Stalking the stalk: Isolated pituitary stalk thickening and predictive factors for proliferative disease.

Background: Few studies have evaluated predictive factors of isolated pituitary stalk thickening (iPST) in children.

Methods: In this retrospective study, radiology, endocrinology, and neuro-oncology databases were interrogated to identify patients with iPST between January 2000 and June 2019. A blinded, longitudinal assessment of MRIs was performed using quantitative, semi-quantitative, and qualitative metrics.

Biomarkers of mitochondrial stress and DNA damage during pediatric catheter-directed neuroangiography - a prospective single-center study.

Background: Neuroangiography represents a critical diagnostic and therapeutic imaging modality whose associated radiation may be of concern in children. The availability of in vivo radiation damage markers would represent a key advancement for understanding radiation effects and aid in the development of radioprotective strategies.

Objective: Determine if biomarkers of cellular damage can be detected in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of children undergoing neuroangiography.

Fever at Time of Leukemia Diagnosis in Children: Predictor of Bloodstream Infection or Catheter Removal?

Purpose: To assess the incidence of fever at diagnosis in children with leukemia and determine if fever at diagnosis is a predictor of bloodstream infection (BSI) or central venous access device (CVAD) removal for infection either within the first 30 days or between 30 and 90 days after CVAD insertion.

Materials And Methods: One hundred fifty-one patients with acute leukemia (July 1, 2018, to December 31, 2020) who underwent a CVAD insertion within 2 weeks of diagnosis were included. Patient data included demographic characteristics, fever at diagnosis, CVAD type, antibiotics before and/or on the day of CVAD insertion, BSI incidence, BSI rates per 1,000 catheter days, and need for catheter removal after CVAD insertion within 30 days and between 30 and 90 days.

Characterization and quantification of fluid in the abdomen by ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging in children with clinical suspicion of appendicitis.

Purpose: While regarded as a secondary sign of pediatric appendicitis, the frequency of physiologic intra-abdominal fluid in children with suspected but absent appendicitis is unknown. Ex vivo: to assess the validity of US/MRI measurements of free fluid. In vivo: in suspected pediatric appendicitis, to assess the amount of abdominal fluid by US and MRI, determine performance characteristics of US in fluid detection and identify fluid volume ranges in confirmed appendicitis.

Analyzing Barriers and Enablers for the Acceptance of Artificial Intelligence Innovations into Radiology Practice: A Scoping Review.

Objectives: This scoping review was conducted to determine the barriers and enablers associated with the acceptance of artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML)-enabled innovations into radiology practice from a physician's perspective.

Methods: A systematic search was performed using Ovid Medline and Embase. Keywords were used to generate refined queries with the inclusion of computer-aided diagnosis, artificial intelligence, and barriers and enablers.

Increased rate of significant findings on brain MRI during the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objectives: To assess the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the proportion of abnormal paediatric neuroimaging findings as a surrogate marker for potential underutilisation.

Methods: Consecutive paediatric brain MRIs performed between March 27th and June 19th 2019 (T) and March 23rd and June 1st 2020 (T) were reviewed and classified according to presence or absence and type of imaging abnormality, and graded regarding severity on a 5-point Likert scale, where grade 4 was defined as abnormal finding requiring non-urgent intervention and grade 5 was defined as acute illness prompting urgent medical intervention. Non-parametric statistical testing was used to assess for significant differences between T vs.

Imaging Evaluation for Thoracic Spine Fractures in Pediatric Trauma Patients: A Single-Center Experience at an Academic Children's Hospital.

Background: Imaging workup for evaluating thoracic spine fracture (TSF) in pediatric blunt trauma is variable.

Purpose: The aim of the study was to determine the number of TSFs missed by radiography and identified on computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) that required intervention or resulted in a change in management.

Methods: A retrospective review of children with TSFs was performed.

Association of new sonographic features with outcome in neonates with necrotizing enterocolitis.

Background: We have recently noted some sonographic features in necrotizing enterocolitis that have received little or no attention in the current literature. These include thickening of the mesentery, hyperechogenicity of intraluminal intestinal contents, abnormalities of the abdominal wall, and poor definition of the intestinal wall. It has been our impression that the above four sonographic findings are generally seen in neonates with more severe necrotizing enterocolitis and may be useful in predicting outcome.

Myocardial late gadolinium enhancement using delayed 3D IR-FLASH in the pediatric population: feasibility and diagnostic performance compared to single-shot PSIR-bSSFP.

Background: This study compares three-dimensional (3D) high-resolution (HR) late gadolinium enhancement (LGE; 3D HR-LGE) imaging using a respiratory navigated, electrocardiographically-gated inversion recovery gradient echo sequence with conventional LGE imaging using a single-shot phase-sensitive inversion recovery (PSIR) balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP; PSIR-bSSFP) sequence for routine clinical use in the pediatric population.

Methods: Pediatric patients (0-18 years) who underwent clinical cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) with both 3D HR-LGE and single-shot PSIR-bSSFP LGE between January 2018 and June 2020 were included. Image quality (0-4) and detection of LGE in the left ventricle (LV) (per 17 segments), in the right ventricle (RV) (per 3 segments), as endocardial fibroelastosis (EFE), at the hinge points, and at the papillary muscles was analyzed by two blinded readers for each sequence.

Findings in percutaneous trans-hepatic cholecysto-cholangiography in neonates and infants presenting with conjugated hyperbilirubinemia: emphasis on differential diagnosis and cholangiographic patterns.

