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Canal of Nuck hernia: a multimodality imaging review

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Abstract

Canal of Nuck abnormalities are a rare but important cause of morbidity in girls, most often those younger than 5 years of age. The canal of Nuck, which is the female equivalent of the male processus vaginalis, is a protrusion of parietal peritoneum that extends through the inguinal canal and terminates in the labia majora. The canal typically obliterates early in life, but in some cases the canal can partially or completely fail to close, potentially resulting in a hydrocele or hernia of pelvic contents. Recognition of this entity is especially important in cases of ovarian hernia due to the risk of incarceration and torsion. We aim to increase awareness of this condition by reviewing the embryology, anatomy and diagnosis of canal of Nuck disorders with imaging findings on US, CT and MRI using several cases from a single institution.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 200 Lothrop St., Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA

    Mitchell A. Rees, Sameh Tadros & Judy H. Squires

  2. Department of Gastroenterology, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    James E. Squires

  3. Department of Radiology, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Sameh Tadros & Judy H. Squires

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  1. Mitchell A. Rees
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  2. James E. Squires
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  4. Judy H. Squires
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Correspondence to Mitchell A. Rees.

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Rees, M.A., Squires, J.E., Tadros, S. et al. Canal of Nuck hernia: a multimodality imaging review. Pediatr Radiol 47, 893–898 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-017-3853-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-017-3853-6

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