Biomedical subjects
G Kalifa
Publications and source records attributed to G Kalifa.
[Community-acquired pneumonia in children: importance of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections and efficacy of antibiotics].
OBJECTIVES: Define a therapeutic management schema adapted to children with community-acquired pneumonia. METHODS: A prospective survey was conducted in 104 children over 18 months of age with community-acquired pneumonia. The pathogen was isolated in 85% of the cases. RESULTS: Viral infection alone was proven in 30 children (respiratory syncytial virus in 10). Pneumococci pneumonia was found in 12 patients; the isolated strains were sensitive to penicillin. Apyrexia was obtained in 11/12 cases with amoxicillin. Mycoplasma infections occurred in 42% of the cases (41 alone and in association with pneumococci in 2 cases). Pneumococci and mycoplasma infections could not be differentiated with standard radiography and laboratory tests. Initial treatment with beta lactamines was always unsuccessful in children with mycoplasma infections. Apyrexia was achieved when antibiotics were changed to macrolides. CONCLUSION: Since lower respiratory tract infections due to pneumococci are much more severe than those due to mycoplasma, beta lactamines should be given as first intention treatment for children over 18 months with pneumonia. Macrolides should be given in case of failure because mycoplasma would then be the most probable infectious agent.
[Magnetic resonance imaging in pediatrics].
In this study, the authors present the problems related to MRI in children, mainly sedation. Main indications of this method in children are reported as well as the role compared to other imaging modalities. MRI is now a routine tool. Well oriented use of MRI remains consistent with the health expenses control and allows improvement of health care and shortens the diagnostic delays.
Accelerated myelination in early Sturge-Weber syndrome: MRI-SPECT correlations.
The prognosis of Sturge-Weber syndrome (SWS) is partly related to early occurrence of seizures but the diagnosis of this phakomatosis may be difficult during the 1st year of life. We have performed a retrospective study of seven patients with confirmed SWS (age 7 days to 3 months). None of the patients was asymptomatic at the time of the study. They all underwent MRI (T1 and T2 sequences) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) at the same time. Regional cerebral blood flow was measured using xenon-133. In all cases, myelination appeared to be accelerated in the areas underlying the leptomeningeal angioma on both MRI sequences. In five cases, SPECT showed hyperperfusion in the damaged hemisphere. In one case, the SPECT was symmetrical and in another it showed hypoperfusion in the damaged hemisphere which was already atrophied. These data suggest that the accelerated myelination is not related to ischemia but to transient hyperperfusion. This MRI pattern can be helpful for the early diagnosis of SWS, which is of utmost importance for preventive antiepileptic treatment.
Hypomelanosis of Ito and brain abnormalities: MRI findings and literature review.
We report the results of a 14-year retrospective study of brain MRI abnormalities in 12 pediatric patients presenting with hypomelanosis of Ito (HI). Miscellaneous brain abnormalities were found: one patient had a medulloblastoma, three had cortical malformations, and five demonstrated "minor" abnormalities such as dilated Virchow-Robin spaces or brain atrophy. We emphasize the polymorphism of brain abnormalities associated with HI.
Alteration of lung diffusion capacity in IgA nephropathy.
OBJECTIVE: To establish whether changes of lung transfer for carbon monoxide (TLCO) are related to the phase of IgA nephropathy. METHODS: Respiratory function was tested in 12 children with IgA nephropathy assessed by percutaneous renal biopsy. This was done during acute exacerbations or haematuria-free phases of the disease. RESULTS: TLCO was low in 12/13 measurements made in the haematuric phase of IgA nephropathy or during the month following gross haematuria (mean TLCO 64% of expected values). Lung volumes and blood gas values were normal and only minor radiological signs of interstial lung involvement were observed in 11/12 patients. When respiratory tests were performed more than three months after gross haematuria, TLCO was low in 4/9 patients, with no relation to the significance of residual proteinuria or severity of findings at renal biopsy. There was a significant difference between tests performed when haematuria was present or recent and those performed more than three months after an episode of gross haematuria (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The decrease of TLCO in the acute phases of the disease is probably related to alterations of the lung alveolarcapillary membrane by immune complexes containing IgA. This non-invasive technique, easy to perform and repeat, could be of value in the diagnosis of IgA nephropathy in haematuric children.
[Corpus callosum agenesis and parasagittal interhemispheric cyst].
