterations by means of motility scoring in small bowel segments affected by CD provides additional information on inflammatory activity.

Magnetic resonance imaging of the bowel: today and tomorrow.

Magnetic resonance imaging of the small bowel has been feasible for more than 15 years. This review is meant to give an overview of typical techniques, sequences and indications. Furthermore, newly evaluated promising techniques are presented, which have an impact on the advance of MR imaging of the small and large bowel.

Subdural hygromas in abusive head trauma: pathogenesis, diagnosis, and forensic implications.

Are subdural hygromas the result of abusive head trauma? CT and MR imaging represent important tools for the diagnosis of abusive head trauma in living infants. In addition, in-depth understanding of the pathogenesis of subdural hygromas is increasingly required by neuroradiologists, pediatricians, and forensic physicians. Therefore, the current knowledge on subdural hygromas is summarized and forensic conclusions are drawn. The most important diagnostic pitfalls, benign enlargement of the subarachnoid space, and chronic subdural hematoma, are discussed in detail. Illustrative cases from forensic practice are presented. Literature analysis indicates that subdural hygromas can occur immediately or be delayed. If other infrequent reasons can be excluded, the presence of subdural hygromas strongly suggests a posttraumatic state and should prompt the physician to search for other signs of abuse. To differentiate subdural hygromas from other pathologies, additional MR imaging of the infant's head is indispensable after initial CT scan.

3D Rotational Angiography After Non-Traumatic SAH.

PURPOSE: In about 15 % of patients with SAH no causative vascular lesions can be found in acute imaging with CTA and DSA. Usually, repeat DSA is mandatory and bears the usual risk of invasive angiography. The present study attempts to assess the diagnostic impact of 3 D rotational angiography in order to avoid repeat DSA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 2004 to December 2012, 649 patients with an acute non-traumatic SAH were examined. 91 patients with negative initial imaging diagnostics concerning the bleeding source were included in this study. These patients underwent a second angiography scan: 61 in 4-plane technique, and 30 with 2-plane technique and additional 3 D DSA. Two cohorts were compared: patients with repeat angiography in conventional 4-plane technique from 2004 to July 2008 and 2-plane technique with additional 3 D rotational DSA from 2008 to 2012. Statistical significance was verified by means of Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: In the second DSA scan, 4 aneurysms in 4 patients (4/91; 4.4 %) were found and treated subsequently. Within the first 4.5 years of this study, 401 patients with SAH were treated and 61 of them underwent repeat angiography (15.2 %) compared to 30 of 248 patients (12.1 %) in the last 4.5 years of this study. In the first group we found 3 aneurysms during repeat angiography, and in the second group we found 1. No significance was reached (p = 0.29) but there was a tendency towards higher diagnostic security using 3D-DSA. CONCLUSION: Using 3 D rotational DSA in initial imaging workup might help to reduce false-negative results concerning the bleeding source of acute SAH. At least because of this fact, 3 D rotational DSA should be part of the diagnostic workup after acute SAH.

Silent embolism after stent-assisted coiling of cerebral aneurysms: diffusion-weighted MRI study of 75 cases.

PURPOSE: New ischemic brain lesions are common findings after cerebral diagnostic angiography and endovascular therapy. Diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI) can be used for detection of these lesions. The aim of the present study was to investigate the incidence of DWI lesions after stent-assisted coiling and the evaluation of possible risk factors. METHODS: The study included a total of 75 consecutive patients treated with stent-assisted coiling. Post-procedural DWI of the brain was performed to detect ischemic lesions. Demographic data, aneurysm characteristics and angiographic parameters were correlated with properties of DWI lesions. RESULTS: In post-procedural DWI, 48 of the 75 patients (64%) had 163 DWI lesions in a pattern consistent with embolic events. The number of patients with DWI lesions was significantly increased in older patients (≥55 years) and longer intervention times (≥120 min). The ischemic brain volume was significantly increased in older patients (≥55 years) as well as in patients who were implanted with a shorter stent (<20 mm). CONCLUSIONS: Thromboembolic events are common after stent-assisted coiling with an incidence comparable to DWI studies after coiling alone. Despite several devices and low operator experience, stent-assisted coiling for intracranial aneurysms has a very low risk of permanent neurologic disability. Further studies are necessary to improve the safety of stent-assisted coiling for patients in conditions with increased risk potential (age, procedure time, stent length).