Alphabet soup: a systematic approach to understanding congenital chest lesions

Congenital chest lesions are a diverse group of anomalies which can have similar imaging appearances, thus creating diagnostic challenges. Increased availability and technical advances of ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging provide improved characterization of these lesions. Improved characterization permits earlier recognition and enhanced prognostication. As such, radiologists are essential in guiding patient management for congenital chest lesions. We present the following imaging review to simplify the diagnostic dilemma of the most common fetal chest lesions, including congenital diaphragmatic hernia, the congenital lung malformation spectrum, and pleuropulmonary blastoma.