Background: Pediatric cancer patients face an increased risk of healthcare-associated infection (HAI). To date, no prospective multicenter studies have been published on this topic.

Myositis ossificans traumatica (MOT) is a rare musculoskeletal disorder in young children. Clinical and imaging presentation in the early stage of disease makes it difficult to differentiate between infection and musculoskeletal neoplasms, particularly in the absence of a history of trauma. Three cases of MOT in children under the age of 10 years, two with inferential trauma, are presented and the findings on different imaging modalities are discussed with reference to the existing literature. While findings based on a single imaging technique, including MRI, may be rather non-specific and even misleading, the combination of different modalities can assist in the consideration of MOT as a possible diagnosis. For example, the demonstration of soft-tissue haematoma on US would suggest the traumatic origin. A rational imaging approach is proposed.

Pancreatolblastomas are rare embryonal malignancies in childhood. We report a 3-year-old girl with a tumor of the head of pancreas. Staging by bone scintigraphy and CT scans of abdomen and chest did not show evidence of metastatic disease. Tumor markers showed elevated levels of alpha-1 fetoprotein (64 ng/ml; normal 0-10 ng/ml) and lactate dehydrogenase (423 U/l; normal range below 300 U/l). The tumor was macroscopically completely removed by local resection. Postoperative tumor grading was pT1, NO, MO. The child recovered very soon after surgery without severe complications. Tumor markers dropped to normal values, indicating complete remission (follow-up time 12 months). According to the biological growth characteristics of pancreatoblastomas and to the literature, localized and non-metastatic tumors should be completely resected without radical pancreatoduodenectomy and without adjuvant chemotherapy. This is the most conservative therapy with a good prognosis. However, metastatic disease, primarily inoperable conditions or local relapses are indications for chemotherapy combined with radiotherapy and followed by resection of the tumor. At present, the prognosis of such cases is rather poor.

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