Paravertebral Widening in Cases of Neuroblastoma

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Abstract
Retroperitoneal paravertebral widening is an ominous prognostic sign when it appears in a child suspected of having a neuro-blastoma. Of a series of 100 patients with histologically confirmed neuroblastoma, 27 had paravertebral widening and of this latter group only 2 children were considered to be cured [Seventy per cent] of patients with paravertebral widening followed for a sufficient time survived less than 6 mo. after the diagnosis was established. The para-vertebral widening was due both to direct continuous extension of the tumor and also to foci of retroperitoneal metastases. The paravertebral widening was searched for and not seen in any of 100 consecutive normal pediatric chest radiographs or in any of a series of 137 Wilms'' tumor cases. Although it is not a pathognomonic sign of neuroblastoma, it is of critical diagnostic importance in the evaluation of the child with an abdominal mass.

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