SONOGRAPHIC SURVEY OF THE UPPER ABDOMEN IN 10 FAMILIES OF PATIENTS WITH IMMOTILE CILIA-SYNDROME

Ten patients affected by the immotile cilia syndrome (ICS) and their f amilies received an ultrasound examination of the upper abdomen to obs erve the possible familial occurence of biliary, pancreatic, and splen ic alterations. In 9 patients the liver was localized in the left hypo chondrium, and in 1 patient there was an accessory spleen. In all the examined kin, the subdiaphragmatic organs were normally positioned. Tw o parents had an accessory spleen. We conclude that the supposed incre ased frequency of polysplenia, asplenia, and biliary atresia among ICS subjects and their kin is overestimated and based only upon anecdotal reports. (C) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.