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Imaging Endocrine “Diseases” in the Fetus

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Imaging Endocrine Diseases in Children

Part of the book series: Medical Radiology ((Med Radiol Diagn Imaging))

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Abstract

Endocrine disorders in the fetus are unusual. Still, several glands may be affected. Imaging may help in their visualization in normal and abnormal conditions, most often thanks to ultrasound but in selected cases through fetal MR imaging. For instances, thyroid goiter and its consequences are best demonstrated by ultrasound. Hypervascularisation on color Doppler suggests hyperthyroidism. Futhermore, resolution of the goiter under treatment can be monitored with sonography. Bilateral adrenal enlargement suggests congential adrenal hyperplasia and the fetal gender should be carefully examined as sexual differantiation disorders can be an association finding. Ovarian cysts are very common in the fetus and most often their course is benign. Still, torsion and bleeding may occur. The post evolution is often towards spontaneous resolution. Disorders of sexual differantiation encompass a wide number of anomalies. The role of imaging especially ultrasound, is to help understanding the anomalies by categorizing the phenotype. MR imaging is generally helpful in defining large and complex association malformations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Imaging, Erasme Hospital, 808 route de Lennik, 1070, Brussels, Belgium

    F. E. Avni & M. Cassart

  2. Pediatric Imaging, Sainte Justine Children’s Hospital, Montreal, Canada

    F. Rypens

Authors
  1. F. E. Avni
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  2. F. Rypens
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  3. M. Cassart
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Correspondence to F. E. Avni .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Department of pediatric imaging, Jeanne de Flandres Hospital, Rue Oscar Lambret 2, CHRU-Lille, 59000, France

    Fred Avni

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© 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Avni, F.E., Rypens, F., Cassart, M. (2012). Imaging Endocrine “Diseases” in the Fetus. In: Avni, F. (eds) Imaging Endocrine Diseases in Children. Medical Radiology(). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/174_2012_588

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/174_2012_588

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-20702-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-20703-7

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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