Historically Black Schools of Medicine Radiology Residency Programs: Contributions and Lessons Learned

INTRODUCTION

Black radiologists remain significantly underrepresented in the radiology workforce, despite a 1973 plea by Black radiologists of the National Medical Association to increase training programs for minority radiologists.

OBJECTIVE

The authors provide a qualitative narrative that highlights the radiology residency programs of three historically Black schools of medicine (HBSOM) in the U.S., their contributions, and lessons learned from their closure.

METHODS

Data from public repositories, interviews, and conversations were conflated to chronicle significant events and establish a timeline during these residency programs' existence.

RESULTS

Radiology residencies at Howard University School of Medicine (1945), Meharry Medical College (1949), and Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science (1972) were established to train Black doctors to treat communities of color. These programs provided care to underserved and under-resourced areas of the country, where inequitable health care fueled a legacy of poor health outcomes. These radiology residency programs collapsed under the weight of suboptimal funding, strapped capital budgets, attrition of faculty, a declining hospital patient census, and failure to maintain other residency specialty programs.` CONCLUSION: Understanding the history and impact of these programs, and of their closure, can be leveraged to develop strategies to increase the representation of racial and ethnic minorities in radiology. Possible reinstatement, with appropriate allocation of resources and creation of intentional policies to ensure sustained success, merits further investigation and may be a pathway to achieve optimal representation.

Gastric emptying of milk in infants and children up to 5 years of age: normative data and influencing factors

BACKGROUND

Gastric emptying scintigraphy is widely used in infants and children, but there is a lack of age-specific normative data.

OBJECTIVE

The objectives of this retrospective study were: 1) to establish a range of gastric emptying of milk or formula as a surrogate for normal gastric emptying in infants and young children ≤5 years of age, and 2) to investigate the effects of patient age, feeding volume, feeding route and gastroesophageal reflux on gastric emptying.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The reports of 5,136 gastric emptying studies of children ≤5 years of age performed at Children's National Medical Center from January 1990 to August 2012 were reviewed. Demographic data, 1-h and 3-h gastric emptying values and gastroesophageal reflux status of all patients were stored in a database. Using stringent inclusion and exclusion criteria, the studies of patients as similar to healthy children as possible were selected for this study.

RESULTS

The study group included 2,273 children (57% male) ages 0-59 months (median: 4.6 months). The median 1-h gastric emptying was 43% (interquartile range [IQR] 34-54%). The median 3-h gastric emptying was 91% (IQR 79-98%). Sixty-one percent of patients with 1-h gastric emptying value of <50% had 3-h gastric emptying ≥80%. Gastric emptying was significantly faster in children ≤6 months as compared with all older age groups. In each age group, the median gastric emptying decreased with increasing feeding volume. Gastric emptying was significantly faster in patients fed via combined nasogastric tube and oral routes as compared with those fed exclusively orally. There was no significant difference in gastric emptying of children with and without gastroesophageal reflux.

CONCLUSION

Although there are statistically significant differences in gastric emptying based on age, volume and route of feeding, the data suggest that overall normal liquid gastric emptying in infants and children ≤5 years of age is ≥80% at 3 h. One-hour emptying measurements are not reliable for detecting delayed gastric emptying.

Design, Implementation, and Evaluation of a Diversity Program for Radiology

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

Diagnostic radiology training programs are less diverse than graduating US medical school classes and the patient populations they serve. Inclusion of physicians who are underrepresented minorities in medicine (URMM) can strengthen the profession and help to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse population. Our Department of Radiology developed and implemented a plan to increase the number of URMMs in our residency applicant pool and residency training program.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We designed a recruitment strategy to diversify the radiology residency applicant pool. This included website development, advertising, early exposure opportunities, travel to predominantly minority institutions and national meetings, and mentoring URMM medical students. We implemented parallel activities to increase the number of URMMs in our residency program. These included holistic screening tools for residency application review, a diverse residency recruitment committee, a welcome environment for visiting candidates, and "Second Look Weekend" visits for talented candidates. Primary outcomes measured include change in percentages of URMM applicants in our applicant pool and URMM residents in our residency program.