We report the association of a corpus callosum agenesis with a parasagittal interhemispheric cyst, without cortical malformation. This rare malformation is related to an early disorder in embryogenesis. The importance of the anatomic abnormalities compared with the good clinical status is remarkable. MR findings avoid misdiagnosis with a medial interhemispheric cyst associated to corpus callosum agenesis in which the prognosis is unpredictable.
Role of magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis and prognosis of growth hormone deficiency.
OBJECTIVE: In patients with congenital GH deficiency (GHD), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has revealed morphological abnormalities such as pituitary hypoplasia, absence of the stalk and ectopia of the posterior pituitary (PPE). Our study was aimed at investigating the possible relationship between neuroradiological images and the presence of isolated GH or multiple pituitary hormone deficiency. DESIGN: We studied 121 patients, aged 0.3-25 years, with isolated GHD (IGHD, 81 cases) or multiple pituitary hormone deficiency (MPHD, 40 cases). Of 81 IGHD patients, 50 were at prepubertal and 22 at pubertal age, while 9 had a delayed onset of puberty. Out of 40 MPHD patients, 25 were at prepubertal age and 15 at the age of puberty. RESULTS: Pituitary hypoplasia, defined as a gland with a height of less than -2 SD for age, was observed more frequently in prepubertal (66%) than pubertal (18%) IGHD patients. It was also found in the majority of MPHD patients of prepubertal (76%) and pubertal age (80%), and of IGHD patients with delayed onset of puberty (100%). Mean +/- SEM pituitary height was significantly lower (P < 0.001) in both prepubertal IGHD (-2.70 +/- 0.20 SD) and MPHD children (-3.10 +/- 0.39 SD) than in IGHD patients with normal onset of puberty (-1.55 +/- 0.2 SD). A significantly greater pituitary height was observed in IGHD patients with normal onset of puberty (-1.55 +/- 0.20 SD) than in MPHD patients at the age of puberty (-4.38 +/- 0.61 SD, P < 0.001) and in IGHD subjects with delayed onset of puberty (-4.06 +/- 0.41 SD, P < 0.001). An important increase (P < 0.02) in the height of the pituitary gland was found in 6 of the 9 patients with delayed puberty when they were re-evaluated after completing their spontaneous pubertal development. The frequency of other MRI abnormalities (PPE, stalk transection) was significantly higher in MPHD patients than in IGHD patients (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our results confirm the usefulness of MRI in the evaluation of children affected by GH deficiency. The association of gland hypoplasia with other MR abnormalities could suggest the presence of multiple anterior pituitary deficiencies. Finally, puberty seems to play an important role in the increase of pituitary size in multiple pituitary hormone deficiency and isolated GH deficiency patients.
[Presence of parents in pediatric imaging].
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the attitude of French pediatric radiologists regarding the presence or absence of parents during pediatric imaging of their child. A mail survey was sent to the French members of the "Société Francophone de Radiologie Pédiatrique". We asked about the inclusion of parents during pediatric imaging procedures. They gave the reasons for their choice and stated if parental presence was helpful or not for the achievement of imaging procedures. Responses were received from 76% of those surveyed. Excluding vascular and interventional procedures, few respondents (13%) permit parents to be present for all types of examinations. One respondent excluded parents from every procedure. Others excluded parents from selected studies: plain films (18%), upper gastrointestinal series (33%), contrast enema (44%), retrograde (47%) and suprapubic (67%) voiding cystourethrography, intra-venous pyelography (45%), US (5%), CT (27%), MRI (25%). Regarding angiography, only 2% of the respondents allow parental presence. Every respondent performing interventional procedures did not accept parents in the interventional suite. When parents were present, they were close to their child (76%) and could help in his immobilization (47%). Most of the respondents (49%) thought parental presence to affect examination in a favorable way. The opposite opinion was supported by 25% of them. An equivocal response was given in 26% of the answers. Numerous reasons supported these responses, they could be classified according to the child and his illness, the parents, the radiologist and his team, the examination performed. Most pediatric radiologists in France allow parents to accompany their children during selected examinations. Radiologists vary in their perception of how parental presence affects the outcome of the pediatric imaging procedures.
Sonographic diagnosis and follow-up of diffuse neutropenic colitis: case report of a child treated for osteogenic sarcoma.
The sonographic features of total neutropenic colitis in a 14-year-old girl with osteogenic sarcoma are presented. Sonography disclosed characteristic diffuse thickening of the colonic wall with hyperechoic bowel mucosa. Serial sonograms were performed to monitor the progress of the disease.
An unusual presentation of focal cortical dysplasia.
