DISAPPEARING LUNG ECHOGENICITY IN FETAL BRONCHOPULMONARY MALFORMATIONS - A REASSURING SIGN

Congenital bronchopulmonary malformations detectable on prenatal ultra sound include cystic adenomatoid malformation (CAM), lobar sequestrati on, and upper airway atresia. We describe three fetuses with prenatall y detected intrathoracic lesions in which the associated pulmonary hyp erechogenicity disappeared before delivery. In the first case of pulmo nary sequestration, the infant was asymptomatic after birth. However, in a case of CAM and another with laryngeal atresia, respiratory distr ess developed after delivery, despite recent scans showing apparently normal lung fields. This experience suggests that ultrasonic resolutio n of hyperechogenic lung lesions in utero does not necessarily indicat e resolution of the underlying pathology.