Intestinal tuberculosis mimicking fistulizing Crohn's disease.

A patient is reported with intestinal tuberculosis that mimicked fistulizing Crohn's disease endoscopically. He had complete resolution of symptoms after a full course of antituberculosis therapy. Gastroenterologists and general physicians should aware of the possibility of intestinal tuberculosis in areas with a high prevalence of tuberculosis infection.

Ultrasound measurement of lumbosacral spine in children.

The aim of this study was to establish normal ultrasound measurements of lumbosacral spine in children as a screening assessment of tethered cord or postoperative retethering of cord. Sonography of lumbosacral spine was performed in 108 neurologically normal children (mean age = 2.1 years) using 5- to 12-MHz linear transducer. M-mode was applied at the posterior and anterior subarachnoid spaces just below the conus medullaris and at the L(5)/S(1) dural sac to document cerebrospinal fluid pulsation of the cauda equina. The oscillation rate and amplitude were measured. Sixteen children with spinal cord anomalies (6 with low tethered cord and 10 postoperative cases of low tethered cord) were also examined. The mean posterior/anterior subarachnoid spaces of normal children were 2.6 mm/1.8 mm at the terminal dural sac. The mean oscillation amplitude and rate of the cauda equina were 0.52 mm and 121/min at the L(5)/S(1) dural sac. The oscillation amplitude at this level demonstrated a statistically significant difference between normal and abnormal groups. In conclusion, we recommend taking the fifth percentile of the normal oscillation amplitude at the L(5)/S(1) dural sac as a reference. Any oscillation amplitude of less than 0.3 mm in a symptomatic patient should alert the clinician to possible cord abnormality, cord tethering, or retethering in postoperative cases.

Massive epistaxis related to petrous carotid artery pseudoaneurysm after radiation therapy: emergency treatment with covered stent in two cases.

Two patients had acute left carotid rupture from radiation therapy-induced pseudoaneurysms, resulting in hemodynamic collapse. Because the patients were semicomatose and in shock, an immediate salvage procedure was needed. Location of the pseudoaneurysm at the skull base made surgical treatment less possible. Endovascular therapy was the treatment of choice. Preserving patency of the carotid artery was a desirable option. The successful use of a covered stent in the emergency treatment of massive epistaxis due to active bleeding from pseudoaneurysm in the petrous internal carotid artery (ICA) is described.

Diffusion-tensor imaging for the detection and quantification of treatment-induced white matter injury in children with medulloblastoma: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Treatment-induced white matter (WM) injury in medulloblastoma survivors, as manifested by deterioration of cognitive function, is prevalent. However, no reliable imaging method exists for early detection and quantification. Our goal was to determine whether anisotropy of WM is reduced in medulloblastoma survivors and whether fractional anisotropy (FA) can be used as an index for evaluation of treatment-induced WM injury. METHODS: We evaluated nine medulloblastoma survivors treated with surgery, cranial irradiation, and chemotherapy by use of diffusion-tensor (DT) imaging and compared FA findings in selected WM sites (cerebellar hemispheres, pons, medulla oblongata, frontal periventricular WM, parietal periventricular WM, and corona radiata) with those of healthy age-matched control subjects. FA maps were compared with conventional T2-weighted images. FA was also compared with age at treatment, time interval since treatment, and deterioration of school performance. The two-tailed paired t test was used to determine statistical significance (P <.05). RESULTS: Significant reduction of FA (P <.05) was seen in all anatomic sites in the patient group compared with FA in control subjects, except in the frontal periventricular WM, even in areas with normal appearance on T2-weighted images. FA reduction ranged from 12.4-19% (mean, 16.5%). Compared with control subjects, posterior fossa and supratentorial WM FA in patients were reduced by 14.6% (SD 1.9%) and 18.4% (SD 0.55%), respectively (P =.029). Reduction of supratentorial WM FA correlated with younger age at treatment (< 5 years), longer interval since treatment (> 5 years), and deterioration of school performance. CONCLUSION: DT imaging and use of the index FA is potentially useful for early detection and monitoring of treatment-induced WM injury in children with medulloblastoma.

Childhood acute disseminated encephalomyelitis: the role of brain and spinal cord MRI.

BACKGROUND: It is recognised that the clinical and radiological spectrum of childhood acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) is wide. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether initial MRI features are predictive of clinical outcome and to determine the role of MRI in the management of ADEM. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The MRI scans of ten consecutive children (eight boys, two girls), clinically and radiologically diagnosed to have ADEM, were retrospectively reviewed. Follow-up MRI was available for eight patients. RESULTS: Lesions ranged from small and punctate (<1 cm) to moderate sized and confluent (4-5 cm) to diffuse and extensive. Spinal cord lesions, seen in five of seven children, were contiguous or segmental. Seven children (70%) made good clinical recovery while three children (30%) remained severely handicapped. There was no correlation between the site, extent and pattern of involvement and clinical outcome. However, the evolution of MRI findings on follow-up correlated well with the subsequent clinical course and outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Although the extent and site of lesions on initial MRI scans are not predictive of clinical outcome, early MRI of the brain and spine is useful in aiding clinical diagnosis, and subsequent follow-up MRI is helpful in monitoring disease progression.

Transverse testicular ectopia detected by MR imaging and MR venography.

Crossed testicular ectopia is a rare anomaly, characterised by migration of one testis towards the opposite inguinal canal. In most reported cases, the correct diagnosis was not made pre-operatively. We report a case of transverse testicular ectopia diagnosed pre-operatively with MRI. MRI and MR venography demonstrated unilateral location of both testes in the right inguinal canal, which was confirmed by surgery. We provide a brief literature review of transverse testicular ectopia and the imaging of undescended testis.

[Radiological study of temporal bone in children with profound deafness before cochlear implant: CT vs magnetic resonance imaging].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical application of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and CT in children with profound deafness before cochlear implant and their impact on surgical decision. METHODS: The pre-operative CT and MRI data from 71 children with bilateral profound deafness planned for cochlear implant were studied. RESULTS: 12 patients showed enlarged vestibular aqueduct (16.9%); 14 patients had Mondini malformation (19.7%); 3 patients demonstrated enlarged internal auditory meatus (4.2%); and 2 patients were suspected to have fistulae (2.8%) on both CT and MRI examinations. In comparison between MRI and CT, unilateral cochlear fibrosis was detected in 5 patients(7%) by MRI, but none by CT scans. Bilateral dehiscent facial nerve was detected in 1 patient(1.4%) by CT scan, while MRI was normal. CONCLUSION: CT and MRI are essential for the pre-operative planning of cochlear implant, especially in patients with enlarged vestibular aqueduct, Mondini malformation, enlarged internal auditory meatus and suspected fistulae. These two imaging modalities are complementary to each other in cases with cochlear fibrosis and facial nerve dehiscence.