title: The value of anterior displacement of the abdominal aorta in diagnosing neuroblastoma in children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the value of anterior displacement of the abdominal aorta, when present at any level or only at the level of the adrenal gland, contralateral to the mass, in diagnosing neuroblastoma on computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging in children up to 7 years of age.
  
  
  METHODS
  Imaging examinations of 66 patients were classified by consensus as for the presence of anterior aorta displacement and were compared with the pathology report.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found anterior abdominal aorta displacement in 26 (39.39%) of the 66 patients evaluated. Among those 26 patients, we identified neuroblastoma in 22 (84.62%), nephroblastoma in 3 (11.54%), and Burkitt lymphoma in 1 (3.85%). The positive predictive value was 84.62%, and the specificity was 88.24%. The displacement of the aorta was at the adrenal level, contralateral to the mass, in 14 cases, all of which were attributed to neuroblastoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When the abdominal aorta is displaced at the level of the adrenal gland, contralateral to the mass, it can be said that the diagnosis is neuroblastoma, whereas abdominal aorta displacement occurring at other abdominal levels has a positive predictive value for neuroblastoma of approximately 85%.
authors.affiliation: Radiologist, Master Student in Science in the Department of Diagnostic Imaging of the Escola Paulista de Medicina da Universidade Federal de São Paulo (EPM-Unifesp), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jose Luiz de Oliveira
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Schiavon
authors.affiliation: PhD, Pediatric Oncologist, Advisor for the Graduate Program in Pediatrics and Applied Sciences in Pediatrics at the Escola Paulista de Medicina da Universidade Federal de São Paulo (EPM-Unifesp), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Eliana Maria Monteiro
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Caran
authors.affiliation: Oncologist, Tenured Full Professor in the Pediatrics Department of the Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (FMUSP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vicente
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Odone Filho
authors.affiliation: Radiologist, Tenured Full Professor and Coordinator of the Graduate Program in Radiological Sciences in the Department of Diagnostic Imaging of the Escola Paulista de Medicina da Universidade Federal de São Paulo (EPM-Unifesp), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Henrique Manoel
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Lederman
keywords: Aorta, abdominal; Magnetic resonance imaging; Neuroblastoma; Pediatrics; Tomography, X-ray computed