Pediatric Nuclear Medicine Examinations Realized In Senegal from 2009 to 2017: General Characteristics and Diagnostic Contribution

Objective: To analyze the profile and the diagnostic contribution of pediatric nuclear medicine examinations realized in Senegal. Materials and methods: Retrospective study having included all the files of scintigraphy examinations realized from June 15th, 2009 to June 14th, 2017 for children from 0 to 15 years old in the service of nuclear medicine of the General Hospital Grand Yoff in Dakar. Results: The examinations had concerned 43 children or 3.6% of the patients explored in the service. They were mainly male (65.1%) and their middle age was of 8.1 years with extremes of 2 months and 15 years. Near 3/4 applicants were pediatricians or a surgeons-pediatrician. Scintigraphies were renal (67.4%), thyroid (18.6%) and bones (14%). Clinical indications were dominated by hydronephrosis (38.3%) for renal scintigraphy, goiters (50%) for thyroidal scintigraphy and non-traumatic hip pathologies (66.7%) for bone scan. Renal scintigraphies had found 9 cases of renal failure of which a bilateral one. The functions of renal filtration separated were symmetric in 31% and asymmetric in 37.9%. The renal drainage was altered for 37.9% of right kidney and 58.6% of left kidney with an ascendancy of the functional retentions. The arguments suggestive of Basedow disease were found in 50% case for the thyroid scintigraphies, of femoral osteonecrosis and osteo-articular infection in 33.3% each for bones scans. Conclusion: Nuclear pediatrics examinations although weakly realized has a decisive diagnostic contribution in the pediatric care in Senegal.