Imaging findings in fetal diaphragmatic abnormalities.

Area of Science:

• Medical imaging
• Fetal medicine
• Pediatric surgery

Background:

• Congenital diaphragmatic abnormalities are detected prenatally.
• Ultrasound (US) is the primary screening tool, with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) increasingly utilized.
• Common pathologies include congenital diaphragmatic hernia, eventration, and paralysis, with rarer occurrences like extralobar pulmonary sequestration, tumors, or secondary infiltration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the spectrum of congenital diaphragmatic pathologies.
• To analyze their embryological origins.
• To detail prenatal imaging findings, focusing on MRI, and discuss differential diagnoses and outcome prediction limitations.

Main Methods:

• Review of prenatal imaging techniques (US and MRI) for diaphragmatic pathologies.
• Analysis of embryological basis for congenital abnormalities.
• Evaluation of imaging's role in assessing fetal lung development and predicting postnatal outcomes.

Main Results:

• Prenatal imaging provides detailed fetal anatomical evaluation and lung volume measurements.
• Comparison with normal fetuses aids in assessing pulmonary hypoplasia severity.
• Imaging findings help predict fetal outcomes, informing management strategies.

Conclusions:

• Congenital diaphragmatic abnormalities significantly impact fetal lung development.
• Prenatal imaging, particularly MRI, is crucial for diagnosis, characterization, and outcome prediction.
• Understanding embryology and imaging findings is key for effective prenatal and postnatal management.