Toddler with fever, dysphagia, and neck pain

CT of retropharyngeal abscess extending into mediastinum — Axial (upper), coronal (lower left) and sagittal (lower right) CT with contrast of the neck shows a low density fluid collection in an enlarged retropharyngeal space that extends inferiorly deep into the mediastinum, best seen on the sagittal image.

The diagnosis was retropharyngeal abscess extending beneath T2 into the mediastinum resulting in a danger space abscess.

Teenager post heart transplant on cyclosporine with hypertension and seizures

MRI of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome / PRES — Axial FLAIR MRI without contrast of the brain shows bilaterally multiple areas of hyperintense signal in the cortex and subcortical white matter.

The diagnosis was posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome.

Infant with seizures

MRI of pontocerebellar hypoplasia — Sagittal T1 MRI without contrast of the brain shows severe hypoplasia of the pons and cerebellum. The fourth ventricle is enlarged and the posterior fossa is of normal size.

The diagnosis was pontocerebellar hypoplasia.

Infant with bilateral bumps on the back of the head

CT of parietal foramina — Axial (above left) and coronal (above right) and 3D recon (below) of a CT without contrast of the brain show bilateral large holes in the skull, just medial to midline, in the posterior parietal region.

The diagnosis was parietal foramina.

Teenager with right vision loss

MRI of optic neuritis — Coronal FLAIR MRI without contrast of the orbits (above) shows bright signal in an enlarged right optic nerve. Axial (below lower left) and coronal (below lower right) T1 MRI with contrast of the orbits shows intense enhancement in an enlarged right optic nerve.

The diagnosis was right optic neuritis.

Preschooler with a gait disturbance

MRI of metachromatic leukodystrophy — Axial T2 (left) and FLAIR (right) MRI without contrast of the brain show bilateral symmetrical confluent increased signal throughout the white matter in a butterfly pattern.

The diagnosis was metachromatic leukodystrophy.

Preschooler with emesis

MRI of medulloblastoma — Sagittal T1 MRI without (left) and with (right) contrast of the brain shows a hypointense signal mass filling and distending the fourth ventricle that enhances homogeneously.

The diagnosis was medulloblastoma.

Teenager with pharyngitis and sepsis

US of Lemierre syndrome — Axial CT without contrast of the chest (above) shows multiple cavitary nodules within the lungs bilaterally. Sagittal spectral doppler US of the left internal jugular vein (below) shows thickening of the wall of the vein and no flow within.

The diagnosis was septic pulmonary emboli in a patient with Lemierre syndrome.

Teenager with headache and 3 weeks of photophobia

MRI of intracranial germinoma — Sagittal T2 MRI without contrast (left) shows a small isointense lesion in the region of the pineal gland that on sagittal (middle) and axial (right) T1 MRI with contrast of the brain shows mild enhancement.

The diagnosis was intracranial germinoma.

Teenager with sudden vision loss

MRV of idiopathic intracranial hypertension — Sagittal T1 MRI without contrast of the brain (left) shows a nearly empty sella. 3D reconstruction of an MRV with contrast of the brain looking from the top down (right) shows stenosis of the lateral aspect of the transverse sinuses bilaterally.

The diagnosis was idiopathic intracranial hypertension.

Teenager with developmental delay

MRI of semilobar holoprosencephaly — Axial (above), coronal (below left) and sagittal (below right) T1 MRI without contrast of the brain shows fusion of the frontal lobes, partial development of the posterior falx and occipital horns and separation of the occipital lobes, absent septum pellucidum, and hypoplasia of the corpus callosum.

The diagnosis was semilobar holoprosencephaly.

School ager hit in left eye by a baseball

CT of orbital blowout fracture — Coronal CT without contrast of the orbits (right) shows a discontinuity in the floor of the left orbit, with soft tissue herniated through the discontinuity into the left maxillary sinus.

The diagnosis was orbital blowout fracture.

Newborn with a sacral dimple

US of filar cyst — Sagittal US of the spine (above) shows the conus medullaris to terminate normally at the L1-L2 level. A hypoechoic cystic structure is seen just inferior to the conus and is better seen on the zoomed image (below).

The diagnosis was filar cyst.

