Paediatrics | Musculoskeletal and vascular ultrasound in children
Tracks
Rm 7 | Virtual
Paediatrics
| Sunday, May 31, 2026 |
| 11:20 AM - 12:00 PM |
| Rm 7 | First Floor |
Speaker
Ms Stephanie Maconachie
Sonographer
Perth Children’s Hospital/SKG Radiology/ The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne
Spotlight on septic arthritis
11:20 AM - 11:40 AMPresentation Synopsis / Abstract
This lecture will define septic arthritis, it's causes, and the complications if left untreated. It will outline septic arthritis separate from other entities including osteomyelitis and transient synovitis, important clinical history and laboratory tests, clinical presentation and diagnostic imaging pathways. An example case study will be reviewed.
Biography
Ms Stephanie Maconachie |
Perth Children’s Hospital/ The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne
Steph is a general-trained sonographer who began her career in private practice in Western Australia over 10 years ago. Having an interest in both paediatrics and musculoskeletal imaging, Steph has spent time in Melbourne, in specialised centres including The Royal Children’s Hospital and Victoria House Imaging. She now resides back in the sunny west coast, based at Perth Children’s Hospital. Steph has a passion for sharing knowledge, is actively involved in mentoring and training sonographers, radiology registrars and fellows, and this year has plans to assist with the Radiology Across Borders paediatrics VITAL program.
Dr Jeannette Kraft
Consultant Paediatric Radiologist
Leeds Children's Hospital
Small joints, big clues: Paediatric rheumatology in ultrasound
11:40 AM - 12:00 PMPresentation Synopsis / Abstract
Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) represents the most common chronic rheumatic disease of childhood, encompassing a heterogeneous group of subtypes including oligoarticular, polyarticular, systemic, enthesitis-related, and psoriatic arthritis. Early, accurate assessment of inflammation can help guide treatment and improving long-term outcomes. Ultrasound has become an important tool in paediatric rheumatology, offering real-time, radiation-free visualisation of joints, tendons, and entheses with a sensitivity that often exceeds clinical examination.
This talk provides a practical approach to ultrasound evaluation in children with JIA. It will outline key sonographic features associated with active diseases including synovial hypertrophy, effusion, tenosynovitis, enthesitis, and Doppler signal indicating hyperaemia while emphasising how these findings differ from adult presentations. Particular focus will be placed on recognising age-specific normal variants, including physiologically thick articular cartilage, developmental irregularities at growth plates, and the presence of low-grade Doppler vascularity that may be normal in growing joints.
Scanning techniques tailored to paediatrics and important differential diagnoses such as joint infection and osteomyelitis will be discussed. By the end of the talk, attendees will be equipped with practical strategies to distinguish pathology from normal development and enhance the accuracy of their ultrasound assessment in paediatric rheumatology.
This talk provides a practical approach to ultrasound evaluation in children with JIA. It will outline key sonographic features associated with active diseases including synovial hypertrophy, effusion, tenosynovitis, enthesitis, and Doppler signal indicating hyperaemia while emphasising how these findings differ from adult presentations. Particular focus will be placed on recognising age-specific normal variants, including physiologically thick articular cartilage, developmental irregularities at growth plates, and the presence of low-grade Doppler vascularity that may be normal in growing joints.
Scanning techniques tailored to paediatrics and important differential diagnoses such as joint infection and osteomyelitis will be discussed. By the end of the talk, attendees will be equipped with practical strategies to distinguish pathology from normal development and enhance the accuracy of their ultrasound assessment in paediatric rheumatology.
Biography
Dr Jeanette Kraft |
Leeds Children's Hospital
Jeannette Kraft is a Consultant Paediatric Radiologist with special interest in musculoskeletal imaging at Leeds Children’s Hospital where she leads paediatric rheumatology, orthopaedic, neuromuscular and skeletal dysplasia meetings. She graduated in Germany in 1996 and was awarded an MD in 1998. She trained in paediatric imaging in Leeds and at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. She is the treasurer for the British Medical Ultrasound Society, the Scientific Director for the European Training Assessment Programme and a Member of the RCR Specialty Training Board. She represents the UK in the European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS) Section of Radiology.