RESULTS

The percentage of URMM radiology residency applicants increased from 7.5% (42 of 556) of the total applicant pool in the 2012 to 2013 recruitment year to 12.6% (98 of 777) in the 2017 to 2018 recruitment year (P = .001). URMM radiology residency representation increased from 0% (0 of 32) in the 2013 to 2014 academic year to 20% (6 of 30) in the 2018 to 2019 academic year (P = .01).

CONCLUSION

An intentional, strategic diversity program can diversify an institution's residency applicant pool and increase representation of URMMs in a diagnostic radiology residency program.

A Leadership Intervention to Further the Training of Female Faculty (LIFT-OFF) in Radiology

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

Women are under-represented in the field of radiology, occupy a minority of leadership positions, and, at our institution, have not achieved the same level of academic success as their male counterparts. Consequently, the authors designed, implemented, and evaluated the Leadership Intervention to Further the Training of Female Faculty (LIFT-OFF) program to (1) improve access to opportunities for women's faculty development and advancement, and (2) improve clarification of expectations about the role and path of advancement.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

LIFT-OFF was developed based on the results of a needs assessment survey. The results generated 14 priority topics, which served as the basis for educational modules conducted by expert speakers. Module effectiveness was assessed with pre- and postsurveys to elicit participant knowledge about the targeted subject matter. A formative program evaluation was performed at the completion of year 1 of 2 to assess outcomes and impacts to date.

RESULTS

Seventeen of 55 (31%) educational module post-survey questions demonstrated a statistically significant (P < 0.05) increase in "yes" responses, indicating an improved understanding of targeted information. At year 1, 75% of the participants indicated that the program improved access to faculty development opportunities and 62% reported improved access to career advancement opportunities. Satisfaction with pace of professional advancement increased from 25% to 46% for junior women faculty (P = 0.046).

CONCLUSIONS

Faculty development programs such as LIFT-OFF can provide career development opportunities and executive skills necessary for women to achieve academic career success and assume leadership positions.

A rare accessory muscle in the hand--the flexor digitorum superficialis indicis

Accessory muscles are easily overlooked during imaging evaluation. Although usually discovered incidentally, they are occasionally symptomatic. With increasing utilization of cross-sectional imaging, the radiologist should be prepared to readily identify these anomalous muscles. It is particularly important to distinguish these anatomical variants from soft-tissue tumors prior to invasive intervention, reserving biopsy and surgery for children who are symptomatic. This report discusses a case of a flexor digitorum superficialis indicis muscle, an extremely rare but well-described accessory muscle, presenting as a painful mass in a 15-year-old girl. The report includes the clinical presentation, radiologic findings, and the significance to management.

Dose Optimization of the Administered Activity in Pediatric Bone Scintigraphy: Validation of the North American Consensus Guidelines

The 2010 North American Consensus Guidelines (NACG) for pediatric administered doses and the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM) Dosage Card guidelines recommend lower activities than those administered at our institution. We compared the quality of the lower-activity images with the higher-activity images to determine whether the reduction in counts affects overall image quality.

METHODS

Twenty patients presenting to our pediatric radiology department for bone scintigraphy were evaluated. Their mean weight was 20 kg. The patients were referred for oncologic (n = 10), infectious/inflammatory (n = 5), and pain (n = 5) evaluation. Dynamic anterior and posterior images were acquired for 5 min for each patient. Data were subsampled to represent different administered activities corresponding to the activities recommended by the NACG and the EANM Dosage Card. Images were evaluated twice, first for diagnostic quality and then for acceptability for daily clinical use.

RESULTS

There was no statistically significant difference in the diagnostic quality of the images from any of the 3 protocols. Pathologic uptake was correctly identified independent of the administered activity, although there was a single false-positive result for an EANM image. When images were subjectively evaluated as acceptable for daily clinical use, there was a slight preference for the higher-activity images over the NACG (P = 0.04).

