Sonography of Abdominal Pain in Children: Appendicitis and Its Common Mimics

Abdominal pain is very common in the pediatric population (<18 years of age). Sonography is a safe modality that can often differentiate the frequently encountered causes of abdominal pain in children. This pictorial essay will discuss the sonographic findings of acute appendicitis, including the imaging appearance of a perforated appendicitis. It will also present the sonographic features of the relatively common mimics of appendicitis, such as mesenteric adenitis/gastroenteritis, intussusception, Meckel diverticulum, and ovarian torsion.

The role of high-resolution chest CT in the diagnosis of neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia of infancy - A rare form of pediatric interstitial lung disease

Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is rare in infancy or early childhood. Differentiating between the different types of ILD is important for reasons of treatment, monitoring of clinical course and prognosis. We present a case of a 5-month old female with tachypnea and hypoxemia. The clinical suspicion of neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia of infancy (NEHI) was confirmed by high-resolution chest CT and subsequent lung biopsy. We conclude that high-resolution chest CT has characteristics findings that can be used as a non-invasive test to support the clinical diagnosis of neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia of infancy.

Nonsurgical management of childhood intussusception: retrospective comparison between sonographic and fluoroscopic guidance

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of sonography and fluoroscopy in guiding intussusception reduction and evaluate possible complications for each procedure.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was performed by reviewing 31 cases of intussusception diagnosed and managed between January 2009 and January 2014 at the University of California, Davis Children's Hospital, after obtaining approval from the Institutional Review Board. To eliminate other confounding factors related to technique and experience, only cases performed by 2 pediatric radiologists who exclusively used either fluoroscopy or sonography were compared.

RESULTS

Fourteen patients (age range, 6-35 months) were treated by sonographic guidance using saline, and another 17 patients (age range, 2-57 months) were treated by fluoroscopy using either air or a water-soluble contrast agent. All 14 patients (100%) who underwent sonographically guided reduction were successfully treated without complications. Fourteen of the 17 patients (82%) who underwent fluoroscopic guidance had successful reductions. One complication of perforation was documented.

CONCLUSIONS

Sonography and fluoroscopy are equally effective in the nonsurgical management of childhood intussusception. The absence of ionizing radiation and better visualization of possible pathologic lead points makes sonography the ideal method.

WARM N COLD: malignant and benign renal tumors in children

Although Wilms tumor is the most common renal malignancy in children, the differential diagnosis is extensive and includes both malignant and benign disorders. We present a simple mnemonic-WARM N COLD, to aid in remembering these diverse tumors. Imaging clues including age of the patient, associated disease or syndrome as well as salient imaging characteristics such as bilaterality, and type or presence of metastasis are also presented and can help differentiate between these renal tumors of childhood.

The delivery of culturally sensitive health care to Native Americans

Cultural factors significantly influence the Native American's perspectives of traditional professional health care practices. To most effectively deal with Native American clients, health care providers must understand, respect, and demonstrate sensitivity to the values and implications of the Native American culture. A basic understanding of a group's cultural beliefs, values, and practices will enable the holistic nurse to appreciate the importance of appropriate interactions and techniques and, therefore, make health care more readily accepted. This article reviews the health and illness beliefs, the traditional remedies, the critical need for holistic health care, and the Five Great Values that guide Native American behavior. Familiarization with these cultural components will facilitate the provision of quality, holistic health care through improved interactions with Native American clients.

Cultural aspects of caring for Navajo Indian clients

Cultural factors significantly influence the Navajo's interactive processes as well as perceptions of health and illness. Unfortunately, very limited published information is available about the problems that may occur when health care practitioners ignore the influence of culture. The interactive processes are made even more complex when health care providers have cultural expectations that are different from those held by their patients. The article reviews some of the complex factors (i.e., family structure, health/illness beliefs, traditional remedies, and cultural practitioners) that influence the Navajo's decision to seek, accept, or reject the assistance of professional health care providers. In addition, some implications, strategies, and suggestions are included that may assist the nurse in improving the quality of care provided to the Navajo patient.