The place of MR urography in the diagnosis of urinary tract pathology in pediatric patients. Case report

Wstęp. Urografia rezonansu magnetycznego (uro-MR) jest nowoczesną metodą umożliwiającą nieinwazyjne badanie układu moczowego. Materiał i metody. Przedstawiono przykład wykorzystania obrazowania techniką uro-MR w ustaleniu prawidłowego rozpoznania u dziecka z pa­tologią układu moczowego. Wyniki. U 12-letniej dziewczynki leczonej z powodu obustronnych podwójnych układów kielichowo-miedniczkowych ze zdwojeniem moczowo­dów oraz obustronnych odpływów pęcherzowo-moczowodowych obserwowano nawracające infekcje układu moczowego i zastój moczu. Wyniki badań obrazowych (urografia, cystografia, uro-TK) nie pozwoliły na wyciągnięcie jednoznacznych wniosków . Ostateczne rozpoznanie ustalono na podstawie badania uro-MR. Wnioski. Urografia MR jest skuteczną, niejonową metodą obrazowania układu moczowego u dzieci. W przyszłości należy spodziewać się wzrostu znaczenia uro-MR w diagnostyce patologii układu moczowego w grupie pacjentów pediatrycznych.Introduction. Magnetic resonance urography (uro-MR) is new noninvasive method for evaluation of the urinary tract. Material and methods. We described the examples of application of uro-MR to obtain correct diagnosis in child urinary tract abnormalities. Results. In a 12-year-old girl treated with bilateral duplicated pyelocalyceal system, ureters duplex and bilateral vesicoureteral reflux, recur rent urinary tract infections and urinary tract obstruction were observed. The results of imaging studies (urography, cystography, uro-CT) did not allow us to draw firm conclusions about diagnosis. The final diagnosis was based on uro-MR result. Conclusions. MR urography is useful, nonionizing method for evaluation of the urinary tract. In future, increasing importance of uro-MR in the diagnosis of urinary tract pathology in pediatric patients, may be expected

Vascular rings and sling in children imaging with multislice CT

Background: The term "vascular ring" determines abnormal congenital arrangements of arteries that encircle trachea and esophagus. The rings may be partial or complete, composed only from the vessels or from the vessels combined with fibrous structure (usually ligamentum arteriosum). They are formed by derivatives of the embryonic aortic arches - most often from the IVth pairs (e.g. double aortic arches or right aortic arches) or from the VIth pairs (e.g. left pulmonary artery sling). Depending on the tightness of the ring, these abnormalities may be clinically asymptomatic, evoking repeated respiratory difficulties and/or dysphagia in children at the school age or pronounced respiratory distress in newborns. Nowadays MR or MSCT imaging is applied to visualize the vessels anomalies. Aim: To present the examples of MSCT appearances of the vascular rings and their effects on tracheobronchial tree and esophagus in children. Material/Methods: Five children, aged 1 month - 13 years, with suspicions of vascular rings underwent MSCT investigation of the chest by means of 16-row scanner (Aquillon, Toshiba), using voltage of 120 kVp, current values 40 mA - 170 mA and tube rotation time 500 ms. In all cases three dimensional reformatting was performed. Results: 1. One-month-old girl with respiratory difficulties, cyanosis and recognized tetralogy of Fallot presented the anatomy of double aortic arch with left arch atresia. 2. Two children: 13-year-old boy with recurrent respiratory infections and stridor and 7-year-old girl treated for asthma (false positive diagnosis) - showed rings caused by right aortic arch with aberrant left subclavian artery, completed by left ligamentum arteriosum. 3. The left aortic arch with aberrant right subclavian artery (arteria lusoria) with esophageal compression was recognized in sixteen-month-old boy without clinical symptoms of dysphagia or respiratory difficulties. 4. Left pulmonary artery sling was seen in 13-month-old girl with respiratory distress; there were also: a.) concomitant common trunk for innominate artery and left common carotid artery and b.) persistent left vena cava superior. The compressions and stenoses of the tracheobronchial tree and/or esophagus were visualized in all patients. The radiation dose reduction was obtained due to the diminishing of the current values in the study protocol e.g. to 40 mA (20 mAs) in neonates and infants. Conclusions: MSCT, with low dose protocol, allows for accurate and comprehensive display of the vessels, trachea with main bronchi and esophagus in vascular rings in children. This visualization is significant and adequate for preoperative surgical planning

Patologiczny obraz naczyń prążkowiowo-wzgórzowych u noworodka z wrodzoną infekcją CMV

Background: Lenticulostriate vasculopathy (LSV) is rare pathological picture found during ultrasound imaging of CNS in neonates with cytomegalovirus congenital infection. Case report: Preterm infant born by caesarean section in 31st week of gestation, with minimal clinical and laboratory signs of CMV infection, presented with evident CT pathology and particular ultrasound picture of LSV. Conclusion: Ultrasound evaluation of LSV presence and its advance could be important diagnostic procedure especially in patients with clinically „silent” congenital CNS infections

The Use of the Linear Energy Calculation Model in High-Frequency Induction (HFI) Tube Welding Technology to Obtain Optimal Microstructure and Weld Geometry

The article presents a calculation model of the linear energy of welding P235GH steel tubes with high-frequency currents in order to obtain an optimal microstructure and geometry of the weld of high internal purity. The model was developed based on real data for the standard linear energy used in the steelworks Huta Łabędy and presented as the power factor P/V and P/(V·t), where P is the power [kW], V the production speed [m/min] and t the wall thickness. The model can be used for two ranges of pipe diameters: 114.3–168.3 mm and 219.1–323.9 mm. The data from the model were implemented into the High Frequency Induction (HFI) control panel of Huta Łabędy in order to produce test tubes which were subsequently tested with ultrasounds to verify the quality of the internal weld. In addition, samples were taken for metallographic analysis, which was supposed to check whether the applied linear energy calculation model allows the obtainment of the optimal weld geometry and the optimal angle of the metal flow line allowing for swelling and the extrusion of melted impurities from the inside of the joint by the squeeze rolls. The metallographic analysis also determined the nature of the occurrence of ferrite inside of the center diffusion bond and the zonal microstructure of the joint, the control of which is based on the correlation of the parameters of the mechanical process of forming the tube with the linear energy of welding. Carrying out the technological and technical process based on the applied HFI linear energy calculation model allowed us to obtain a weld of high purity and metallurgical consistency. This model can be used in the future on an industrial scale for the production of pipes using the HFI method