[Gammagraphic diagnosis of diaphragmatic abnormalities in children]

Hepatic and lung scanning were evaluated as complement methods of congenital defects in the diaphragm, 14 cases were evaluated in which the scan showed alteration on the morphology and function of the liver or lung. On 13 cases correlation was found between the surgical diagnosis and the scan. In 4 cases with diaphragmatic hernia (2 Morgagni and 2 Bochdalek) the scan showed that one portion of the hepatic tissue was localized in the thoracic cavity and in one case of diaphragmatic agenesis in the scan the liver occupied the whole right hemithorax. In 9 cases of diaphragmatic eventration the scan showed alteration of the pulmonary perfussion in large or small areas and generally the hepatic image was displaced towards the thorax. These results showed that the scanning is a trustworthy method and of great help in the diagnosis of congenital diaphragmaic malformations.