Faculty Bibliography

Gemella morbillorum and Gemella haemolysans are normal oral flora that can also be pathogenic. We report 2 cases of adolescents with osteosarcoma who developed multiple pulmonary nodules associated with Gemella bacteremia. These nodules mimicked metastatic disease. To our knowledge, this manifestation of Gemella infection has not been previously reported. In the setting of malignancy, infectious pulmonary nodules must be distinguished from metastatic nodules in order to treat appropriately.

BACKGROUND: The optimal treatment of perforated appendicitis remains controversial, but there is a trend toward nonoperative management. CT scanning might be helpful in determining which patients could benefit from this treatment option. OBJECTIVE: To determine the value of CT imaging in predicting clinical success or failure in children with nonoperative management of perforated appendicitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Admission CT scans of 34 children with perforated appendicitis treated nonoperatively between January 2003 and June 2006 were retrospectively reviewed. All children were given intravenous antibiotics. Clinical outcome was correlated with imaging findings including the maximal area, number and complexity of collections, presence of an appendicolith or extraluminal air, and extent of intra-abdominal disease outside the right lower quadrant. Patients with an accessible simple collection were drained if their clinical condition did not improve. RESULTS: Successful nonoperative management was achieved in 20 patients; 14 patients failed nonoperative therapy. The presence of collections in three or more sectors (defined as the pelvis and four abdominal quadrants) correlated strongly with clinical failure (P < 0.05), while there was no correlation found between clinical outcome and the presence of an appendicolith, extraluminal air, distant ascites, and collection size or complexity. CONCLUSION: In the nonoperative management of children with perforated appendicitis, admission CT findings demonstrating disease beyond the right lower quadrant correlate with treatment failure.

Abdominal pain often occurs in patients receiving chemotherapy. The authors describe a patient with osteosarcoma who developed severe right-sided abdominal discomfort several days after being admitted for fever, neutropenia, and mucositis. Unexpectedly, the patient's pain was not therapy-related, but rather was caused by a midline pelvic mass.

OBJECTIVE: We review the cross-sectional imaging findings of six cases of pathologically proven renal medullary carcinoma in patients with sickle cell trait. MRI findings were available in three of the patients. To our knowledge, only one previous report has addressed MRI features of this rare disease. CONCLUSION: In young patients with sickle cell trait, an infiltrative renal mass with associated retroperitoneal adenopathy and caliectasis are characteristic findings of renal medullary carcinoma on CT and MRI.

Megacystis-microcolon-intestinal hypoperistalsis syndrome (MMIHS) is a rare, often fatal condition. Infants present with a functional obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract (GI), malrotation, microcolon, and a large nonobstructed bladder. Several features common to both MMIHS and Eagle-Barrett or prune belly syndrome (PBS) include hydronephrosis, bladder distension and laxity of the abdominal wall musculature. Additionally, MMIHS and PBS have been reported in the same family, suggesting the possibility of a common pathogenesis. MMIHS usually presents in female infants. We present a male infant diagnosed with both MMIHS and PBS. This is a unique case in which both MMIHS and true PBS are present in the same infant.

BACKGROUND: Thoracolumbar fracture with listhesis (FL) is an uncommon manifestation of child abuse (increasingly known as nonaccidental trauma), with only six prior reports in the literature. OBJECTIVE: This article seeks to call attention to FL of the thoracolumbar spine in abused children and infants. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed plain films, CT and MR images in seven new cases of FL of the thoracolumbar spine in abused children ages 6 months to 7 years, two of whom became paraplegic from their injuries. RESULTS: Findings varied from subtle listhesis of one vertebra on another to frank vertebral dislocation, most commonly at L1/2. Paravertebral calcification was present in all but one case. In two children, thoracolumbar FL was the only radiographic sign of abuse. CONCLUSION: Radiographic findings of FL of the thoracolumbar spine may be subtle and may be erroneously interpreted as due to a congenital or neoplastic cause. While other signs of child abuse should be sought, spinal injury may be the sole sign of abuse. Recognition of this entity is important to pursue the diagnosis of abuse.

We report a 3-year old HIV-positive female with a 2-cm deep ulcer in the mid-esophagus. A presumptive diagnosis of idiopathic giant ulcer was made after infectious pathogens had been excluded. The child was successfully treated with steroids. Although infectious causes of giant esophageal ulcers in HIV-positive children are common, the diagnosis of idiopathic giant ulcer must be considered in order to institute proper therapy.