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Purpose Because sonography identifies abnormalities of the gastroesophageal junction, it is essential to understand the normal sonographic anatomy. The aim of this study was to determine the normal sonographic appearance of the gastroesophageal junction and its variations and to provide measurements of the abdominal esophagus in asymptomatic, healthy children. Methods In this prospective study, 124 healthy children (75 boys and 49 girls), aged 2 days–12 years, underwent abdominal sonography. With the patient in a supine position, the transducer was placed under the xiphoid and the ultrasound beam was directed cephalad through the window of the left lobe of the liver. The length of the abdominal esophagus was measured from the point at which it penetrated the diaphragm to the gastroesophageal junction. The thickness was measured on the anterior wall at the midpoint of the abdominal esophagus. Results The gastroesophageal junction was identified by sonography in all of the children. The mean length of the abdominal portion of the esophagus ranged from 18 mm in the newborns to 34 mm in children older than 6 years. The wall thickness ranged from 2.4 mm to 5.7 mm. Conclusions Our results indicate that visualization of the gastroesophageal junction and measurement of the abdominal esophagus are readily achievable with real-time sonography in healthy children. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 29:326–331, 2001.

Visual evoked potentials (VEP) and brain stem acoustic evoked potentials (BAEP) were studied in eight children with tuberous sclerosis (four boys and four girls, average age 4.5 years) comparing them with a control group of 21 healthy children (ten boys and 11 girls). The patients had an increased average latency of VEP (IV component or P2; p < .01694) and BAEP (right V wave = p < .001145; left V wave = p < 013792; right I-V interpeak = p < .000543; left I-V interpeak ? p < .009854). Impaired responses were common in both VEP (80%) and BAEP (85%). In addition, altered BAEP were also present in patients without subtentorial structural abnormalities. Evoked potentials serve as a sensitive test for early diagnosis of tuberous sclerosis.

Visual evoked potentials (VEP) and brain stem acoustic evoked potentials (BAEP) were studied in 19 children with neurofibromatosis (13 males and six females aged from seven months to 17 years; average age 6.3 years) comparing them with those of a control group of 43 healthy children (25 males and 18 females). The patients had an increased average VEP latency (III wave = p < .01559; IV wave = p < .00001) and I-V interpeak of BAEP (right I-V interpeak = p < .04083; left I-V interpeak ? p < .00852). Impaired responses were relatively common in both VEP (40%) and BAEP (35%), with a moderate but not constant relation to neuroradiological findings. Altered potentials were also present in patients without structural abnormalities. Evoked potentials serve as a sensitive test for early diagnosis of neurofibromatosis.