Cerebral contusional tears as a marker of child abuse--detection by cranial sonography.

A series of 6 infants subjected to child abuse is presented in whom contusional tears of subcortical white matter were detected during life by intracranial sonography. The sonographic appearances of this highly pathognomonic marker of shaking injury are described for the first time and their significance discussed. On the basis of our experience we suggest that high resolution cranial sonography is an extremely valuable part of the diagnostic work up in cases of suspected non-accidental injury.

Congenital stricture of the urethra.

Three patients with presumed congenital urethral strictures are presented. The strictures were all in the bulbar urethra and were demonstrated by micturating cysto-urethrography. A further child is described with a normal urethra in whom the appearances mimicked a proximal bulbar stricture.