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Radiology
Omphalocele and gastroschisis are the two most common major congenital abdominal
Author contributions: wall defects (1). With omphalocele, the intraabdominal viscera herniate into the base of
Guarantors of integrity of entire study, the umbilical cord and the herniated viscera are covered by the peritoneum and amnion.
all authors; study concepts and de-
sign, all authors; literature research, all
The incidence of omphalocele reported in the literature varies considerably, ranging from
authors; clinical studies, all authors; 0.8 to 3.9 cases per 10,000 births (2). Omphalocele is known to be a part of various
data acquisition, M.B., A.G.; data anal- anomaly syndromes, such as Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome, pentalogy of Cantrell, and
ysis/interpretation, all authors; manu- omphalocele exstrophy imperforate anus spinal defects syndrome (2–5). Overall, associ-
script preparation, definition of intel-
ated structural anomalies have been noted in 27% (3) to 91% (6) of fetuses with ompha-
lectual content, editing, revision/
review, and final version approval, all locele, and abnormal chromosomes—mainly those of trisomy 13 and trisomy 18 (7,8)—
authors have been observed in 20%–50% of cases.
© RSNA, 2004 The exact mechanism leading to omphalocele is controversial. During normal embry-
onic growth, a rapid elongation of the gut and its mesentery characterizes the develop-
191
ment of the midgut. As a result of this US Examination and Image ing the fetuses in whom no omphalocele
rapid growth and the simultaneous ex- Interpretation had been detected, it should be noted
pansion of the liver, the abdominal cav- that not all of the women who under-
All US examinations were performed
ity becomes too small to contain all of went US at our US facility gave birth at
by the same sonologist (M.B.) by using a
the intestinal loops, so they enter the our affiliated hospital. Therefore, for
commercially available unit (ESI 3,000;
Radiology
extraembryonic coelom in the umbilical those cases in which the baby was born at
Elscint, Haifa, Israel) with a 7.5-MHz an-
cord. This process of physiologic umbili- another hospital, we asked the mother,
nular-array vaginal transducer. The so-
cal herniation occurs during the 6th her obstetrician, and her pediatrician to
nologist had 3 years experience before
week of development. During the 10th inform us of any anomaly observed in
the start of this study. The average US
week, the intestines return to the abdom- the newborn(s).
scanning time per patient was 20 –30
inal cavity. This process is called the re-
minutes. In cases in which it was techni-
duction of the midgut hernia (9 –11). Ul-
cally difficult to visualize all of the fetal RESULTS
trasonographic (US) examinations have
organs vaginally (in about 1% of patients),
revealed the completion of this process at
an additional US examination was per-
12 weeks gestation (12). It has been sug- Omphalocele was detected in 38 fetuses
formed by using 3.5- and 5.0-MHz abdom-
gested that failure of the intestinal loops of the 43,896 pregnant women—an oc-
inal probes.
to reenter the abdominal cavity results in currence of approximately one in every
The US diagnosis of omphalocele was
omphalocele (13). Another possibility is 1,155 or 0.09% of the pregnancies—at
based on the presence of an abdominal
that omphalocele results from the failure 12–16 weeks gestation (Figure). No false-
wall defect with herniation of the intes-
of the embryonic lateral folds to fuse in negative diagnoses were recorded in this
tinal loops and/or other abdominal or-
the midline (10). series.
gans into the umbilical cord. The US fea-
There are few case reports of transient Associated structural anomalies were
tures of the liver and intestines differ
fetal omphalocele (14,15) or delayed re- detected at initial US in 22 (58%) of the
from those of the blood vessels of the
duction of the physiologic midgut hernia 38 fetuses (Table 1); the karyotype of 18
umbilical cord. The liver and the lumen
(16). Therefore, it seems that the US de- of these 22 fetuses was determined with
of the bowel are echogenic, whereas the
tection of herniation of intestinal loops amniocentesis. An abnormal karyotype
lumen of the blood vessels is anechoic.
into the umbilical cord during the early was identified in 11 of the 18 fetuses in
Regarding the entire series of 43,896
stages of pregnancy raises concern re- whom chromosomal analysis was per-
pregnant women, it should be noted that
garding the exact origin and importance formed. The specific karyotype abnor-
in cases in which a fetal anomaly was
of this finding: Does it represent a mal- malities are listed in Table 1. Herniation
detected at US, targeted follow-up US
formation or a delayed physiologic pro- of the liver into the omphalocele was
scans were usually obtained at our insti-
cess? detected in five of these 22 fetuses. Car-
tution. For those cases in which no
The aim of this study was to detect diac anomalies were detected in 13; cys-
anomaly was detected at US during the
omphalocele and associated anomalies at tic hygroma, in 13; limb anomalies, in
early stages of pregnancy, we recom-
US during the early stages of pregnancy eight; and renal anomalies, in seven fe-
mended that the woman undergo tar-
and to describe the outcomes in fetuses tuses. In one fetus, the omphalocele had
geted follow-up US at about 24 weeks
with isolated and nonisolated omphalo- disappeared by the time of follow-up US
gestation for the detection of anomalies
cele. scanning. This child was followed up for
that may have manifested late (eg, dwarf-
3 years and was healthy at the time of
ism or hydrocephaly). These follow-up
MATERIALS AND METHODS this writing. Three sibling fetuses in
scans were obtained in many cases by
consecutive pregnancies had the same
Study Population various sonologists and not only by the
combination of anomalies: omphalo-
initial sonologist (M.B.), and to our
For this study, we enrolled 43,896 con- cele, hydrocephaly, tetralogy of Fallot,
knowledge almost all of the women in
secutive pregnant women who under- and clubfoot.