CONCLUSION

The recommended administered activities of the NACG produce images of diagnostic quality while reducing patient radiation exposure.

Juvenile fibroadenoma and granular cell tumor of the breast in an adolescent

We describe a case of a 15-year-old girl who presented with 2 painful masses in her right breast. Ultrasound confirmed the presence of 2 lesions, both of which appeared noncharacteristic for fibroadenomas. Both lesions were surgically resected. One was found to be a fibroadenoma and the other a granular cell tumor, both benign upon further histologic evaluation. Breast masses are rare in the pediatric population. The finding of a concurrent fibroadenoma and granular cell tumor is unique and has not been previously reported. Granular cell tumors of the breast are relatively uncommon. Often, they are mistaken for a breast malignancy. The concerning clinical and radiographic findings in this patient warranted operative excision.

Removal of a Günther Tulip retrievable inferior vena cava filter after 147 days in a pediatric patient

A Günther Tulip retrievable inferior vena cava filter was placed in a 9-year-old boy with T-cell ALL who had both iliofemoral deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and acute intracranial hemorrhage. The filter was removed 147 days after placement, when the patient was no longer at increased risk for DVT or pulmonary embolus. Removal of the filter did not compromise flow through the vena cava.

The clinical significance of lung hypoexpansion in acute childhood asthma

BACKGROUND

Many children experiencing acute asthmatic episodes have chest radiographs, which may show lung hyperinflation, hypoinflation, or normal inflation. Lung hypoinflation may be a sign of respiratory fatigue and poor prognosis.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the clinical course in children with asthma according to the degree of lung inflation on chest radiographs.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We conducted a retrospective study during a 24-month period (from July 1999 to July 2001) of children aged 0-17 years, who presented to a pediatric emergency department or outpatient clinic with an asthma exacerbation. Chest radiographs obtained at presentation were reviewed independently by three pediatric radiologists who were blinded to the admission status of the patient. The correlation between hypoinflation and hospital admission was assessed in three age groups: 0-2 years, 3-5 years, and 6-17 years. RESULTS. Hypoinflation on chest radiographs was significantly correlated with hospital admission for children aged 6-17 years (odds ratio 16.00, 95% confidence interval 1.89-135.43). The inter-reader agreement for interpretation of these radiographs was strong, with a kappa score of 0.76. Hypoinflation was not correlated with admission in younger children.

CONCLUSION

Lung hypoinflation is associated with a greater likelihood of hospital admission in children aged 6 years or older. Therefore, hypoinflation was a poor prognostic sign and may warrant more aggressive therapy.

The Spectrum of Myositis Ossiticans in Haemophilia

Myositis ossificans (MO) refers to non-neoplastic heterotopic soft tissue ossification that can have several aetiologies. Broadly it can be classified into three categories based on aetiology [1]. MO traumatica, the most common form occurs secondary to acute or chronic trauma. MO can also be associated with neurological disorders and in rare cases is congenital. The latter (progressive MO) is a genetic disorder in which congenital osseous abnormalities are associated with progressive soft tissue calcification. Despite an increased tendency to soft tissue bleeds, MO has been rarely reported in haemophilia. We treated three adolescents with haemophilia and MO of varying degrees of severity and outcome.

Giant prostatic utricle (utriculus masculinis): diagnostic imaging and surgical implications

The prostatic utricle is an embryological remnant of the Mullerian duct system. It is often revealed incidentally on voiding cystourethrography in young males undergoing evaluation for possible vesicoureteral reflux. We present the case of a very large prostatic utricle found incidentally on ultrasound evaluation in a 4-year-old boy with a history of recurrent urinary tract infections.

