ABDOMINAL CALCIFICATION IN CYSTIC-FIBROSIS WITH MECONIUM ILEUS - RADIOLOGIC-PATHOLOGICAL CORRELATION

Background. There is confusion in the radiological literature as to th e site of abdominal calcification in cystic fibrosis (CF) with meconiu m ileus (MI) in neonates. Purpose. To correlate the site of radiograph ic abdominal calcification with histologic and operative findings. Mat erials and methods. A review of clinical, radiographic, surgical and h istologic data in 58 neonates with CF and MI. Results. Abdominal calci fication was identified in 15 (26 %) neonates: on an abdominal radiogr aph in 8 (13 %), at laparotomy in 3 and histologically in 10 (37 %) of the 27 resected specimens. The radiographic pattern of calcification varied from small specks in three cases to small, better-defined areas in two. In the other three patients, the calcification was more exten sive and curvilinear, Histologically, calcification was found to be in tramural in ten resected specimens, of which two also had intraluminal and one serosal calcification. The more extensive, curvilinear calcif ication identified radiographically correlated with histologically pro ven dystrophic intramural calcification. The less marked flecks or dis crete areas of radiographic calcification may represent intramural, se rosal or intraluminal calcification. Conclusion. Intramural calcificat ion is common microscopically in CF with MI, Extensive radiographic ca lcification in these patients is more likely to represent intramural r ather than serosal or intraluminal calcification.