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Updated: Apr 6, 2026
Murine Fetal Echocardiography
Published on: February 15, 2013
Multimodality imaging features and surgical correlation of fetus in fetu: An retrospective study with long-term
Xiaofang Chen1, Chongyong Xu1, Haochuan Zhang2
1Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, Zhejiang, China.
Objectives:
To characterize computed tomography (CT) features of fetus in fetu (FIF), correlate imaging findings with surgical and pathological results, and assess long-term outcomes, with emphasis on preoperative differentiation from teratoma.
Methods:
We performed a retrospective imaging study of patients with surgically and pathologically confirmed FIF treated at a single institution. Clinical records, prenatal ultrasonography, postnatal CT examinations, operative findings, histopathology, and follow-up outcomes were reviewed, focusing on CT-demonstrated skeletal organization and relationships to adjacent organs and major vessels. Contrast-enhanced CT was available in 2 of the 7 patients (patients 1 and 4) and was primarily used to further evaluate lesion-vessel interfaces and relationships with adjacent organs. MRI was not routinely performed in this cohort and was not included in the primary imaging analysis.
Results:
Seven patients (five females, two males) were included. Contrast-enhanced CT was available in two cases. Three lesions were detected prenatally on routine obstetric ultrasonography, and postnatal diagnosis ranged from the immediate neonatal period to 3 years of age. Lesions were predominantly retroperitoneal, with one patient presenting as an externally visible parasitic fetus beneath the xiphoid process. CT consistently demonstrated well-circumscribed, encapsulated masses containing fat and ossified skeletal elements. A vertebral axis was identified in two patients, whereas long bone or limb-like structures were observed in six. Several lesions showed close relationships with adjacent organs and major vascular structures, increasing surgical complexity. All patients underwent complete excision, and histopathology confirmed FIF in all cases. During long-term follow-up (1.3-10.4 years), no recurrence or malignant transformation was observed.
Conclusions:
CT is pivotal for diagnosing FIF by demonstrating organized skeletal architecture and defining anatomical relationships, enabling reliable differentiation from teratoma and supporting safe surgical planning with excellent long-term outcomes.
