Objective
A child presenting with a first attack of migraine with aura usually undergoes magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to rule out stroke. The purpose of this study was to report vascular and ...brain perfusion findings in children suffering from migraine with aura on time-of-flight MR angiography (TOF-MRA) and MR perfusion imaging using arterial spin labelling (ASL).
Methods
We retrospectively included all children who had undergone an emergency MRI examination with ASL and TOF-MRA sequences for acute neurological deficit and were given a final diagnosis of migraine with aura. The ASL perfusion maps and TOF-MRA images were independently assessed by reviewers blinded to clinical data. A mean cerebral blood flow (CBF) value was obtained for each cerebral lobe after automatic data post-processing.
Results
Seventeen children were finally included. Hypoperfusion was identified in one or more cerebral lobes on ASL perfusion maps by visual assessment in 16/17 (94%) children. Vasospasm was noted within the intracranial vasculature on the TOF-MRA images in 12/17 (71%) children. All (100%) of the abnormal TOF-MRA images were associated with homolateral hypoperfusion. Mean CBF values were significantly lower (P < 0.05) in visually hypoperfused lobes than in normally perfused lobes.
Conclusion
ASL and TOF-MRA are two totally non-invasive, easy-to-use MRI sequences for children in emergency settings. Hypoperfusion associated with homolateral vasospasm may suggest a diagnosis of migraine with aura.
Atypical functional lateralization and specialization for language have been proposed to account for developmental language disorders, yet results from functional neuroimaging studies are sparse and ...inconsistent. This functional magnetic resonance imaging study compared children with a specific subtype of specific language impairment affecting structural language (n = 21), to a matched group of typically developing children using a panel of four language tasks neither requiring reading nor metalinguistic skills, including two auditory lexico-semantic tasks (category fluency and responsive naming) and two visual phonological tasks based on picture naming. Data processing involved normalizing the data with respect to a matched pairs paediatric template, groups and between-groups analysis, and laterality indices assessment within regions of interest using single and combined task analysis. Children with specific language impairment exhibited a significant lack of left lateralization in all core language regions (inferior frontal gyrus-opercularis, inferior frontal gyrus-triangularis, supramarginal gyrus and superior temporal gyrus), across single or combined task analysis, but no difference of lateralization for the rest of the brain. Between-group comparisons revealed a left hypoactivation of Wernicke's area at the posterior superior temporal/supramarginal junction during the responsive naming task, and a right hyperactivation encompassing the anterior insula with adjacent inferior frontal gyrus and the head of the caudate nucleus during the first phonological task. This study thus provides evidence that this subtype of specific language impairment is associated with atypical lateralization and functioning of core language areas.
Highlights • Cranial US shows high accuracy in the diagnosis of craniosynostosis • US may be the first-choice imaging in infants with skull deformity • US is efficient in diagnose a partial or ...complete suture closure • 3D-CT may be secondary performed at the appropriate time before surgery
Background
Reversible lesions of the corpus callosum with initial restricted diffusion on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) are rare and mainly described in the south Asiatic population.
Objective
The ...purpose of this study was to describe the clinical presentation, imaging findings, prognosis and etiology of transient restricted diffusion lesions of the corpus callosum in a series of Caucasian children.
Materials and methods
Seven children presenting with a transient restricted DWI lesion of the corpus callosum were included. Their clinical presentations and paraclinical examinations were investigated in addition to their MRI findings during the acute phase and at follow-up.
Results
Five patients initially presenting with prodromal flu-like symptoms were diagnosed with mild encephalopathy with reversible corpus callosum lesions, three of which were due to the influenza virus. For two patients (twins) with a stroke-like presentation and without febrile illness, a central nervous system manifestation of X-linked Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease with connexin 32 mutation was diagnosed. All patients had a good clinical prognosis without clinical sequelae or residual MRI lesion for all patients at follow-up.
Conclusion
A transient lesion of the corpus callosum with restricted diffusion should prompt the radiologist to suggest an infectious trigger in children. The prognosis of these patients was good with normalization of clinical symptoms and MRI without any specific treatment.
ATP7A-related copper transport disorders are classically separated in three pathologies according to their severity, all inherited in an X-linked recessive manner: Menkes disease (MD, OMIM #309400) ...which represent more than 90% of cases; occipital Horn Syndrome (OHS, OMIM #304150) and ATP7A-related distal motor neuropathy also named X-linked distal spinal muscular atrophy-3 (SMAX3, OMIM #300489) (Kennerson et al., 2010). Although there is no clear cut correlation between Cu and ceruloplasmin levels in ATP7A related disorders, these three entities probably represent a continuum partly depending on residual functional ATP7A protein (Møller, 2015). Thus far OHS and SMAX3 only partially overlap. In fact patients with OHS usually have no distal motor neuropathy signs but, on the other hand, occipital horns, which are the main sign of OHS, have not been described in SMAX3 patient. We describe here a patient bearing a missense ATP7A mutation with associated signs of distal motor neuropathy as well as occipital horns, confirming that OHS and SMAX3 are a continuum.
ABSTRACT
Objective
This study was undertaken to describe the spectrum of lung computed‐tomography (CT) findings in children with pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis (PLCH) and to evaluate for ...this population the CT‐scan nodule and cyst scores proposed by adult pulmonologists at diagnosis and during follow‐up.
