Neonatal intestinal obstruction simulating meconium ileus in infants with long-segment intestinal aganglionosis: radiographic findings that prompt the need for rectal biopsy.

Background: The initial clinical presentation and radiographic finding of microcolon in children with long-segment intestinal aganglionosis involving the entire colon, ileum and sometimes the jejunum can mimic meconium ileus. This makes the diagnosis difficult for the radiologist and surgeon.

Objective: To document and describe the clinical and radiographic findings in children with long-segment intestinal aganglionosis who are initially thought to have meconium ileus.

Gaseous distention of the hypopharynx and cervical esophagus with nasal CPAP: a mimicker of pharyngeal perforation and esophageal atresia.

Background: Nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) has been used since 1975 as the initial treatment for respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in very premature infants. Gaseous distention of the abdomen (CPAP belly) is a common secondary effect of CPAP. Gaseous distention of the hypopharynx is also common.

Newborns with diaphragmatic hernia: initial chest radiography does not have a role in predicting clinical outcome.

Background: The management of life-threatening congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) has undergone significant change over the last two decades. When CDH was felt to be a surgical emergency treated promptly after birth, survival rates of 50% were typical. Recent changes in medical management of these patients prior to surgery have had a dramatic influence on clinical outcome with survival rates over 80%.

Scimitar vein draining to the left atrium and a historical review of the scimitar syndrome.

Scimitar vein draining to the left atrium is the rarest of the pulmonary venolobar anomalies with less than a dozen reported cases. A case is reported of a patient whose plain film radiographic findings showed a typical scimitar vein but whose echocardiography showed normal pulmonary venous drainage. Cardiac catheterization confirmed drainage of the scimitar vein to the left atrium and systemic arterial supply which was embolized.