Prenatal sonographic depiction of intralobar pulmonary sequestration.

A routine prenatal ultrasound at 22 weeks gestation revealed a possible fetal thoracic anomaly. Follow-up ul .. trasound revealed a highly echogenic, well-defined spherical mass in the right hemithorax suggesting pul~ monary sequestration or adenomatoid malformation. Continuing fetal surveillance did not reveal any evi· dence of circulatory compromise. Following a term uncomplicated delivery, an aggressive diagnostic workup was undertaken. Operative exploration of the infant at 5 days revealed intralobar pulmonary sequestration (IPS). Prenatal ultrasound diagnosis and a multidisciplinary approach resulted in an early favorable outcome for the infant. Although rare, space-occupying thoracic lesions can cause significant morbidity in the perinatal period and throughout childhood. Prenatal diagnosis can improve the outcome by alerting neonatal and surgical personnel of a potential problem. We report a case of IPS which was recognized as an intrathoracic mass during prenatal sonographic evaluation. Diagnostic workup was pur~ sued aggressively following the delivery of a term male infant. Definitive diagnosis and surgical treatment were achieved in the first week of life with a favorable out· come.