Evaluation of the hypertensive infant

This article reviews the literature and describes a methodologic approach to the diagnosis of hypertension in the young infant. The numerous etiologies of hypertension have been discussed and normative blood pressure data for neonates and infants have been provided. Techniques for accurate blood pressure measurement in the intensive care setting and for routine outpatient settings, are discussed. The lengthy discussion of radiologic approach to imaging can be summarized with the following suggested algorithm. Initial screening should be performed with gray-scale sonography, to identify renal parenchymal or collecting system abnormalities, including mass lesions and congenital anomalies. Further imaging with color and duplex Doppler sonography detects renal arterial or aortic thrombosis, and alterations in the arterial waveform caused by intrinsic or extrinsic renal artery narrowing. The major limitation of Doppler sonography is the recognition that disease in accessory renal arteries or in small segmental intrarenal arteries may frequently be undetected. Functional imaging with ACEI renography should follow renal sonography to detect hemodynamically significant renovascular disease (with a sensitivity and specificity of approximately 90%); intravenous enalaprilat is the preferred ACEI. Angiography should be reserved for older children in whom interventional percutaneous angioplasty may be more feasible. A young infant with hypertension caused by renal artery stenosis should be controlled medically until he or she is large enough to undergo angiography and angioplasty successfully. CT angiography and MR angiography, although promising in the adult population, may not adequately resolve the small intrarenal vessels, which are frequently the culprit in renovascular hypertension of infancy.

Obstructive uropathy: an important cause of chronic renal failure in children

Care of individuals with renal failure continues to impose a tremendous burden on our national health care budget. Chronic renal failure is the final common denominator of a multiplicity of pathologic processes, some of which progress silently over years. Of these, obstructive uropathy is a prominent cause of kidney failure, accounting for 16.5% of all pediatric renal transplants in 1997. The pathophysiology of obstructive uropathy is reviewed as the basis for a differential diagnosis. In view of the significant role played by obstructive uropathy in the development of renal failure, early and definitive treatment of this clinical entity is imperative.

Case report: prenatally detected dumdbell-shaped retroperitoneal duplication cyst

Enteric duplication cysts are infrequently located in the retroperitoneum. Such cysts are typically spherical or ovoid. We report a retroperitoneal duplication cyst with extension across the abdominal midline in a previously unreported dumbbell configuration. This is the third reported case of prenatally detected retroperitoneal enteric duplication cyst.

Gastric duplication cyst. Scintigraphy and correlative imaging

Gastric duplication cysts are uncommon congenital anomalies, and examples imaged with scintigraphy are rarely reported in the literature. The authors report an infant with duplication of the stomach, which was extensively evaluated using scintigraphy, ultrasound, computed tomography, and upper gastrointestinal series. The role of multimodality imaging is discussed, and correlative surgical and histologic findings are presented.

Peristalsis in duplication cyst: a new diagnostic sonographic finding

Ultrasonography is useful in the evaluation of enteric duplication cysts in infants. Typically, there is an anechoic fluid-filled lumen with a double-layered surrounding wall. This case report documents an additional sonographic finding which has not been recorded: peristaltic contractions of the cyst wall. This provides a real-time observation which is specific in the pre-operative diagnosis of neonatal cystic abdominal masses.

Acute monoblastic leukemia presenting with pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade

A previously healthy young child presented with a large pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade. The chest radiography was key to the recognition of the pericardial effusion. Cytologic examination of the pericardial fluid ultimately established the diagnosis of acute monoblastic leukemia in the absence of associated clinical or laboratory findings. The pericardial fluid was vital for leukemic cell classification because the bone marrow has hypocellular and non-diagnostic. This presentation of acute monoblastic leukemia is very rare, and in the three previously reported pediatric cases has been associated either with peripheral blasts or a history of preleukemia. When the cardiac configuration suggests pericardial effusion in a previously healthy young child, the diagnosis of new onset leukemia should be considered.

An unusual appearance of an aneurysmal bone cyst of the thoracic spine

Aneurysmal bone cysts (ABCs) have been reported in essentially every bone of the human skeleton. This case report documents a very unusual clinical appearance for this entity: a superior mediastinal mass. Also, the patient underwent multiple imaging studies that demonstrated both common (absence of septations) and unusual (extensive involvement of vertebral body with little involvement of posterior elements) characteristics of ABCs.