Quality of pediatric abdominal CT scans performed at a dedicated children's hospital and its referring institutions: a multifactorial evaluation

A case report on ultrasound evaluation of pediatric post-operative abdominal pain

Pediatric post-operative abdominal pain can present a unique diagnostic challenge. The case presented here describes a 9-year-old female who presented with fever and worsening abdominal pain 4 days after laparoscopic resection of a benign ovarian teratoma. Computed tomography failed to provide adequate diagnostic imaging. Ultrasound was subsequently used to rule-out a major post-operative complication and ultimately led to a successful non-operative approach while avoiding repeat radiation exposure. Thin body habitus, increased radiosensitivity of pediatric organs, and increased lifetime risk of cancer complicate the use of computed tomography in the pediatric population. Ultrasound, when correlated to clinical findings, has unique advantages over CT such as detailed delineation of soft tissue structures and dynamic assessment of anatomy that make it advantageous in the pediatric post-operative setting.

Falling through the worm hole: an exploration of the imaging workup of the vermiform appendix in the pediatric population

Despite the thousands of articles discussing appendicitis in the literature, the dilemma of how to best diagnosis and manage pediatric appendicitis remains unsettled. Over the past decade, evidence has been mounting about the use of antibiotics as the sole therapy in uncomplicated appendicitis in the adult population. This debate has even recently bled over into the lay press. While this change in practice pattern is still in its infancy for the pediatric population, radiologists should be aware of this change in therapy and how it can impact the imaging work-up and relevant findings. This article concisely summarizes the imaging findings and various imaging pathways to arrive at the diagnose of appendicitis with an emphasis of how to best be of use to our surgical colleagues in this evolving paradigm. It also highlights venues for further research, namely increasing accuracy of differentiating complicated from uncomplicated appendicitis.

Children with appendicitis on the US-Mexico border have socioeconomic challenges and are best served by a freestanding children's hospital

INTRODUCTION

The US-Mexico border is medically underserved. Recent political changes may render this population even more vulnerable. We hypothesized that children on the border present with high rates of perforated appendicitis due to socioeconomic barriers.

METHODS

A prospective survey was administered to children presenting with appendicitis in El Paso, Texas. Primary outcomes were rate of perforation and reason for diagnostic delay. We evaluated the association between demographics, potential barriers to care, risk of perforation and risk of misdiagnosis using logistic regression. p < 0.05 was considered significant.

RESULTS

98 patients participated from October 2016 to February 2017. 96 patients (98%) were Hispanic and 81 (82%) had Medicaid or were uninsured. 11 patients (11%) resided in Mexico or Guatemala. Patients were less likely to receive a CT and more likely to receive an ultrasound if they presented to a freestanding children's hospital (p = 0.01). 37 patients (38%) presented with perforation, of which 19 (52%) were the result of practitioner misdiagnosis. Patients who presented to a freestanding children's hospital were less likely to be misdiagnosed than patients presenting to other facilities (p = 0.05). Children who underwent surgery in a freestanding children's hospital had the shortest length of stay after adjusting for perforation status and potential confounders (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Children with low socioeconomic status did not have difficulty accessing care on the USA-Mexico border, but they were commonly misdiagnosed. Children were less likely to receive a CT, more likely to be correctly diagnosed and length of stay was shorter when patients presented to a freestanding children's hospital.

Multiphase acquisitions in pediatric abdominal-pelvic CT are a common practice and contribute to unnecessary radiation dose

BACKGROUND

Many patients at our pediatric hospital have had a contrast-enhanced CT of the abdomen and pelvis performed by an outside imaging facility before admission. We have noticed that many of these exams are multiphase, which may contribute to unnecessary radiation dose.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the frequency of multiphase acquisitions and radiation dose indices in contrast-enhanced CTs of the abdomen and pelvis performed by outside imaging facilities in patients who were subsequently transferred to our pediatric hospital for care, and compare these metrics to contrast-enhanced CTs of the abdomen and pelvis performed internally.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective analysis was performed of contrast-enhanced CTs of the abdomen and pelvis from outside imaging facilities uploaded to our picture archiving and communication system (PACS) between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2015. CT images and dose pages were reviewed to determine the number of phases and dose indices (CT dose index-volume [CTDI_vol], dose-length product, size-specific dose estimate). Exams for abdominal or pelvic mass, trauma or urinary leak indications were excluded. Data were compared to internally acquired contrast-enhanced CTs of the abdomen and pelvis by querying the American College of Radiology (ACR) Dose Index Registry. This review was institutional review board and HIPAA compliant.

RESULTS

There were 754 contrast-enhanced CTs of the abdomen and pelvis from 104 outside imaging facilities. Fifty-three percent (399/754) had 2 phases, and 2% (14/754) had 3 or more phases. Of the 939 contrast-enhanced CTs of the abdomen and pelvis performed internally, 12% (115) were multiphase exams. Of 88% (664) contrast-enhanced CTs of the abdomen and pelvis from outside imaging facilities with dose data, CTDI_vol was 2.7 times higher than our institution contrast-enhanced CTs of the abdomen and pelvis (939) for all age categories as defined by the ACR Dose Index Registry (mean: 9.4 vs. 3.5 mGy, P<0.0001). The majority (74%) of multiphase exams were performed by 9 of 104 outside imaging facilities.

CONCLUSION

Multiphase acquisitions in routine contrast-enhanced CT of the abdomen and pelvis exams at outside imaging facilities are more frequent than those at a dedicated pediatric institution and contribute to unnecessary radiation dose. A contrast-enhanced CT of the abdomen and pelvis exam from an outside imaging facility with two passes may have as much as four times to six times the dose as the same exam performed with a single pass at a pediatric imaging center. We advocate for imaging facilities with high multiphase rates to eliminate multiple phases from routine contrast-enhanced CT of the abdomen and pelvis exams in children.

Practical Imaging Strategies for Acute Appendicitis in Children

OBJECTIVE

Diagnosing pediatric appendicitis is difficult because clinical findings are nonspecific. Improved accuracy can be obtained with ultrasound (US), CT, or MRI, despite considerable variation in their use at different institutions. This article reviews the evidence for best practices in imaging pediatric appendicitis.

CONCLUSION

When each modality is optimally used, a stepwise imaging approach that begins with graded compression US and proceeds to CT or MRI in select cases is currently best practice.