this study underwent such scanning.
went US early in their pregnancy (ie, at Data on the 16 fetuses in whom
12–16 weeks gestation) during the period omphalocele was a solitary US finding are
of September 1987 to December 2002. presented in Table 2. Amniocentesis re-
Karyotype Determination and
The mean maternal age was 31.1 years sults showed all 16 of these fetuses to
Follow-up
(range, 17– 45 years). This large series re- have a normal karyotype. Herniation of
flects the tendency in our region for phy- In addition to detailed targeted US ex- the liver was not observed in any of these
sicians to perform detailed targeted US aminations of all fetal organs, fetal karyo- fetuses. Among these 16 fetuses with iso-
examinations of almost every pregnant typing was offered in all cases in which lated omphalocele, there was one case of
woman. Eighty-eight percent (n ⫽ 38,634) omphalocele was detected. Follow-up missed abortion. In another case, the par-
of these women were at low risk for fetal transabdominal US of the fetus was per- ents decided to terminate the pregnancy.
malformations, whereas 12% (n ⫽ 5,262) formed at 20 –24 weeks gestation by the Follow-up data on the remaining 14 fe-
had risk factors such as exposure to medi- same observer (M.B.) in all cases in which tuses were available. Each of four fetuses
cations, family history of congenital mal- the parent(s) decided to continue the was a co-twin in a set of twins in which
formations, and consanguinity. The study pregnancy. The mothers were advised to one of the co-twins was affected. In six
was approved by the institutional review continue undergoing follow-up US ex- newborns, omphalocele was confirmed
board of Rambam Medical Center and Fac- aminations performed by an experienced at delivery and surgically treated. In the
ulty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute examiner until delivery. A postnatal other eight fetuses, the abdominal wall
of Technology, and all maternal patients physical examination was performed in defect had disappeared by the time of
gave their consent to be examined for the all neonates in whom omphalocele had repeat US performed between 20 and 24
study. been observed during pregnancy. Regard- weeks gestation. It is interesting that the
1 34 14 Hydronephrosis, horseshoe kidney, nonseptated cystic hygroma, short Trisomy 18 Pregnancy terminated
limbs, VSD
2 24 14 Horseshoe kidney, septated cystic hygroma, tetralogy of Fallot Trisomy 18 Pregnancy terminated
3 40 15 AVSD, cleft lip and palate, IUGR Trisomy 18 Pregnancy terminated
4 32 15 Diaphragmatic hernia, horseshoe kidney Trisomy 18 Pregnancy terminated
5 36 14 Abdominal cyst, AVSD, horseshoe kidney, septated cystic hygroma Trisomy 18 Missed abortion
6 39 14 Coarctation of aorta, hydronephrosis, oligohydramnios, nonseptated Trisomy 21 Pregnancy terminated
cystic hygroma
7‡ 28 15 Nonimmune hydrops, septated cystic hygroma, short limbs Trisomy 21 Pregnancy terminated
8 39 15 Bilateral clubfoot, hydrocephaly, IUGR, tetralogy of Fallot Trisomy 13 Pregnancy terminated
9 30 12 Holoprosencephaly, oligohydramnios, proboscis, septated cystic Triploidy Pregnancy terminated
hygroma
10‡ 29 16 Horseshoe kidney, septated cystic hygroma, trigonocephaly Triploidy Pregnancy terminated
11 34 16 Dysplastic kidney, nonimmune hydrops, septated cystic hygroma 45, XO Pregnancy terminated
12§ 26 14 Clubfoot, hydrocephaly, tetralogy of Fallot Normal Pregnancy terminated
13§ 21 15 Clubfoot, hydrocephaly, tetralogy of Fallot Normal Pregnancy terminated
14§ 23 15 Clubfoot, hydrocephaly, tetralogy of Fallot Normal Pregnancy terminated
15‡ 24 14 Hyperechogenic cortex, IUGR Normal Pregnancy terminated
16 26 16 Dandy-Walker malformation, oligohydramnios, septated cystic hygroma, Normal Pregnancy terminated
severe heart malformation, short limbs
17 30 16 Hydrops fetalis, septated cystic hygroma Normal Pregnancy terminated
18 37 13 Anophthalmos, AVSD, holoprosencephaly, polydactyly, proboscis, NP Pregnancy terminated
septated cystic hygroma
19‡ 33 13 Septated cystic hygroma, severe heart malformation NP Pregnancy terminated
20‡ 33 14 Arthrogryposis, clenched hands, DOLV, microtia NP Pregnancy terminated
21 32 15 Septated cystic hygroma NP Missed abortion
22 36 15 Nonseptated cystic hygroma Normal Normal, omphalocele
and nonseptated
cystic hygroma
disappeared at 21
weeks gestation
* AVSD ⫽ atrioventricular septal defect, DOLV ⫽ double-outlet left ventricle, IUGR ⫽ intrauterine growth restriction, VSD ⫽ ventricular septal defect.
† NP ⫽ not performed: Amniocentesis to determine fetal karyotype was not performed.
‡ Liver herniation in the omphalocele.
§ Fetuses 12–14 were siblings.
typically have a favorable prognosis. dominal wall defects: associated malfor- detection. Radiology 1986; 161:119 –121.
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Parents should be counseled about the ties. Fetal Diagn Ther 1992; 7:102–115. and allied malformations. Arch Dis Child
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Van Geijn HP. First-trimester sonography proved definition of ventral abdominal
have a transient omphalocele, which of physiological midgut herniation and anomaly with the use of transvaginal
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