Correction to: A consensus response on the complete picture: reply to Lynøe and Eriksson.

The original version on this paper contained an error. The COI statement is incorrectly presented.

Consensus statement on abusive head trauma in infants and young children.

Abusive head trauma (AHT) is the leading cause of fatal head injuries in children younger than 2 years. A multidisciplinary team bases this diagnosis on history, physical examination, imaging and laboratory findings. Because the etiology of the injury is multifactorial (shaking, shaking and impact, impact, etc.) the current best and inclusive term is AHT. There is no controversy concerning the medical validity of the existence of AHT, with multiple components including subdural hematoma, intracranial and spinal changes, complex retinal hemorrhages, and rib and other fractures that are inconsistent with the provided mechanism of trauma. The workup must exclude medical diseases that can mimic AHT. However, the courtroom has become a forum for speculative theories that cannot be reconciled with generally accepted medical literature. There is no reliable medical evidence that the following processes are causative in the constellation of injuries of AHT: cerebral sinovenous thrombosis, hypoxic-ischemic injury, lumbar puncture or dysphagic choking/vomiting. There is no substantiation, at a time remote from birth, that an asymptomatic birth-related subdural hemorrhage can result in rebleeding and sudden collapse. Further, a diagnosis of AHT is a medical conclusion, not a legal determination of the intent of the perpetrator or a diagnosis of murder. We hope that this consensus document reduces confusion by recommending to judges and jurors the tools necessary to distinguish genuine evidence-based opinions of the relevant medical community from legal arguments or etiological speculations that are unwarranted by the clinical findings, medical evidence and evidence-based literature.

Macrocephaly in infancy: benign enlargement of the subarachnoid spaces and subdural collections.

OBJECTIVE Benign enlargement of the subarachnoid spaces (BESS) is a common finding on imaging studies indicated by macrocephaly in infancy. This finding has been associated with the presence of subdural fluid collections that are sometimes construed as suggestive of abusive head injury. The prevalence of BESS among infants with macrocephaly and the prevalence of subdural collections among infants with BESS are both poorly defined. The goal of this study was to determine the relative frequencies of BESS, hydrocephalus, and subdural collections in a large consecutive series of imaging studies performed for macrocephaly and to determine the prevalence of subdural fluid collections among patients with BESS. METHODS A text search of radiology requisitions identified studies performed for macrocephaly in patients ≤ 2 years of age. Studies of patients with hydrocephalus or acute trauma were excluded. Studies that demonstrated hydrocephalus or chronic subdural hematoma not previously recognized but responsible for macrocephaly were noted but not investigated further. The remaining studies were reviewed for the presence of incidental subdural collections and for measurement of the depth of the subarachnoid space. A 3-point scale was used to grade BESS: Grade 0, < 5 mm; Grade 1, 5-9 mm; and Grade 2, ≥ 10 mm. RESULTS After exclusions, there were 538 studies, including 7 cases of hydrocephalus (1.3%) and 1 large, bilateral chronic subdural hematoma (0.2%). There were incidental subdural collections in 21 cases (3.9%). Two hundred sixty-five studies (49.2%) exhibited Grade 1 BESS, and 46 studies (8.6%) exhibited Grade 2 BESS. The prevalence of incidental subdural collections among studies with BESS was 18 of 311 (5.8%). The presence of BESS was associated with a greater prevalence of subdural collections, and higher grades of BESS were associated with increasing prevalence of subdural collections. After controlling for imaging modality, the odds ratio of the association of BESS with subdural collections was 3.68 (95% CI 1.12-12.1, p = 0.0115). There was no association of race, sex, or insurance status with subdural collections. Patients with BESS had larger head circumference Z-scores, but there was no association of head circumference or age with subdural collections. Interrater reliability in the diagnosis and grading of BESS was only fair. CONCLUSIONS The current study confirms the association of BESS with incidental subdural collections and suggests that greater depth of the subarachnoid space is associated with increased prevalence of such collections. These observations support the theory that infants with BESS have a predisposition to subdural collections on an anatomical basis. Incidental subdural collections in the setting of BESS are not necessarily indicative of abusive head injury.

Intracranial venous drainage through spinal veins.

There is extensive collateral networking at the craniocervical junction with a substantial anatomical and functional continuity between the veins, venous sinuses, and venous plexuses of the brain and spine. The predominant pathway for intracranial blood outflow may depend on the level and degree of obstruction. We are presenting an unusual case of predominant egress of intracranial blood through enlarged spinal canal venous collaterals due to thrombosis of the intracranial venous sinuses. Awareness of this unique pattern of venous drainage of the cranium is important and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of spinal arteriovenous malformation (AVM) or arteriovenous fistula (AVF). Magnetic Resonance Venography (MRV) of the brain should be considered to exclude intracranial thrombosis in these cases.

Prevalence of persistent falcine sinus as an incidental finding in the pediatric population.

