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Magnetic resonance imaging of fetal pelvic cysts

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Abstract

The detection of fetal anomalies has improved in the last years as a result of the generalization of ultrasound pregnancy screening exams. The presence of a cystic imaging in the fetal pelvis is a relatively common finding, which can correspond to a real congenital cystic lesion or result from the anomalous liquid accumulation in a whole pelvic organ, mainly the urinary bladder, the uterus, or the vagina. In selected cases with poor prognosis and/or inconclusive echographic findings, magnetic resonance may bring additional information in terms of the characterization, anatomical location, and real extension of the pathology. This pictorial essay describes the normal pelvic fetal anatomy, as well as the most common pelvic cysts. It also describes the causes of an anomalous distension of the whole pelvic organs detected in utero, with emphasis on prenatal magnetic resonance imaging exams. Moreover, it proposes practical teaching points to reduce the differential diagnosis of these lesions based on the sex of the fetus, the division of the pelvis in anatomical spaces, and the imaging findings of the pathology. Finally, it discusses the real utility of complementary MRI.

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Abbreviations

GW:

Gestational week

MRI:

Magnetic resonance imaging

US:

Ultrasound

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital of Lausanne (CHUV), Rue du Bugnon, 46, Lausanne, 1011, Switzerland

    Styliani Archontaki, Reto Meuli & Leonor Alamo

  2. Department of Radiology, Hospital of Yverdon, Rue d’Entremonts 11, Yverdon-les-Bains, 1400, Switzerland

    Styliani Archontaki

  3. Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital of Lausanne (CHUV), Rue du Bugnon, 46, Lausanne, 1011, Switzerland

    Yvan Vial

  4. Department of Pediatric Radiology, University Hospital of Geneve (HUG), Rue Willy-Donzé 6, Geneva, 1205, Switzerland

    Sylviane Hanquinet

Authors
  1. Styliani Archontaki
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  2. Yvan Vial
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  3. Sylviane Hanquinet
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  4. Reto Meuli
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  5. Leonor Alamo
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Leonor Alamo.

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No funding was received for this study.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

This article does not contain any studies with animals performed by any of the authors. All the MRI and US image files were anonymized.

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Statement of informed consent was not applicable since the manuscript does not contain any patient data.

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Archontaki, S., Vial, Y., Hanquinet, S. et al. Magnetic resonance imaging of fetal pelvic cysts. Abdom Radiol 41, 2445–2454 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-016-0980-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-016-0980-8

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