Department of Radiology, Samsung Cheil Hospital , Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine.
Published online: January 1, 2001.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Increasing number of fetuses with an echogenic lung mass have been reported to show spontaneous re-gression or disappearance of the mass in fetal life. The present study was performed to evaluate how often and to which extent the lung masses regress and , if so, when do they regress. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We prospectively studied 12 consecutive fetuses with a lung mass with regular follow-up sonography in a 3-4 weeks interval until delivery. We evaluated the changes in size and echogenicity of the mass throughout the pregnancy. We also investigated the mass by using color and power Doppler to detect any aber-rant vascular supply to the lesion. RESULTS: The mass was found at 22.2 +/- 2.3 weeks of gestation. The mass size at initial examination was average 30 x 25 x 33 mm. All were echogenic masses. The mass contained cystic components in 5 cases. Color Doppler exmination documented aberrant systemic arterial supply to the mass in 5 cases. The mass could not be identi-fied in 7 cases and showed more than 50% of size reduction in 3 follow-up sonography. The mass did not show significant change in its size in only 2 cases. The mass became smaller at the follow-up in 32.2 +/- 4.3 weeks. Complete disappearance of the mass, when happened, was found at 34.1 +/- 2.5 weeks. CONCLUSION: Fetal lung mass occured as a large echogenic mass with displacement of the mediastinal structures to the other side. The mass regressed in 83% of the cases during fetal life, with a complete sonographic disappear-ance in 58%.
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