Background: Biliary atresia (BA) is one of the causes of conjugated hyperbilirubinemia in infants which if untreated leads to end-stage liver disease and death. Percutaneous Trans-hepatic Cholecysto-Cholangiography (PTCC) is a minimally invasive study which can be utilized in the diagnostic work-up of these patients. This study's purpose is to describe the experience with PTCC in neonates, the imaging findings encountered, and the abnormal patterns which warrant further investigation.

Exploring the impact of anterior chest wall scars from implantable venous ports in adolescent survivors of cancer.

Background: In children with cancer, port-a-caths (ports) are commonly placed in the right anterior chest wall, leaving a visible scar when removed. The psychological impact of port scars on survivors is unknown. It is unclear whether alternative sites should be considered.

Data governance functions to support responsible data stewardship in pediatric radiology research studies using artificial intelligence.

The integration of human and machine intelligence promises to profoundly change the practice of medicine. The rapidly increasing adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) solutions highlights its potential to streamline physician work and optimize clinical decision-making, also in the field of pediatric radiology. Large imaging databases are necessary for training, validating and testing these algorithms.

Radiomic Features Based on MRI Predict Progression-Free Survival in Pediatric Diffuse Midline Glioma/Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma.

Biopsy-based assessment of H3 K27 M status helps in predicting survival, but biopsy is usually limited to unusual presentations and clinical trials. We aimed to evaluate whether radiomics can serve as prognostic marker to stratify diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) subsets. In this retrospective study, diagnostic brain MRIs of children with DIPG were analyzed.

Neurovascular Manifestations in Pediatric Patients With Hereditary Haemorrhagic Telangiectasia.

Background: Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is a multiorgan vascular dysplasia with limited data regarding its neurovascular manifestations and genotype-phenotype correlation in children. The objective of this study was to describe the neurovascular findings in a large cohort of children with HHT and correlate between phenotype and genotype.

Methods: This retrospective study was conducted on 221 children (<18 years) with a definite or possible diagnosis of HHT based on Curacao criteria, or with positive genetics for the mutated genes of ENG, ACVRL-1, and SMAD-4, who also underwent brain MRI and/or conventional angiography.

Rotational Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency: Is There a Physiological Spectrum? Phase-Contrast Magnetic Resonance Imaging Quantification in Healthy Volunteers.

Background: Some cases of cerebral ischemia have been attributed to dynamic flow limitation in neck vessels. It however remains unknown whether this represents the extreme end of a physiological response.

Methods: Eighteen healthy volunteers were recruited to this prospective study.

Semiquantitative characterization of dynamic magnetic resonance perfusion of the liver in pediatric Fontan patients.

Background: Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the liver in pediatric Fontan patients often shows peripheral reticular areas of hypoenhancement, which has not been studied in detail.

Objective: To semiquantitatively score the hepatic MR perfusion abnormality seen in pediatric Fontan patients, and to correlate the perfusion abnormality with functional clinical and hemodynamic parameters.

Materials And Methods: All children (< 18 years old) after Fontan palliation with combined clinical cardiac and liver MRI performed between May 2017 and April 2019 were considered for inclusion.

Clinical and Angioarchitectural Features of Hemorrhagic Brain Arterio-Venous Malformations in Adults and Children: Contrasts and Implications on Outcome.

Background: Hemorrhage from brain arteriovenous malformations (bAVMs) is estimated at 3% per annum. Features influencing risk of hemorrhage include perforator/posterior circulation supply, associated aneurysms, and deep drainage. Children are more likely to present with bAVM bleeds.

Usefulness of TI-scout images in the assessment of late gadolinium enhancement in children.

Background: Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) requires identification of the normal myocardial nulling time using inversion time (TI)-scout imaging sequence. Although TI-scout images are not primarily used for myocardial assessment, they provide information regarding different signal recovery patterns of normal and abnormal myocardium facilitating identification of LGE in instances where standard LGE images alone are not diagnostic. We aimed to assess the diagnostic performance of TI-scout as compared to that of standard LGE images.

Use of radial access sheaths for transfemoral neuroendovascular procedures in children.

Purpose: Pediatric neuroendovascular procedures require special considerations. Given small vessel sizes, risk for arterial injury must be weighed against use of larger devices, with the diameter of the sheath being a known association with arterial complications. We recently transitioned to using thin-walled radial sheaths for transfemoral angiography in children, given their lower profile.

Diagnostic Performance of a Sonographic Volume and Solid Vascular Tissue Score (VSVTS) for Preoperative Risk Assessment of Pediatric and Adolescent Adnexal Masses.

Study Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of a Volume and Solid Vascular Tissue Score (VSVTS) for preoperative risk assessment of pediatric and adolescent adnexal masses.

Design: A retrospective cohort study comprised of all female individuals who presented with an adnexal mass that was managed surgically between April 2011 and March 2016.

Setting: The Hospital for Sick Children (Toronto, Ontario, Canada).

Utility of sonography for identifying metastatic cervical adenopathy in children with differentiated thyroid carcinoma at presentation.

Background: No study has evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of sonography for the depiction of metastatic cervical adenopathy in children with differentiated thyroid carcinoma at presentation or determined which sonographic features are most useful.

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of sonography for identifying metastatic cervical adenopathy in children with differentiated thyroid carcinoma at presentation and to determine the most useful sonographic features.

Materials And Methods: We evaluated cervical lymph node sonography and histology in children with proven thyroid carcinoma in a 10-year period.