Serum insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), IGF-binding proteins-1 and -3, and postnatal growth of late preterm infants.

Late preterm infants may have impaired early growth. The role of circulating insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) in the regulation of postnatal growth of these infants is unclear. The aim of the study was to investigate prospectively the serum levels of IGFs during the first year of life in late preterm infants and their association with birth weight and early postnatal growth.

CT features of lymphobronchial tuberculosis in children, including complications and associated abnormalities.

Background: Lymphobronchial tuberculosis (TB) is tuberculous lymphadenopathy involving the airways, which is particularly common in children.

Objective: To describe CT findings of lymphobronchial TB in children, the parenchymal complications and associated abnormalities.

Materials And Methods: CT scans of children with lymphobronchial TB were reviewed retrospectively.

Pictorial Interlude: caught up in a 'whirl'.

A patient with the 'whirl sign' on computed tomography (CT) is 25.3 times as likely as a patient without to have small-bowel obstruction (SBO) necessitating surgery. There is therefore an important role for the 'whirl sign' in assessment of patients with clinical and radiological signs of SBO.

Protrusio Acetabuli Prosthetica - a cause of a Pelvic Mass Presenting to the Gynaecologist.

Introduction: Intrapelvic complications resulting from total hip arthroplasty are rare. Intrapelvic migration of the acetabular cup along with proximal migration of the femoral stem is one of these entities. Despite being a rare entity, there are serious complications.

MDCT in the diagnosis of small-bowel obstruction by a retained surgical swab.

We describe a case report of gossypiboma (retained surgical swab), a rare occurrence secondary to a previous open surgical procedure. The incidence has been estimated at between 1 in 100 to 5 000 surgical procedures.

Visfatin levels in prepubertal children born small or large for gestational age.

Children born small (SGA) or large (LGA) for gestational age are prone to develop insulin resistance (IR) during childhood. Visfatin, a hormone with insulin-mimetic actions, has been associated with IR. This study was designed to examine whether serum level of visfatin is correlated with metabolic indices of IR, in prepuberty in association with the intrauterine growth pattern.

Should registrars be reporting after-hours CT scans? A calculation of error rate and the influencing factors in South Africa.

Background: There is a heavy reliance on registrars for after-hours CT reporting with a resultant unavoidable error rate.

Purpose: To determine the after-hours CT reporting error rate by radiology registrars and influencing factors on this error rate.

Material And Methods: A 2-month prospective study was undertaken at two tertiary, level 1 trauma centers in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Baseline chest radiographic features of HIV-infected children eligible for antiretroviral therapy.

Background: South Africa's HIV mortality is primarily due to pulmonary disease. No evidence exists regarding the correlation between HIV-infected children and specific chest radiographic patterns and CD4 levels of immunity in HIV-infected adults. Objectives.

Pre-inflammatory mediators and lymphocyte subpopulations in preterm neonates with sepsis.

The aim of this study is to investigate prospectively specific immune system factors in preterm neonates with late-onset sepsis and infection-free controls. Matched preterm neonates (n = 82) were divided into three groups: suspected infection (n = 25), sepsis (n = 17), and infection-free controls (n = 40). Serial measurements were made of interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), lymphocyte subsets [CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, natural killer (NK) cells, and B cells], the immunoglobulins (IgG, IgM, and IgA), C-reactive protein (CRP), and the total blood count, before, 2 days after initiation of treatment, and after stopping treatment.

Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging of borderzone necrosis in paediatric tuberculous meningitis.

Purpose: Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is associated with borderzone necrosis (BZN) of the brain parenchyma in areas adjacent to meningeal inflammation. Diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI) allows for accurate detection of cytotoxic oedema associated with necrosis. Detection and characterisation of BZN using DWI to explain its pathogenesis in TBM have not been performed previously in children.

Anaplastic clear cell ependymoma of the conus medullaris and cauda equina in a 3-year-old child.

