Cystic neuroblastoma (CN) is an unusual variant of neuroblastoma characterized by a grossly visible cyst(s) and almost always distinctive microcysts on light microscopy. Rarely, CN will appear solid grossly, but microcystification will be present. We examined the clinical, pathologic, and biologic features of 17 cases of CN. The majority of CN had been detected by prenatal ultrasound. The tumors were favorable stage, stroma-poor, but with low or intermediate mitotic-karyorhectic indices and had favorable biologic markers reflected by aneuploidy and by an absence of N-myc amplification and chromosome 1p deletions. However, the high trk expression typically identified in good risk tumors was absent. Although the complete natural history of CN is not fully defined, our experience suggests that some tumors progress in size, whereas others may spontaneously regress or mature. The clinical outcome is excellent, as is expected in localized and stage 4S neuroblastoma in infancy.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Solitary nonparasitic cysts of the liver: the Boston Children's Hospital experience.

A 3 3/12-year-old female child with abdominal distention, new onset pain, and tenderness is described. The child underwent surgical resection of a multilocular cyst of the right lobe of the liver. We reviewed the autopsy and surgical files of Children's Hospital for the past 63 years to identify other congenital cysts of the liver. We found 30 additional cases including 4 multilocular cysts. The origin of these cysts, a review of the literature, and a discussion of diagnostic parameters for the identification of such cysts in context with other hepatobiliary cystic lesions are presented.

Child↗

PubMedDate not supplied

A follow-up study of the reliability and validity of the motor activity rating scale.

This study compared and extended the evaluation of reliability and validity of the Motor Activity Rating Scale (MARS) for observing and symbolically recording body positions, body movements, and intensity of body movements. In contrast to a previously reported study, the movement of relatively inactive individuals was observed. High interrater reliability and statistically significant correlations between MARS movement scores and actometer scores were again observed.

Aged↗