Dear AuntMinnie Member,
Several studies presented at this week's American Heart Association (AHA) scientific sessions indicate that medical imaging can detect early signs of obesity's toll on the body, even in children.
In the first study, Australian researchers used a speckle tracking-based analysis tool to analyze 2D ultrasound data, according to a new article in our Pediatric Imaging Digital Community. They found that children with higher body mass index also demonstrated poorer left ventricular mechanics and function. Get the rest of the story by clicking here.
In a related study from the AHA show, a U.S. team used ultrasound to show that obese children had signs of intima-media thickening of the carotid artery -- in some cases comparable to that of a 45-year-old. These children may be headed for a higher risk of heart disease in the future, but better management could reverse some of the damage, the researchers said. Learn more by clicking here.
We shift to pediatric neurology with an article on research that used diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) MR to assess children presenting to the emergency department with traumatic brain injury. U.S. researchers found that DWI-MRI could detect signs of brain injury, even if other neurological signs appear normal. You can find that article by clicking here, or visit our Pediatric Imaging Digital Community at pediatric.auntminnie.com.
CT lung screening
Finally, the debate over CT lung screening was reopened this week with the publication of new research indicating that CT chest screening can indeed detect cancer at an earlier stage in a population of current and former smokers. But the technique can also lead to unnecessary surgical procedures for false-positive patients. Get the details by clicking here.
