MATERIALS AND METHODS. A 10-point scale of radiographic findings was devised at our institution and was in use for approximately 18 months before the initiation of this study. After institutional review board approval, 88 abdominal radiographs (anteroposterior and cross-table lateral) were randomly selected for review, allowing for an equal distribution of examinations throughout the scale according to the original examination report. The mean age of the patients in the total study population was 24.9 days (range, 0–56 days); 61 patients (47.3%) were girls and 68 (52.7%) were boys. Four pediatric radiologists having 20, 13, 7, and 5 years of experience scored images twice at least 4 weeks apart according to the scale, which was designed to characterize certainty and severity of disease in neonates and infants with possible necrotizing enterocolitis. Interobserver and intraobserver agreement was assessed by applying weighted kappa statistics. Operative and pathology reports were reviewed.

RESULTS. The average intraobserver weighted kappa value was 0.792 (SD, 0.025; range, 0.635–0.946). The average interobserver weighted kappa value was 0.665 (SD, 0.035, range, 0.574–0.898).

CONCLUSION. Substantial intraobserver and interobserver agreement was found when radiologists used a 10-point scale to report abnormal findings on abdominal radiographs in neonates or infants with suspected necrotizing enterocolitis. This scale warrants further evaluation as a potentially useful clinical tool.

CONCLUSION. IAA is a rare congenital vascular anomaly. Although this entity has been evaluated traditionally with echocardiography and angiography, MRI can accurately diagnose and characterize the various forms of IAA and associated congenital heart defects. MRI can also be used to evaluate for postoperative complications after repair.

MATERIALS AND METHODS. From the database of our center, 300 CT examinations performed between 1991 and 2001 were reviewed. Pulmonary function tests performed the same day as radiologic assessment were available. Of this group, 145 examinations were retrospectively included, referring to 87 patients with confirmed cystic fibrosis and a mean age (± SD) of 15.6 ± 8.4 years (range, 9 months-38 years). Thirty patients underwent one CT examination, 56 underwent two examinations, and one patient underwent three examinations. The mean interval between two examinations was 36.5 months. The 145 examinations were independently reviewed by three radiologists who were blinded to the clinical and pulmonary function test results. The CT examinations were assessed using the scoring system proposed by Bhalla and colleagues.

RESULTS. CT assessed using the Bhalla scoring system is mildly correlated with functional pulmonary test results and has high interobserver reproducibility. The CT score significantly changed between scans obtained in a mean interval of 36.5 months, whereas functional pulmonary test results did not, suggesting that CT is more sensitive than function tests for detecting small changes. However, the variation in CT scores did not predict progression of functional pulmonary test results or progression of CT findings between scans.

CONCLUSION. CT assessment based on the Bhalla scoring system is more sensitive than pulmonary function tests in detecting initial morphologic changes. However, we found no evidence of the predictive value of CT.

CONCLUSION. A superior pubic ramus fracture and a developmental variant can be difficult to differentiate radiographically. A smoothly marginated vertical radiolucency of the superior pubic ramus detected without other features suggesting infant abuse should not be interpreted as a fracture.

CONCLUSION. Increased signal intensity on water-sensitive sequences and mild widening of the physis, often with adjacent bone marrow and muscle edema, are characteristic of chronic stress injury of the iliac apophysis in adolescent athletes who may present with hip, pelvic, or back pain.

CONCLUSION. Technical success was achieved in both cases with a prompt clinical response and no treatment-related complications. To our knowledge, this is the first description of the application of radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of solitary eosinophilic granuloma of the bone.