OBJECTIVE: Persistence of the embryologic falcine sinus can be a congenital or acquired phenomenon related to a defect of the straight sinus. Previous studies have stated that it is rare for the falcine sinus to persist without an additional abnormality of the brain such as a vein of Galen malformation or venous sinus thrombosis. The purpose of this article is to show that persistent falcine sinus is not an uncommon isolated finding in the pediatric population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of pediatric brain MRIs to identify patients with a persistent falcine sinus and subsequently recorded whether there were findings in addition to the straight sinus defect. RESULTS: Thirty-one patients were identified as having a persistent falcine sinus, five of whom had no other congenital or acquired abnormality of the brain other than a defect in the straight sinus. CONCLUSION: Our data support the hypothesis that persistent falcine sinus is not an uncommon isolated finding in the pediatric population.

Radiological features of azygous vein aneurysm.

Mediastinal masses are most commonly associated with malignancy. Azygous vein aneurysm is a very rare differential diagnosis of mediastinal mass. We report here three cases of azygous vein aneurysm including children and adult patients. In the pediatric patient it was further complicated by thrombosis and secondary pulmonary embolism. We describe the radiological features on CXR, MRI, CT, PET-CT, US and angiogram and their differential diagnosis. Imaging findings of continuity with azygous vein, layering of contrast medium on enhanced CT and dynamic MRA showing filling of the mass at the same time as the azygous vein without prior enhancement will be strongly suggestive of azygous vein aneurysm with transtracheal ultrasound being the definitive test in these patients. It is important to keep a vascular origin mass in the differential diagnosis of mediastinal masses. Also, in young healthy patients with pulmonary embolism, a vascular etiology such as azygous vein aneurysm should be carefully evaluated. This article will help the clinicians to learn about the imaging features of azygous vein aneurysm on different imaging modalities.

Radiological features of horizontal gaze palsy with progressive scoliosis. An 'Aunt Minnie' diagnosis?

Horizontal gaze palsy with progressive scoliosis (HGPPS) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by congenital absence of normal horizontal eye movements and progressive scoliosis through childhood and adolescence. The characteristic radiological features in HGPPS are butterfly configuration of the medulla, split pons sign, selective volume loss of dorsomedial brainstem, relatively spared cerebellum, relatively prominent inferior olivary nucleus and absent posterior prominence of the facial colliculi and gracilis and cuneate nuclei. These radiological features are reflective of ROBO3 gene mutation required for hindbrain axon midline crossing. Awareness of this diagnosis is important as the radiological features are characteristic enough to be considered as a rare 'Aunt Minnie' and a radiologist may be the first one to raise the possibility of this diagnosis as in this case.

Blount disease in a case of Prader-Willi syndrome: why is it not as prevalent as in obesity without Prader-Willi syndrome?

BACKGROUND: Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a genetic disorder causing multisystem abnormalities with obesity. Obesity is a well established cause of Blount disease. METHODS: A 7-year-old girl with PWS presented with genu varum of the left knee with deformity of the proximal medial tibial condyle, which was consistent with Blount disease. RESULTS: A lateral physeal stapling and subsequent osteotomy for the left proximal tibia and fibula were performed with improved anatomical alignment. CONCLUSION: Blount disease has not been reported in the literature in association with PWS despite excessive obesity.

Spinal subdural hemorrhage in abusive head trauma: a retrospective study.

PURPOSE: To compare the relative incidence, distribution, and radiologic characteristics of spinal subdural hemorrhage after abusive head trauma versus that after accidental trauma in children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study received prior approval from the Human Subjects Protection Office. Informed consent was waived. This study was HIPAA compliant. Two hundred fifty-two children aged 0-2 years treated for abusive head trauma at our institute between 1997 and 2009 were identified through retrospective chart review. A second group of 70 children aged 0-2 years treated at our institute for well-documented accidental trauma between 2003 and 2010 were also identified through retrospective chart review. All clinical data and cross-sectional imaging results, including computed tomographic and magnetic resonance imaging of the brain, spine, chest, abdomen, and pelvis, were reviewed for both of these groups. A Fisher exact test was performed to assess the statistical significance of the proportion of the spinal canal subdural hemorrhage in abusive head trauma versus that in accidental trauma. RESULTS: In the abusive head trauma cohort, 67 (26.5%) of 252 children had evaluable spinal imaging results. Of these, 38 (56%) of 67 children had undergone thoracolumbar imaging, and 24 (63%) of 38 had thoracolumbar subdural hemorrhage. Spinal imaging was performed in this cohort 0.3-141 hours after injury (mean, 23 hours ± 27 [standard deviation]), with 65 (97%) of 67 cases having undergone imaging within 52 hours of injury. In the second cohort with accidental injury, only one (1%) of 70 children had spinal subdural hemorrhage at presentation; this patient had displaced occipital fracture. The comparison of incidences of spinal subdural hemorrhage in abusive head trauma versus those in accidental trauma was statistically significant (P < .001). CONCLUSION: Spinal canal subdural hemorrhage was present in more than 60% of children with abusive head trauma who underwent thoracolumbar imaging in this series but was rare in those with accidental trauma.

