[en] The authors performed US as an initial diagnostic modality in seven children who were suspected of having pulmonary sequestration. Pulmonary sequestration was diagnosed in all patients with subsequent angiography and treated surgically. The sequestered lung appeared as an echogenic mass resembling hepatic echo texture, and in four cases the mass contained multiple cystic components. Aberrant systemic vessels were demonstrated by US in all cases as pulsating structures either arising from the abdominal aorta above the celiac axis or within echogenic lung mass and traced back to the aorta. US can give a great deal of information in the evaluation of the lower lung lesions suggestive of pulmonary sequestration

[en] Gd-DPTA-enhanced MR imaging was performed in 16 patients with meningitis (seven tuberculous, four bacterial, three fungal, and two viral) on a 2.0-T unit. Hemorrhagic infarcts of basal ganglia and localized enhancement of thickened dura adjacent were demonstrated on T1-weighted images in three patients with tuberculous meningitis and four with bacterial meningitis, respectively, that were not seen on CT. Enhanced T1-weighted images readily differentiated leptomeningeal enhancement from vessels in two cases with CT of equivocal meningeal enhancement. Nonenhanced T2-weighted images were most sensitive for demonstrating ischemia/infarct and edema. Otherwise, MR images generally matched CT scans

[en] This paper reports plain and Gd-DTPA-enchanted MR imaging performed with a 2.0-T unit in 26 patients with intracranial tuberculosis and seven with spinal tuberculosis radiculomyelitis, and images were compared with CT scans. In intracranial tuberculosis, MR imaging depicted a few more hemorrhagic infarcts, meningeal enhancements, and granulomas than CT did, but it missed small calcifications. In spinal tuberculosis radiculomyelitis, MR imaging demonstrated enhancement of the dura-arachnoid complex (five of seven cases), intradural granulomas (three of seven), and segmental cord swelling with enhancement suggesting tuberculosis myelitis, cord infarct (two of seven), which were not obvious on CT myelograms. Without Gd-DTPA enhancement, both cranial and spinal MR imaging was generally insensitive in the detection of active meningeal inflammation and granulomas

[en] Purpose. To describe the CT features of complicated pleural tuberculosis in children and to define the use of CT in children with pleural tuberculosis. Materials and methods. The CT findings in 11 children with complicated pleural tuberculosis were retrospectively analysed. CT was performed to evaluate persistent pleural thickening (n = 6) or a mass-like lesion (n = 5) detected on plain radiographs. Chest radiographs and medical records were reviewed to determine whether additional information provided by CT had altered clinical management. Results. On CT, more than one location was involved in five patients (45 %) and in two patients (18 %) the entire pleural spaces were involved. Pleural thickening was seen in all 11 patients and enhancement after administration of contrast medium occurred in ten patients (91 %). Low-density fluid collections were seen in nine patients (82 %) and in two, CT revealed fluid collections within calcified pleural lesions. In five patients with mass-like lesions on plain radiographs, CT showed a low-density pleural mass with peripheral enhancement in four and a calcified pleural mass with fluid collection in one. CT demonstrated parenchymal abnormalities on the same side as pleural lesions in all 11 patients and hilar or mediastinal adenopathy in four. Four patients (36 %) underwent surgery because of fluid within a calcified fibrothorax (n = 3) and chest wall tuberculosis (n = 1) that were seen only on CT. Conclusions. The CT features of complicated pleural tuberculosis in children were pleural thickening, enhancement and fluid collection with associated parenchymal abnormalities and lymphadenopathy. In the evaluation of children with pleural tuberculosis, CT can be useful for demonstrating fluid within a calcified fibrothorax or chest wall involvement, which usually requires surgical intervention. (orig.)