Methods
Among 175 children with PLCH identified in the French national population‐based Langerhans cell histiocytosis cohort, 60 were retrospectively selected by the availability of CT for a central review by three pediatric radiologists. These 60 patients are representative of childhood PLCH for almost all clinical aspects, except a lower percentage of risk organ involvement (38% vs 54%; P = 0.05).
Results
The 60 children's chest CT scans (n = 218) were reviewed. At diagnosis, 63% of them had nodules, 53% had cysts, and 29% had both. The percentages of patients with nodules or cysts increased from diagnosis to peak disease activity, respectively, from 63% to 73% and from 53% to 66%. The costophrenic angle was involved in 71%. Patients with pneumothorax (25%) had a higher median cyst score. Alveolar consolidation was observed in 34%. Patients with low CT‐scan nodule and cyst scores had no long‐term pulmonary sequelae.
Conclusions
Well‐known characteristics of adult PLCH (nodules and cysts) were observed in children. The chest CT scores proposed by adult pulmonologists could easily be applied to childhood PLCH. Lesions in children, unlike those in adults, are frequently located near the costophrenic angles. Alveolar consolidation might be considered an atypical feature of childhood PLCH.
Background
There is no consensus on the optimum timing of MRI in neonates with hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy treated with hypothermia. Reliable early imaging assessment might help managing ...treatment.
Objective
To assess non-random differences between early and late MRI that might influence intensive-care decisions.
Materials and methods
This single-center retrospective study included all asphyxiated term neonates eligible for hypothermia treatment November 2009–July 2012. MRI scans were systematically performed at day 4 (early MRI) and day 11 of life as part of routine protocol. Two experienced pediatric radiologists reviewed both scans according to three assessment methods: a pattern classification, a scoring system and a simplified classification. Agreement between early and late imaging findings was assessed using Cohen’s kappa coefficients.
Results
Thirty-three neonates were included. Interobserver agreement was excellent. Early MRI detected all severe injuries. Agreement between early and late MRI was excellent for the simplified classification (κ = 0.82), good for the pattern classification (κ = 0.64), and good to excellent for 3 scores out of 4 in the scoring system (κ = 0.70–0.89).
Conclusion
Early MRI may provide valuable information about brain injury to help parents and neonatologists in intensive-care decisions at the end of hypothermia treatment.
At birth, clinical classifications are the only available tools for evaluating the severity of congenital clubfoot. Ultrasound provides an assessment of the anatomical abnormalities. The objective of ...this study was to assess correlations between physical and ultrasound findings at birth.
Physical and ultrasonography provide different findings in congenital clubfoot and should therefore be used in conjunction.
One hundred and forty-five clubfeet in 108 patients born between 2006 and 2010 were included in a retrospective study. Clubfoot severity was classified using two methods, the modified Dimeglio classification based on physical findings and an ultrasound score based on the talo-navicular angle (TNA) and metaphyso-talo-calcaneal angle (MTCA). Each of these two methods distinguished three severity grades. Agreement between the two methods was assessed by computing the ▪ coefficient.
The results confirmed the hypothesis by showing low agreement between the clinical and ultrasound classifications. The severity grades were identical with the two methods for only 83/145 (57%) feet. The ▪ coefficient was 0.086.
The two ultrasound views used to measure the TNA and MTCA, respectively, added an assessment of the three main deformities that characterise congenital clubfoot (equinus, adduction of the forefoot, and adduction of the calcaneo-pedal unit). Ultrasonography complements the physical examination at birth. In the future, using both physical examination and ultrasound scanning to monitor babies with clubfoot may allow early treatment adjustments aimed at optimising the outcome.
IV, retrospective observational study.
What's already known about this topic?
Osteopathia striata with cranial sclerosis (OSCS) is an X‐linked dominant disorder combining hyperostosis of the skull and metaphyseal striations in females and ...a more severe phenotype in males with fetal malformations and risk of death in early childhood.
What does this study add?
This case emphasizes that OSCS must be considered in fetuses with abnormalities such as macrocephaly, bony sclerosis and fibular hypoplasia, particularly if the mother is macrocephalic.
Background
Localized hypertrophic neuropathy (LHN) of the sciatic nerve in children is a rare condition characterized by a painless neurological deficit in the sciatic nerve territory.
Objective
To ...demonstrate the role of MRI using a specific protocol and describe the primary findings in LHN.
Materials and methods
Imaging in four children (age 2 years to 12 years) is presented. All children presented with lower limb asymmetry. Three had a steppage gait. LHN was confirmed by electrophysiological studies and by MRI of the whole sciatic nerve with a dedicated protocol covering the lumbar spine and the lower limb.
Results
There were four direct MRI findings: (1) linear and focal hypertrophy with progressive enlargement of a peripheral nerve or plexus diameter, (2) abnormal hyperintensity of the nerve on T2-weighted images, (3) preserved fascicular configuration, and (4) variable enhancement after intravenous gadolinium administration. In addition there were atrophy and fatty infiltration of innervated muscles. MRI was helpful for determining the extent of lesions and in excluding peripheral nerve compression or tumour.
Conclusion
MRI of the whole sciatic nerve is the method of choice for diagnosing LHN of the sciatic nerve.