Accuracy of apparent diffusion coefficient value measurement on PACS workstation: A comparative analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this article is to evaluate the accuracy of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) measurements made with a PACS workstation compared with measurements made with a dedicated workstation, which is currently considered the reference standard. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review was performed in liver lesions from 79 patients using three MRI platforms. The final diagnosis was established by liver biopsy in 31 patients and by dynamic MRI and follow-up, both clinical and radiologic as indicated, in 48 patients. Each lesion that was clearly demonstrable on the ADC map was measured with a commercial dedicated postprocessing workstation and again with a PACS system. A two-sample t test was used to determine the statistically significant differences between the two ADC measurements. RESULTS: A total of 79 patients with 120 liver lesions were included. ADC values measured on the workstation were 0.4-4.38 × 10(-3) mm(2)/s. The ADC values measured on the PACS were 0.42-4.35 × 10(-3) mm(2)/s. The T value was -1.113, with 119 degrees of freedom, and the significance level was 0.268, which implies no significant difference between the two different measuring systems for all pathologic abnormalities and MRI scanners used. CONCLUSION: ADC values measured on a routine PACS workstation are as accurate as the values obtained on a dedicated specialized workstation. ADC value measurement on the routine PACS will save time and lead to increased utilization, which, in turn, will lead to an improved understanding of the different disease processes and their clinical management.

Imaging findings in spinal subarachnoid hemorrhage in patient with hemophilia A: an unusual cause for back pain.

Back pain and presentation with spinal canal hemorrhage in hemophilia is not common; however, these are significant clinical issues and may lead to significant neurological issues and morbidity. We present an interesting case of severe back pain in a young patient with moderate hemophilia A. Imaging confirmed subarachnoid hemorrhage in the spinal canal without intracranial hemorrhage. To the best of our knowledge this is the first described case report of subarachnoid hemorrhage in hemophilia A in the English literature. We also describe the anatomy and imaging features of hemorrhage in the different spinal canal compartments, including the subarachnoid space. Spinal canal hemorrhage in hemophilia is an emergency and serious condition and must be diagnosed and treated promptly. It is important to be aware of the diagnostic features of the spinal canal hemorrhage and carefully assess the spinal canal in hemophiliacs on cross-sectional studies.

Occipital sutures and its variations: the value of 3D-CT and how to differentiate it from fractures using 3D-CT?

The anatomy and embryology of occipital bone are complex and may present with a varied ossification pattern and masquerade as fractures. There are only a few articles in the literature and none on CT appearance of occiput ossification and sutures. Awareness of the normal and variant anatomy, appearance and position along with age of fusion of sutures will be helpful in confidently differentiating variant suture from fracture. This will be particularly important in children in the field of non-accidental injury with its attendant medicolegal complications. We describe the normal anatomy, embryology, normal and variant sutures of occipital bone as published in the literature so far and present a pictorial review of 15 cases of variant sutures. With CT as the primary modality in assessing for head injury now, it is important to know the CT features of these sutures, their appearance, position and variants and be able to utilize 3D-CT to be able to give a more definitive diagnosis.

Precalcaneal congenital soft-tissue lesions in children: A case report of fibrous hamartoma of infancy and an approach to differential diagnosis.

Precalcaneal soft-tissue lesions are uncommon in the pediatric population and can present a diagnostic challenge. Fibrous hamartoma of infancy (FHI) is relatively rare in this location. We report an interesting case of FHI in a 3-years-and-10-months-old boy in the precalcaneal location that was present since birth. We describe the imaging findings of FHI on X-ray, ultrasound, and MRI and discuss the differential diagnoses. It is important to consider FHI during differential diagnosis and be aware of the imaging features of other common possible diagnoses in the precalcaneal region for appropriate management.

Tethered cord, corpus callosum abnormalities, and periventricular cysts in Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome. Report of two cases and review of the literature.

Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (4p-) is a rare disorder with characteristic physical findings. Neuroimaging findings are relatively scarce. We performed a literature search and found 22 reports of neuroimaging findings. We present findings in our two cases, each with the previously unreported finding of a tethered cord. The most common abnormalities were of the corpus callosum, occurring in 71% of all cases. There appears to be a high association in the syndrome between corpus callosal abnormalities and periventricular cysts formation in the first year of life. These cysts eventually fuse with the frontal horns during late infancy with enlargement of the frontal horns. Absence of other causes for periventricular cyst formation, such as perinatal distress, prematurity, or cytomegalovirus infection, appears to strengthen the association. With further studies, neuroimaging findings may eventually assist in the diagnosis of patients with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome.