Leukokoria is an abnormal pupillary reflex most commonly seen in children that usually results from an intra-ocular abnormality. The evaluation of a child with leukokoria should be performed particularly to rule out a retinoblastoma (the cause of leukokoria in half of the cases). The authors present the main clinical and imaging features for the diagnosis of the most common causes of leukokoria.

Keywords: Eye, Leukokoria, Childhood, Ultrasonography, Computed tomography, Magnetic resonance imaging

Hypertrophic pyloric stenosis is a common condition in infants with 2 - 12 weeks of postnatal life. The cause of this disease remains obscure. Clinical diagnosis is based on the history of projectile, nonbilious vomiting, gastric hyperperistalsis and a palpable pyloric "tumor". The authors review the typical findings seen on upper gastrointestinal x-ray series and abdominal ultrasonography. The diagnostic criteria for hypertrophic pyloric stenosis are presented and the applications of these two methods are established on the basis of the current literature.

Keywords: Hypertrophic pyloric stenosis, Pylorus, Vomiting, Ultrasonography, Infants

Persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous (PHPV) is a congenital developmental anomaly of the eye that primarily affects premature infants. PHPV results from failure of regression of the embryogenic primary vitreous and hyaloid vasculature, and proliferation of connective tissue. Three types of PHPV may be found: anterior, posterior and a combination of anterior and posterior. The clinical findings include leukocoria (white pupillary reflex) and microphthalmic eye. This anomaly is usually unilateral and unassociated with other systemic findings. The differential diagnosis between PHPV and other ocular diseases may be difficult due to similar features such as leukocoria, detached retina, retinal folds and cataract. Other diseases with similar features include retinoblastoma, isolated congenital cataract, retinopathy of prematurity and pseudogliomas or leukocorias. Direct visualization of the remnants of the fetal hyaloid vascular system offers the best evidence of PHPV. However, diagnosis using the ophthalmoscope is sometimes impossible because of opaque tissues. In this circumstance an indirect visualization by ultrasound, computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging may be useful. These imaging methods provide valuable information for the differentiation from other diseases, particularly retinoblastoma. The authors present a review of the literature and an iconographic study of the imaging findings in patients with PHPV.

Keywords: Persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous, Leukocoria, Hyaloid artery, Cloquet's canal

Persistent left superior vena cava with absent right superior vena cava is a rare anomaly, with less than 150 cases reported in the literature. Congenitally persistent left superior vena cava is the most common variant of systemic venous return to the heart, resulting embryologically from failure of the left anterior cardinal vein to become obliterated. Its incidence varies from 0.3% in patients with otherwise normal heart to 4.3% in patients with congenital heart disease. In the majority of the patients, a right superior vena cava is present as well, but rarely the right anterior cardinal vein degenerates resulting in the absence of the normal right superior vena cava. The blood from the right side is carried by the persistent left superior vena cava to the right atrium through the coronary sinus. We report the case of a patient with a persistent left superior vena cava and absence of right superior vena cava identified by chance during a chest radiograph and computed tomography examination for investigation of chronic pulmonary obstructive disease. The patient had no congenital heart disease and the blood from the right side was drained by the persistent left superior vena cava into the right atrium through the coronary sinus.

Keywords: Persistent left superior vena cava, Absent right superior vena cava, Chest radiography, Computed tomography