Richard A. Bowerman

Prenatal ultrasonography frequently fails to diagnose congenital diaphragmatic hernia

Despite increased use of prenatal ultrasonography and well-defined guidelines to aid in the detection of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), approximately half of neonates born with CDH undergo a prenatal scan that does not diagnose the defect. The purpose of this study was to (1) examine the use of prenatal ultrasonography in neonates with CDH, (2) determine possible reasons that contributed to the failure to detect the abnormality, and (3) evaluate the clinical impact of a diagnostic versus a nondiagnostic study. From 1985 to 1995, 136 consecutive neonates with CDH symptomatic within 24 hours of birth were treated at the University of Michigan Medical Center. Medical records and a University of Michigan CDH database were reviewed for prenatal ultrasound status, side of herniation, site of birth, survival, and extracorporeal life support (ECLS) use. Sonograms that did not diagnose CDH were collected and reviewed by a radiologist for possible-reasons why the diagnosis was missed. Over the 10-year period, use of ultrasonography increased from 33% to 100%, but the false-negative rate remained approximatedly 55%. In reviewing 40 nondiagnostic studies in 25 patients, 25% had technical difficulties, 57% failed to follow established guidelines (localization of the stomach and visulization of the heart with all four chambers), and 33% missed findings (intrathoracic stomach and mediastinal shift) consistent with CDH. There was no significant difference in survival or use of ECLS between neonates with a diagnostic versus nondiagnostic study (53% v 77% survival, P = 0.09; 64% v 42% ECLS, P = .29) Careful attention to following established guidelines and an increased appreciation for the abnormalities would be expected to increase the sensitivity of ultrasonography in detecting CDH. Increased prenatal diagnosis will allow for thorough evaluation for associated malformations, detection of chromosomal abnormalities, and early referra with intrauterine transport to a tertiary care center before delivery.

Intraoperative spinal sonography in the evaluation of intramedullary tumors

Seventeen intraoperative spinal sonographic examinations were performed in 14 patients with intramedullary spinal cord neoplasms. Results of the ultrasound exams were correlated with preoperative imaging studies, surgical findings, and histopathologic analysis of the tumors. Intraoperative spinal sonography accurately localized the intramedullary tumors, often revealing the need for extension of the initial laminectomy. The neoplasms appeared as expansile echogenic masses, with cystic components in over half. Ultrasound was as accurate as preoperative imaging in the evaluation of solid neoplasms, and was superior to computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for delineating the cystic components of neoplasms. Intraoperative sonography should be used routinely in all surgical cases of intramedullary spinal cord neoplasms.

Evaluation of competence in the interpretation of chest radiographs

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to determine relative rates of missed diagnoses for radiologists as a measure of competence in interpreting chest radiographs. MATERIALS AND METHODS Cases involving differing interpretations of chest radiographs were collected from January 1994 through December 1999 by faculty (chest and nonchest radiology specialists) in an academic radiology department. A quarterly peer-review process designated cases months after the fact, and anonymously, as no miss or as class I (nondiagnosable), class II (very difficult diagnosis), class III (should be diagnosed most of time), or class IV (should almost always be diagnosed) missed diagnoses. The rates and classes of missed diagnoses were compared among chest faculty and for the nonchest radiology specialists as a group. RESULTS Chest radiologists read 184,977 studies, and nonchest radiologists read 300,684 studies. Of these, 243 missed diagnoses were classified (classes I and II, 184 cases; class III, 50; and class IV, nine). No difference was detected in the rate of class III and IV misses among chest faculty, but nonchest faculty had significantly more class III (P = .022) and class IV misses (P = .016). CONCLUSION Random sampling of differing interpretations can yield a relative rate of missed diagnoses for radiologists. No difference was detected in clinically important misses (ie, classes III and IV) among chest radiologists, but a statistically significantly higher rate of seemingly obvious misdiagnoses was found for nonchest specialty radiologists. Potential biases may have influenced this analysis, including disease prevalence, sampling, clinical factors, observer variability, and truth-in-diagnosis.

Ultrasonographic features of hepatic adenomas in type I glycogen storage disease.

Focal hepatic masses were delineated by ultrasonography in three of five patients with type I glycogen storage disease (von Gierkes disease). Small hepatic adenomas were visualized as solitary or multiple hyperechoic solid lesions within enlarged, abnormally echogenic livers of increased attenuation. Larger adenomas were heterogeneous, with hypoechoic foci presumed to be secondary to necrosis, hemorrhage, or both. A previously unreported ultrasonographic finding is the markedly enhanced sound transmission identified deep to these solid tumors.

Retroperitoneal extraosseous Ewing's sarcoma with renal involvement: US and MRI findings.

