Korean J Obstet Gynecol.  2012 Nov;55(11):834-838. 10.5468/KJOG.2012.55.11.834.

Congenital lobar emphysema with cystic lung abnormality: Antenatal ultrasound appearance

• Lee YJ
• Jeong HC
• Joo HJ
• Kim GJ

• KMID: 2274152
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5468/KJOG.2012.55.11.834

Abstract

A 33-year-old woman at 23(+2) weeks of gestational age was referred for consultation due to the findings of a cyst in the right lung of the fetus. Prenatal ultrasound showed a 3 cm-sized hypoechogenic cyst, suggesting congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation. As the cyst grew and compressed the heart, serial cyst aspirations were performed. The cyst was proved to be congenital lobar emphysema on postnatal histopathologic exam. No other anomaly was found. Only few cases of congenital lobar emphysema (CLE) have been reported up to date and the prenatal diagnosis is extremely rare. Typically, fetal sonographic features of CLE have a bright echogenic lung and, to date, only 3 cases have been reported to have a cystic lesion. We report a case of a fetus with a cystic lung abnormality and postnatally proved congenital lobar emphysema.

Keyword

Congenital lobar emphysema; Prenatal diagnosis; Ultrasound; Lung

MeSH Terms

Adult
Aspirations (Psychology)
Cystic Adenomatoid Malformation of Lung, Congenital
Emphysema
Female
Fetus
Gestational Age
Heart
Humans
Lung
Prenatal Diagnosis
Pulmonary Emphysema
Pulmonary Emphysema

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Cross section view of the thorax. (A) The displacement of the heart and mediastinum to the left and compression of the heart (h) due to cyst (c) in the right lower lobe. (B) Ascite is shown in the abdomen.

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  Fig. 2 Postnatal chest computed tomography. The hypoinflated right lung (h) with inner large cyst (c) and mediastinal shift were seen. Ground glass opacity (g) suggest atelectasis. (A) Cross section view. (B) Coronal view.

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