Toddler refusing to walk

MRI of posterior fossa ependymoma — Sagittal T1 MRI without contrast of the brain (left) shows an isointense mass filling and distending the fourth ventricle and exiting it and extending beneath the foramen magnum into the spinal canal. The axial T2 MRI (right) shows the hyperintense mass surrounding the left side of the cervical spinal cord.

The diagnosis was ependymoma.

Teenager with left sided weakness after a wrestling injury

MRA of internal carotid artery dissection — 3D reconstruction from a MRA with contrast of the neck and brain shows tapering of the luminal diameter and decreased flow in the right internal carotid artery beginning at its horizontal segment until its terminus. The right middle carotid artery M1 and M2 segments are not visualized.

The diagnosis was distal right internal carotid artery dissection.

Preschooler with decreased hearing on the right

CT of cholesteatoma — Axial CT without contrast of the temporal bones shows an abnormal soft tissue density in the right middle ear.

The diagnosis was cholesteatoma.

Infant of a diabetic mother

AXR and CT of caudal regression syndrome — AXR (above) and axial CT without contrast of the pelvis (below) shows hypoplasia of the lower lumbar spine and complete absence of the sacrum with approximation of the iliac wings in the midline.

The diagnosis was caudal regression syndrome.

Infant with brachial plexus injury at birth

MRI of avulsion pseudomeningocele — Sagittal (left) and axial (right) T2 MRI without contrast of the cervical spine shows a left sided extradural CSF collection posterior to the spinal cord from C6 to T1.

The diagnosis was avulsion pseudomeningocele with possible avulsion of the C7 nerve root.

School ager with obstructive sleep apnea

MRI of antrochoanal polyp — Axial (left), coronal (middle), and sagittal T1 MRI with contrast of the paranasal sinuses show a left-sided polyp extending from the left maxillary sinus (center), to the nasal cavity (left), to the nasopharynx and ultimately to the oropharynx and abutting the epiglottis (right).

The diagnosis was antrochoanal polyp.

Teenager with neck pain and nausea

MRI of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis / ADEM — Axial FLAIR MRI of the brain (upper and lower left) show multiple high signal intensity lesions primarily in the white matter as well as in the medulla that enhance on T1 MRI with contrast (upper right). Sagittal T2 MRI without contrast of the cervical spine (below right) shows high signal intensity expansile lesions in the spinal cord from C2 to C7 as well as from T2 to T3.

The diagnosis was acute disseminated encephalomyelitis.

Infant with sepsis

MRI of Group B streptococcus meningitis and cerebritis — Axial (left) and coronal (right) T1 MRI with contrast of the brain show diffuse meningeal enhancement along with a large variably enhancing solid right occipital lesion that has surrounding edema.

The diagnosis was meningitis and cerebritis due to Group B streptococcus.

Former premature newborn, now 1 month old with seizures

Head US of E. coli meningitis — Coronal US of the brain (above) shows a dilated ventricular system that contains complex echogenic fluid. Axial CT without contrast of the brain (below) shows a dilated ventricular system that contains complex fluid.

The diagnosis was meningitis due to E. coli resulting in pus in the ventricular system causing communicating hydrocephalus.

Teenager with fever and mental status changes

CT of intraventricular intracranial abscess — Axial CT with contrast of the brain shows ring enhancing lesions in the anterior horn of the left lateral ventricle and faint enhancement of the ependymal lining of the ventricles. There is hydrocephalus present as well as effacement of the basilar cisterns.

The diagnosis was intraventricular intracranial abscess causing communicating hydrocephalus. When a ventriculostomy catheter was placed, pus shot out of it.

Teenager with a seizure

CT of toxoplasmosis encephalitis — Axial CT without contrast of the brain shows bilateral cortical and periventricular coarse calcifications.

The diagnosis was toxoplasmosis encephalitis.

Newborn with a full fontanelle

US of HSV-1 / herpes simplex virus-1 encephaliti — Coronal US of the brain (above) shows a round echogenic lesion in the left fronto-parietal region. Axial CT without contrast of the brain (below) shows the lesion to be high density with surrounding low density edema and felt to represent intraparenchymal hemorrhage.

The diagnosis was herpes simplex virus-1 encephalitis.