MIA 2012: Pearce MS et al. Radiation exposure from CT scans in childhood and subsequent risk of leukaemia and brain tumours: a retrospective cohort study. Lancet. 2012 Aug 4;380(9840):499-505.

Bottom Line ¹

Interpret this data how you will: Exposure to 2-3 CT scans of the head will triple the risk of brain tumors; 5-10 head CT scans will triple the risk of leukemia. In absolute terms, this translates into approximately 1 excess case of leukemia and 1 excess brain tumor per 10,000 patients.

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By Michelle Lin, MD|2016-11-11T18:42:23-08:00Jan 1, 2013|Pediatrics, Radiology|

Trick of the Trade: Ossification centers of the elbow

Fracture or a normal ossification center?

This is a common question heard when viewing an xray of a pediatric elbow. How do you remember the timing of normal ossification centers? FYI, the xray images above are normal and have no fractures.

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By Michelle Lin, MD|2019-01-28T22:09:10-08:00Jan 1, 2013|Pediatrics, Radiology, Tricks of the Trade|

Is this coin in the esophagus or the trachea?
The classic teaching for the Boards exam is:

Esophageal coins appear in the coronal plane, as shown above.
Tracheal coins appear in the sagittal plane because of the cartilaginous tracheal rings.

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By Michelle Lin, MD|2016-11-11T18:43:31-08:00Sep 28, 2012|Pediatrics, Radiology|

Trick of the Trade: A flexible pediatric ear curette

Having you had trouble seeing a pediatric patient’s tympanic membrane because of impacted cerumen? Scared from that last time you used a rigid curette and caused bleeding in the ear canal? The parents are worried that you hit the brain…

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By Michelle Lin, MD|2019-01-28T22:12:54-08:00Sep 18, 2012|Pediatrics, Tricks of the Trade|

Paucis Verbis: Kawasaki Disease

Kawasaki Disease can be easy to diagnose when you have the pediatric patient, who presents with all 5 of the classic clinical findings. What happens when you have the prerequisite fever for ≥5 days, but only 2-3 clinical criteria?

What ARE the 5 classic findings?
When do you do waitful watching?
When do you perform an echo?
When do you treat empirically?

Check out the nice flowchart below which addresses these questions. They summarize the most recent (2004) American Heart Association’s consensus group’s recommendations.

PV Card: Kawasaki Disease (AHA 2004)

Adapted from [1]
Go to ALiEM (PV) Cards for more resources.

Reference

Newburger J, Takahashi M, Gerber M, et al. Diagnosis, treatment, and long-term management of Kawasaki disease: a statement for health professionals from the Committee on Rheumatic Fever, Endocarditis and Kawasaki Disease, Council on Cardiovascular Disease in the Young, American Heart Association. Circulation. 2004;110(17):2747-2771. [PubMed]

By Michelle Lin, MD|2021-10-10T19:08:53-07:00Mar 23, 2012|ALiEM Cards, Cardiovascular, Pediatrics|

Paucis Verbis: Pediatric fever without a source (3 mo-3 yr)

In part 3 of this “Pediatric Fever Without a Source” Paucis Verbis cards, we now cover febrile infants 3 months to 3 years old (PV cards for birth-28 days and 29 days-3 months old).

Notes:

The algorithm below is a guideline for NON-toxic patients. More ill-appearing children require a more broad workup.
For the under-immunized (<2 PCV immunizations) and temperature ≥39.5C, blood cultures may be falling out of favor in the near future, because the incidence of blood culture contaminants is close to exceeding the true incidence of occult bacteremia.

PV Card: Pediatric Fever Without a Source (3 Months-3 Years)

Go to ALiEM (PV) Cards for more resources.

Thanks to Dr. Hemal Kanzaria (UCSF-SFGH resident) for helping design this PV card and Dr. Christine Cho, Dr. Andi Marmor, and Dr. Ellen Laves (UCSF Pediatrics) for the content.

By Michelle Lin, MD|2021-10-11T15:10:11-07:00Feb 10, 2012|ALiEM Cards, Pediatrics|

Paucis Verbis: Fever without a source (29 days-3 months old)

In part 2 of this “Pediatric Fever Without a Source” Paucis Verbis cards, we now cover febrile infants aged 29 days to 3 months (PV card for birth-28 days). Note that there is no single correct answer in how to manage these patients. There can be a wide variation in practices, partly because of the slightly different criteria used by the 3 studies. The overarching principle is that “high risk” infants get admitted with IV ceftriaxone and “low risk” infants get discharged with close follow-up +/- a ceftriaxone IV or IM dose. The line between these two risk categories is the grey area.

Where I practice, we tend to follow a modified version of the Rochester criteria, where a lumbar puncture and antibiotics aren’t always required for this age group (unlike the Boston criteria).

PV Card: Pediatric Fever Without a Source (29 Days-3 Months)

Go to ALiEM (PV) Cards for more resources.

Keep a lookout for future PV cards which will address fevers without a source in pediatric patients aged 3 months-3 years old.

Thanks to Dr. Hemal Kanzaria (UCSF-SFGH resident) for helping design this PV card and Dr. Christine Cho, Dr. Andi Marmor, and Dr. Ellen Laves (UCSF Pediatrics) for the content.

By Michelle Lin, MD|2021-12-21T13:34:31-08:00Feb 3, 2012|ALiEM Cards, Pediatrics|

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Bottom Line 1

PV Card: Kawasaki Disease (AHA 2004)

Reference

PV Card: Pediatric Fever Without a Source (3 Months-3 Years)

PV Card: Pediatric Fever Without a Source (29 Days-3 Months)

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