Fetal adrenal haemorrhage--two-dimensional and three-dimensional imaging

Area of Science:

• Medical imaging
• Fetal medicine
• Pediatric surgery

Background:

• Prenatal diagnosis of fetal adrenal masses is rare.
• Adrenal hemorrhage can occur in neonates, but prenatal detection is less common.

Observation:

• A cystic mass in the fetal right suprarenal region was detected at 27 weeks' gestation via 2D and 3D sonography.
• Serial ultrasounds showed initial growth, then progressive organization and size reduction of the mass.
• Postnatal sonograms confirmed the decreasing size of the adrenal hemorrhage.

Findings:

• The sonographic findings were characteristic of fetal adrenal hemorrhage.
• The neonate was managed conservatively without surgical intervention.
• The child exhibited normal development at 6 months of age.

Implications:

• This case highlights the utility of advanced ultrasound techniques in diagnosing fetal adrenal hemorrhage.
• Conservative management is effective for typical cases of prenatal adrenal hemorrhage.
• Early and accurate prenatal diagnosis can prevent unnecessary neonatal surgical exploration.