Ultrasonographic features and prognosis of fetal vascular anomalies

Objective To investigate the ultrasonographic features and prognosis of fetal vascular anomalies. Methods Thirty-one fetuses with vascular anomalies diagnosed from June 2013 to August 2018 in Changsha Hospital for Maternal and Child Health Care were retrospectively analyzed. The location, size, shape, internal echo and blood flow distribution of the lesions were observed by ultrasound carefully, and the prognosis was followed up and analyzed. Results Among the 31 cases of fetal vascular anomalies, 10 cases were comfirmed by autopsy after induced labor, and 21 cases were confirmed by postpartum local observation or surgery and pathology. Among them, there were 4 cases of Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome (including 1 case of Parkes-Weber syndrome), 3 cases of hemangioma, 1 case of primary congenital lymphedema and 23 cases of lymphangioma. Thirty-one cases showed lesions coincident with ultrasound localization and diagnosis, including 9 cases of head and neck lesions, 15 cases of trunk lesions, 1 case of upper limb lesion and 6 cases of lower limb lesions. The blood flow spectra of arteriovenous fistulas were found in 3 cases of fetal lesions and no obvious blood flow signals were found in 28 cases of fetal lesions. Conclusions Prenatal ultrasound examination and follow-up play an important role in the diagnosis and prognostic prediction of fetal vascular diseases. The prognosis of fetal vascular diseases is closely related to the location, size, effect on the surrounding tissue and shunt volume of the lesion. Key words: Ultrasonography; Vascular anomalies; Klippel-trenaunay syndrome; Fetus