Congenital hepatic cyst: Prenatal and postnatal imaging findings

Congenital Hepatic Cyst in Patients With Patau Syndrome: A Rare Clinical Finding

Trisomy 13 (T13), frequently referred to as Patau syndrome, is a rare autosomal aneuploidy most commonly due to nondisjunction in meiosis. Frequently seen characteristics include cleft lip, cleft palate, cerebral defects, anophthalmia, and polydactyly among many more. We report a rare case of a newborn female with T13, demonstrating several known anomalies associated with the syndrome and an associated large congenital hepatic cyst, exhibiting a significant mass effect on vital organs. Based on a literature review conducted in August 2023, we found no previous documentation of a congenital hepatic cyst reported with T13.

Improving prenatal detection of abdominal supraumbilical anomalies: The sonographic examination of fetal anechoic spaces of upper abdomen revisited

Visualization of the axial plane of the fetal abdomen is mandatory to obtain abdominal biometry in the assessment of fetal growth in the second and third trimesters. The main anatomic landmarks that must be identified in this view include the fetal stomach and the intrahepatic portion of the umbilical vein, which are easily identifiable as they appear anechoic on ultrasound. The gallbladder is the other prominent anechoic structure in this plane. Focused study of the morphological characteristics of, and spatial relationship among, these three anechoic spaces is a simple technique to detect anomalies involving fetal upper abdominal organs. In this review, the sonographic features of those conditions that can be detected using this technique, which was termed the Fetal Examination of the Anechoic Spaces of upper abdomen Technique (FEAST), are classified and illustrated.

Congenital hepatic cyst: Eleven case reports

BACKGROUND

Liver cysts in infants are uncommon. With modern diagnostic imaging, we can achieve an early diagnosis of congenital hepatic cysts. Our purpose was to investigate the clinical features, surgical treatment methods and prognosis of infants with congenital hepatic cysts. Herein, we report a case series of congenital hepatic cysts.

CASE SUMMARY

Eleven infants with hepatic cysts were retrospectively analysed. Ten of them had simple hepatic cysts, and a girl with a large hepatic mass was diagnosed with a solitary intrahepatic biliary cyst accompanied by a choledochal cyst. Among the ten simple hepatic cysts, eight were solitary and two were multiple. A total of 87.5% (7 of 8) of infants with solitary hepatic cysts were detected before delivery, and 86% (6 of 7) of those cysts were located in the right lobe of the liver. Surgical intervention was required for symptomatic hepatic cysts. Cyst resection or unroofing with fulguration of the cyst bed was employed. No recurrence of cysts was observed in these infants.

CONCLUSION

Congenital hepatic cyst is a condition with a narrow differential diagnosis. Accurate diagnosis is essential for appropriate management. Unroofing is the favoured treatment in infants with symptomatic cysts. Most infants with congenital hepatic cysts have a good prognosis.