In a case of histologically proved focal cortical dysplasia, there was an absence of cortex-white matter delineation in the right parietooccipital area only on the T2-weighted images. This pattern correlated with the gross and histologic findings obtained on the resected cerebral tissue.
Opercular malformations: clinical and MRI features in 11 children.
Opercular malformations are rare and complex brain malformations for which only very fragmented neuropathological descriptions have been reported. They are related to an abnormal development of both sylvian fissure and frontoparietal operculum. We report a retrospective clinical and MRI study of 11 patients presenting with opercular malformations. A congenital pseudobulbar syndrome was observed in six cases, various motor disorders in seven cases, mental retardation in six cases and epilepsy in four cases. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the main features of opercular malformations in children and to try to characterise this entity on the basis of its clinical features and MRI pattern.
Paraneoplastic encephalomyelitis in a child with neuroblastoma.
We present the case of a 12-year-old boy who developed progressive limbic dysfunction associated with a posterior cord syndrome in conjunction with complex partial seizures and intrathecal synthesis of IgG. Although the cerebral CT scan appeared normal, MR imaging showed signal abnormalities in both temporal lobes. As these clinical features reminded us of the well-known paraneoplastic encephalomyelitis (PNEM) in adults, we looked for a tumour and found a pelvic neuroblastoma. The diagnosis of PNEM was supported by the discovery of the antibody anti-HU in the serum of our patient.
[Primary tuberculous infection. Current aspects in imaging. Apropos of 14 cases].
Active pulmonary tuberculosis, a source of contamination, is currently undergoing a recrudescence in developed countries, particularly in clinical contexts of immunodepression. The authors report a retrospective series of 14 cases of primary tuberculosis in a paediatric population (7 girls and 7 boys) with a mean age of 3.5 years (range: 4 months-16 years) observed over a 3-year period. After reviewing the current radiological features of patent primary tuberculosis, the authors emphasize the contribution of chest CT scan in latent forms with a normal chest x-ray and a difficult bacteriological diagnosis. Imaging remains an essential tool in early diagnosis, therapeutic management and active surveillance of this form. The authors propose a decisional flow-chart in the case of suspected primary tuberculosis in children.
Band heterotopia: correlation of outcome with magnetic resonance imaging parameters.
The "band heterotopia" or "double cortex" is a brain anomaly that is presumed to result from a premature arrest of neuronal migration. Patients with this anomaly are reported to have a variable clinical course that has been, heretofore, unpredictable. The clinical records and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging studies of 27 patients with band heterotopia were retrospectively reviewed in an attempt to determine whether imaging findings are useful in predicting clinical outcome of affected patients. Statistical analyses revealed the following correlations: (1) severity of T2 prolongation in the brain with motor delay (p = 0.03); (2) degree of ventricular enlargement with the age of seizure onset (p = 0.04), and with development and intelligence (p = 0.04); (3) severity of pachygyria with the age of seizure onset (p = 0.01), seizure type (p = 0.03), and an abnormal neurologic examination (p = 0.002); (4) parietal involvement with delayed speech development (p = 0.05); (5) occipital involvement with age of seizure onset (p = 0.006); (6) age of seizure onset with development and intelligence (p = 0.03) and with an abnormal neurologic examination (p = 0.04); and (7) severity of the pachygyria and thickness of band with development of symptomatic generalized epilepsy (p = 0.002 and p = 0.02, respectively) and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (p = 0.002 and p = 0.01, respectively).
Vermian agenesis without posterior fossa cyst.
We report 11 cases of vermian partial agenesis without posterior fossa cyst or hemispheric abnormalities. Characteristic MR signs were: absence of the posterior lobe, hypoplasia of the anterior lobe, a narrow sagittal cleft separating the hemispheres ("buttocks sign") and fourth ventricle deformity. The main clinical signs were complex oculomotor dysfunction and developmental delay. None of the patients had respiratory symptoms. Consideration is given to the relationship between Joubert syndrome and this entity as well as to embryological data.
Diagnosis of Cushing's disease in children: a challenge for the radiologist.
Cushing's disease is the most common cause of Cushing's syndrome in children and is almost always related to over secretion of ACTH by the pituitary gland. It is important to identify a secreting adenoma prior to surgery. Seven cases studied with MRI are reviewed. In five cases the MRI findings suggested adenoma. Three secreting adenomas were confirmed at surgery. One case was in fact a cyst of the pars intermedia, and nothing could be found in the last case. Two patients presented with apparently normal findings on MRI, which was confirmed. There is a close correlation between identifying an adenoma and the success of surgery.