[Embryonal mole: value of echography. Apropos of 9 cases]

Hydatidiform embryonic mole is characterised by a special appearance of the placenta, the presence of an embryo or a fetus and a triploid caryotype. The authors report on ultrasound analysis of 9 hydatidiform moles in which the histological diagnosis was confirmed by careful anatomo-pathological examination (with suspicion of triploidy). The ultrasound diagnosis of a complete or partial hydatidiform mole can be made if the following criteria are noted: the placenta is larger and thicker than the placenta of pregnancies of the same duration and shows up with a partial molar appearance; there is the presence of an empty gestation sac or one that contains amorphous echoes suggesting a macerated fetus; a well formed fetus, which has died or is alive but has intra-uterine growth retardation; in early pregnancies, pregnancies that are usually not progressing; if there is a suspicion of a hydatidiform mole search should be made thoroughly for associated malformations (such as triploidy); the presence of lutein cysts of the ovary is a rarity.