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Published on: January 17, 2018
Management of a suprasellar arachnoid cyst identified using prenatal sonography
Juri Fujimura1, Yoshio Shima, Hajime Arai
1Department of Pediatrics, Nippon Medical School Hospital, 1-1-5 Sendagi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8603, Japan.
Insights
A rare fetal intracranial abnormality, suprasellar arachnoid cyst, was diagnosed prenatally. Early endoscopic treatment led to normal development, highlighting the importance of fetal screening.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Pediatric Surgery
- Fetal Medicine
Background:
- Suprasellar arachnoid cysts are rare intracranial malformations.
- Incidental findings on fetal sonography necessitate further investigation.
Observation:
- A case of suprasellar arachnoid cyst identified during routine fetal ultrasound.
- Serial sonography and MRI confirmed the prenatal diagnosis.
Findings:
- Endoscopic cyst decompression was performed at 5 months of age.
- The patient exhibits normal neurodevelopment at 3 years post-intervention.
Implications:
- Routine prenatal screening for intracranial abnormalities is crucial.
- Early diagnosis and intervention can prevent severe complications like endocrine and visual impairments.
Abstract:
We present a rare case of suprasellar arachnoid cyst discovered incidentally on routine fetal sonographic examination. Serial sonographic and MRI scanning led to a prenatal diagnosis and appropriate endoscopic treatment at 5 months of age. The patient is currently developing normally at 3 years of age. Careful screening of fetal intracranial abnormalities is important in routine prenatal sonographic examination for early intervention, which will prevent irreversible complications such as endocrine disorders and visual impairment.