Only a minority of ependymomas present in the spinal cord. We report on a child with recurrence of a rare anaplastic clear cell type of ependymoma. This was initially misdiagnosed as a World Health Organization grade I myxopapillary ependymoma because this type of ependymoma occurs more commonly and the magnetic resonance imaging features and location at the conus medullaris were considered characteristic.

A rare carotid-basilar anastomosis traversing the jugular foramen: origin and clinical implications.

This report describes imaging in a patient with a unique unnamed carotid-basilar anastomosis, where the entry into the skull was via the jugular foramen. There were associated findings of absent right and hypoplastic left vertebral arteries and an aberrant right subclavian artery. We speculate that the persistent anastomosis is developmentally related to the jugular branch of the ascending pharyngeal artery.

Adequacy of paediatric renal tract ultrasound requests and reports in a general radiology department.

Background: According to current guidelines, US is the most important modality for imaging urinary tract infections (UTI) in children.

Objectives: (1) To assess the adequacy of paediatric renal US requests and reports in a general radiology department, and correlate the request adequacy and the performing radiologist's experience with report adequacy. (2) To determine the yield of abnormal findings.

Abdominal manipulation during water-soluble contrast enema - an alternative method of non-operative decompression of sigmoid volvulus?

Sigmoid volvulus is common in some developing countries. We describe a new method of decompression using a Urograffin and saline enema with additional extra-abdominal manual massage.

Diffuse periventricular leukomalacia in preterm children: assessment of grey matter changes by MRI.

Background: Preterm children may have cognitive deficits and behavioural disorders suggestive of grey matter (GM) injury. The prevalence is higher in preterm children with diffuse periventricular leukomalacia (dPVL).

Objective: Evaluate changes in the volume of 116 GM areas in preterm children with dPVL.

Vitamin D and parathormone levels of late-preterm formula fed infants during the first year of life.

Background/objectives: Preterm infants are at risk for low vitamin D but documentation on late-preterm infants is sparse. This prospective study monitored longitudinally vitamin D and parathormone (PTH) levels in late-preterm formula fed infants during the first year of life, taking into consideration in utero and postnatal growth, and season and diet.

Subjects/methods: The study population comprised 128 infants of gestational age (GA) 32-36 weeks, of which 102 were appropriate (AGA) and the remaining 26 were small for GA (SGA).

Are linear measurements and computerized volumetric ratios determined from axial MRI useful for diagnosing hydrocephalus in children with tuberculous meningitis?

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate linear measurements and computerized volumetric ratios on axial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans against the diagnosis of hydrocephalus in children with tuberculous meningitis (TBM).

Methods: MRI scans and clinical notes of children with culture positive TBM were reviewed. Patients with surgical drainage of ventricles were considered positive for hydrocephalus.

Paediatric radiology seen from Africa. Part I: providing diagnostic imaging to a young population.

Paediatric radiology requires dedicated equipment, specific precautions related to ionising radiation, and specialist knowledge. Developing countries face difficulties in providing adequate imaging services for children. In many African countries, children represent an increasing proportion of the population, and additional challenges follow from extreme living conditions, poverty, lack of parental care, and exposure to tuberculosis, HIV, pneumonia, diarrhoea and violent trauma.

Low gestational age and chronic lung disease are synergistic risk factors for retinopathy of prematurity.

Aims: This retrospective, population based study was designed to investigate risk factors for development of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and their possible interrelationships, in neonates of gestational age (GA) <32 weeks born in a well-defined geographical region. STUDY DESIGN-SUBJECTS: The study population included all preterm infants born alive with GA 24-32 weeks in Northwestern Greece during a 9-year period and hospitalised in the regional neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

Outcome Measurements: The association was assessed of the presence of ROP with maternal factors: age, pathology of pregnancy, in-vitro fertilisation, multiple gestation, mode of delivery, perinatal factors: gender, antenatal steroids, transportation, resuscitation, GA, birth weight (BW), small for GA status and postnatal morbidity: chronic lung disease (CLD), intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH), necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), maximum O(2) needs, hypoxic/hyperoxic episodes, patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), sepsis, using multiple logistic regression analysis.