A case of retroperitoneal extraosseous Ewings sarcoma (EES) with renal involvement, which simulated an exophytic renal mass, is reported. EES is a rare soft tissue tumor that can occur anywhere in the soft tissues, but is seen most commonly in the extremities. Although EES is histologically similar to osseous Ewings sarcoma, it is usually found in older patients. EES should be included in the differential diagnosis of soft tissue tumors, especially in the second and third decade of life.

Congenital uterine anomalies and associated pregnancies: findings and pitfalls of sonographic diagnosis.

Fifteen pregnancies occurring in 13 patients with congenital uterine anomalies were analyzed. The anomalies included bicornuate uteri (nine cases), subseptate uteri (two), septated uteri (one), and uterus didelphys (one). Identification of a bilobed uterine contour with an anterior and/or posterior indentation, an eccentrically located gestational sac, and echogenic endometrial debris in the nongravid horn, reliably indicated a coexistent uterine anomaly. Uterine anomalies became difficult or impossible to identify with increasing gestational age. Entities potentially confused with uterine anomalies include cornual leiomyomata, ectopic gestation, placental septations, and uterine scarring. Awareness of the sonographic findings of pregnancies in anomalous uteri should improve their detection and may alter obstetrical management.

Unilateral germinal matrix hemorrhage in the newborn.

A review of cranial ultrasound examinations performed on 426 newborns over a 42‐month period demonstrated a predominance of left‐sided germinal matrix hemorrhage over both right‐sided and bilateral germinal matrix hemorrhage. Distribution of intraventricular or intraparenchymal hemorrhage did not show this pattern. The reasons for left‐sided predominance of germinal matrix hemorrhage remain speculative, and perhaps are related to cerebrovascular anatomic differences or to hemodynamic stresses related to patency of the ductus arteriosus.

Performance on the radiology component of a critical clinical skills examination

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES Clinical competence certification is now required in some specialties in medicine. A Comprehensive Clinical Assessment (CCA) was created to test mastery of critical skills by students at the end of the 3rd year of medical school. METHODS The CCA is a series of stations that test skills the faculty consider important for all medical students (eg, breast examination, electrocardiogram reading, chest pain assessment, ophthalmology photographs). The radiology station was designed to evaluate imaging skills believed to be taught and learned in the core 3rd-year rotations. RESULTS External measures (National Board Examinations, grade point average, and overall score) of clinical performance of the 608 medical students who completed the CCA examination between 1991 and 1993 were found to be correlated with the radiology station scores. CONCLUSION The radiology station in the CCA examination is a reproducible measure of clinical performance.

Spasticity of the Pelvic Floor Mimicking an Obstructive Anomaly

STUDY OBJECTIVE Hematocolpos or hydrocolpos in menstruating women raises suspicion of a partial uterine or vaginal obstruction. The study objective is to report two unusual cases of a spastic pelvic floor leading to urine collecting in the vagina and mimicking an outflow obstruction. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS The study took place at a tertiary care universitys Reproductive Health Care Clinic for Women with Developmental Disabilities and involved two patients with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy and developmental disabilities who presented with irregular menses and abdominal pain and whose radiological evaluations were suspicious for an outflow obstruction. Medical records, including clinic visits, radiological findings, and surgical findings, were reviewed. INTERVENTIONS Both patients underwent ultrasound and MRI evaluation of their reproductive tracts that demonstrated fluid collections in the vagina. An examination under anesthesia was performed in one patient to rule out an obstruction. In the second patient, a pelvic examination under ultrasound observation revealed initial vaginal distension with urine, which resolved after placement of a speculum. RESULTS In both cases, the pseudo-obstruction was felt to be a urine-distended vagina due to a spastic pelvic floor. CONCLUSION A spastic pelvic floor in an incontinent patient with spastic quadriplegia may result in urine accumulation in the vagina, mimicking an outflow tract obstruction. If the history, pelvic examination, and radiological images are inconsistent, performing an ultrasound-guided examination may assist with diagnosis.

Sonographic appearance of neonatal thalamic-striatal hemorrhage.

Kotagal and colleagues1 recently described the case of a full-term newborn whose severe perinatal hypoxia led to symmetric bithalamic and striatal hemorrhage, diagnosed by cerebral computed tomography (CT). They characterized the appearance of this lesion and stressed the radiographic and clinical differences between this form of intracranial hemorrhage and the more common germinal matrix-intraventricular and supratentorial parenchymal hemorrhages seen in the newborn. The sonographic appearance of this lesion has not previously been described. We report here a similar case of a severely asphyxiated term newborn whose thalamic-striatal hemorrhage (TSH) was diagnosed initially by cranial sonography and later confirmed by CT.