Imaging evaluation of infants with neuroblastoma detected by VMA screening spot test

Abstract

In the Saitama prefecture in Japan, VMA (vanillyl manderic acid) screening spot test for detection of neuroblastoma has been performed in 173,046 infants in the years 1981–1986 and 15 infants were found to have neuroblastoma. Two infants had mediastinal tumors and the remainder 13 had intra-abdominal tumors. Only 7 infants had palpable masses. Although CT was documented to be the best imaging procedure to provide sufficient information for treatment, conventional radiographic examinations of the chest and abdomen, and abdominal ultrasonography were able, as initial imaging procedures, to detect reasonably small neuroblastomas in infants with a positive VMA screening test.