[en] Desmoplastic cerebral astrocytoma of infancy (DCAI) presents as a large supratentorial mass consisting of a central cystic component and an enhancing solid component associated with peripheral dural attachment. We report the unusual MR findings of a DCAI that differed from previously reported cases in terms of the presence of calcification, which is not considered a feature of this tumor, and the absence of an enhancing peripheral dural component

[en] Twenty-six patients with intracranial tuberculosis (Tb) (10 with acute meningitis, 5 with chronic meningitis, 5 with meningitic sequelae and 6 with localized tuberculoma(s)) were examined with MR before and after Gd-DTPA enhancement (0.1 mmol/kg), using 2.0T superconducting unit, and the images were retrospectively analyzed and compared with CT scans. Without Gd-DPTA enhancement, the MR images were generally insensitive to detection of active meningeal inflammation and granulomas. The signal intensity of granulomas was usually isointense to gray matter on both T1- and T2-weighted images, whether they were associated with diffuse meningitis or presented as localized tuberculoma(s). A few granulomas showed focal hypointensity on T2-weighted images. Calcifications seen on CT of the meningitic sequelae group usually appeared markedly hypointense on all spin-echo sequences. On Gd-DTPA enhanced T1-weighted images, abnormal meningeal enhancement indicating active inflammation was conspicuous, and the granulomas often appeared as conglomerated ring-enhancing nodules, which seems to be characteristic of granulomas. Thin rim enhancement around the suprasellar calcifications were observed in two out of 5 patients of meningitic sequelae. Compared with CT, MR detected a few more ischemic infarcts, hemorrhagic infarcts, meningeal enhancement and granulomas in the acute meningitis group, but missed small calcifications in the basal cisterns well shown on CT in the sequelae group. Otherwise, MR generally matched CT scans. MR imaging appears to be superior to CT in evaluation of active intracranial Tb only if Gd-DTPA is used, while CT is better than MR in evaluating meningitic sequelae with calcification. (orig.)

[en] Herpes simplex virus (HSV) type I causes a fulminant necrotising meningoencephalitis distinguished from other encephalitides by its focal and often haemorrhagic nature. Specific antiviral therapy with acyclovir can significantly improve the prognosis. We present MRI findings of two cases of herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) confirmed by PCR analysis, focusing on the serial changes after acyclovir therapy: gyral swelling, high signal intensity on T2-weighted images in the subfrontal region, temporal lobe and insula in the initial stage, then regional extension with enhancement and haemorrhage despite appropriate acyclovir therapy, and finally encephalomalacia and brain atrophy. (orig.)

[en] Childhood meningeal tumours are uncommon and mostly meningiomas. We reviewed the histological and radiological findings in meningeal tumours in six children aged 12 years or less (four benign meningiomas, one malignant meningioma and one haemangiopericytoma). Compared to the adult counterpart, childhood meningiomas showed atypical features: cysts, haemorrhage, aggressiveness and unusual location. MRI features varied according to the site of the tumour, histology, haemorrhage, and presence of intra- or peritumoral cysts. Diagnosis of the extra-axial tumour was relatively easy in two patients with meningiomas, one malignant meningioma and one haemangiopericytoma. MRI findings strongly suggested an intra-axial tumour in two patients with benign meningiomas, because of severe adjacent edema. Awareness of the variable findings of childhood meningiomas and similar tumours may help in differentiation from brain tumours. (orig.)

[en] Posterior circulation infarction is uncommon in children. We describe the clinical presentation and radiological findings in two children with cerebellar infarction resulting from dissection of the vertebral artery. We emphasize that vertebral artery injury should be considered in a child with acute symptoms and signs of ischaemia in the posterior circulation. MRI and MRA may be helpful in the diagnosis of cerebellar infarction and vertebral artery abnormality. (orig.)

[en] We present a case of intramedullary spinal gangliocytoma in a 7-year-old girl who presented with scoliosis and progressive weakness of both legs. The tumour involved the whole spinal cord and medulla oblongata and was composed of inner cystic and outer solid components. On MRI, the solid portion of the lesion showed strong enhancement at the thoracolumbar level and mild enhancement at the cervical and medullary levels. Histological examination of the surgical specimen showed neoplastic ganglion cells arranged irregularly in benign normocellular glial background, which made a diagnosis of gangliocytoma. (orig.)