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Updated: Apr 15, 2026
Protocol and Guidelines for Point-of-Care Lung Ultrasound in Diagnosing Neonatal Pulmonary Diseases Based on International Expert Consensus
Published on: March 6, 2019
Vanishing fetal lung malformations: Prenatal sonographic characteristics and postnatal outcomes
Shaun M Kunisaki1, Stacey Ehrenberg-Buchner2, Jonathan R Dillman3
1Department of Surgery, Section of Pediatric Surgery, C.S. Mott Children's and Von Voigtlander Women's Hospital, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, C.S. Mott Children's and Von Voigtlander Women's Hospital, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
Background/Purpose:
The purpose of this study was to examine the natural history and outcomes of prenatally diagnosed lung masses that appear to undergo complete regression before birth.
Methods:
An IRB-approved retrospective review was performed on 100 consecutive fetuses with a congenital lung malformation at a single fetal center. Prenatal and postnatal imaging as well as outcomes of vanishing fetal masses was analyzed and compared to those with persistent fetal masses.
Results:
Seventeen lesions (17%) became sonographically undetectable at 35.3 ± 2.3 weeks gestation. Vanishing fetal masses were associated with microcystic disease (100% vs. 69%, p=0.005) and a low initial congenital pulmonary airway malformation volume ratio (CVR; 0.31 ± 0.35 vs. 0.70 ± 0.66, p=0.002) when compared to those with persistent fetal lesions. Based on postnatal CT imaging and pathology data, 10.3% of all fetal masses completely regressed. The positive predictive value and negative predictive value of prenatal ultrasound for detecting lung malformations in late gestation were 96% and 43%, respectively. All infants with vanishing fetal lesions were asymptomatic at birth and were more likely to be managed nonoperatively (75% vs. 22%, p<0.0001) when compared to infants with persistent fetal masses.
Conclusions:
Vanishing lung lesions late in gestation are relatively common and are associated with a low CVR and microcystic disease.
