Eric R. Rosenberg

Integrated imaging of neonatal renal masses

Thirty-three neonatal renal masses were evaluated during a 2-year interval. The final diagnoses in these 33 patients were hydronephrosis [14], multicystic dysplastic kidney [10], renal vein thrombosis [3], obstructed upper pole duplication [2], polycystic kidney disease [2], nephroblastomatosis [1], and mesoblastic nephroma [1]. We recommend an integrated imaging approach that utilizes sonography to clarify anatomy and renal scintigraphy or excretory urography to determine renal function.

The ultrasonographic evaluation of large cystic pelvic masses

Thirty-six large cystic masses of pelvic origin were evaluated by means of gray-scale ultrasonography. The goal was to determine which sonographic criteria would help establish whether a lesion was malignant or benign, to further characterize it into ovarian neoplasms (cystadenoma, teratoma), inflammatory lesions (tuboovarian abscess), and blood-containing lesions (hematocolpos, hematoma). Eighty-three percent of the masses were benign, and 72% were of ovarian origin. Fifty-six percent of the masses were found in women 11 to 30 years old. Although no pathognomonic patterns were discovered, the application of certain sonographic criteria may narrow the differential diagnoses considerably.

Can ultrasonic examination of the pancreas and gallbladder follow a barium UGI series on the same day

Ultrasonic examinations of the pancreas and gallbladder are currently not performed after a barium UGI series until all of the barium has cleared the gastrointestinal tract (12-48 hours). By giving water one hour after a barium UGI series and scanning the patient in an upright position, using the stomach as an acoustic window, we have been successful in visualizing the pancreas in all 14 of the volunteers studied. Our visualization of the pancreas and gallbladder was as good after the UGI series as it was prior to the ingestion of barium in every case. The use of this technique can expedite the evaluation of patients in whom both upper abdominal ultrasonic and barium UGI series are indicated.