Thymus ectopique cervical

SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Significance of lung anomalies in fetuses affected by tetralogy of Fallot with absent pulmonary valve syndrome.

Tetralogy of Fallot with absent pulmonary valve syndrome is a rare form of tetralogy of Fallot with dilatation of large pulmonary arteries. Prognosis is related to the severity of the cardiac malformation and to bronchial tree compression by dilated pulmonary arteries. This study analyses the prenatal echographic lung appearance in fetuses with tetralogy of Fallot with absent pulmonary valve and discusses its significance. We carried out a retrospective review of fetal and postnatal files of nine fetuses diagnosed with tetralogy of Fallot with absent pulmonary valve syndrome in our institution. Correlations of prenatal ultrasound and cardiac imaging findings were obtained with outcome. Abnormal heterogeneous fetal lung echogenicity was detected in eight cases out of nine, always associated with significant lobar arterial dilatation. This aspect was well correlated with postnatal imaging and outcome in the four neonatal cases. The only fetus with normal lung echogenicity also had lower degree of pulmonary artery dilatation in the series. This study demonstrates that a heterogeneous ultrasound appearance of the fetal lungs can be detected in utero in the most severe cases. This aspect suggests an already significant compression of the fetal bronchial tree by the dilated arteries that may have prognostic implications

Hepatic cysts and hyperechogenicities: Perinatal assessment and unifying theory on their origin

The authors report their experience with the perinatal diagnosis of six cases of hepatic cyst and six of liver hyperchogenicities. The in utero diagnosis of hepatic cysts was difficult when the cysts were large or subhepatic. A precise diagnosis was sometimes achieved only after surgery. Small intraparenchymal cysts tended to regress spontaneously. Liver hyperechogenicities were diffuse or localized. They were unrelated to liver infection, tumors, meconium peritonitis or biliary tract anomaly. Both entities could be related to vascular disruption phenomenon (VDP) in which structural anomalies result from damage to normal development of embryonic or fetal vessels with anomalies of perfusion to the developing organs. The consequences of VDP to the liver are variable depending on the time and duration of the phenomenon. Localized infarct or ischemia can fibrose or calcify leading to segmental hyperechogenicities. Necrosis with tissue reabsorption can be the origin of some (sub)hepatic cysts. When such anomalies are detected there should be a careful study of the placentation, and a search for potential associated anomalies should be undertaken. © 1994 Springer-Verlag.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe