IMR Press / CEOG / Volume 42 / Issue 5 / DOI: 10.12891/ceog1989.2015

Clinical and Experimental Obstetrics & Gynecology (CEOG) is published by IMR Press from Volume 47 Issue 1 (2020). Previous articles were published by another publisher on a subscription basis, and they are hosted by IMR Press on imrpress.com as a courtesy and upon agreement with S.O.G.

Case Report
Prenatal diagnosis of lipomyelomeningocele by ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
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1 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, “G. Hatzikosta” General State Hospital, Ioannina (Greece)
Clin. Exp. Obstet. Gynecol. 2015, 42(5), 711–713; https://doi.org/10.12891/ceog1989.2015
Published: 10 October 2015
Abstract

Objective: The authors report a case of a lipomyelomeningocele with tethered cord, revealed on prenatal ultrasonography and confirmed by fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Materials and Methods: A 32-year-old woman, gravida 1 para 1 underwent the routine second trimester prenatal ultrasound scan at 22+5 weeks of gestation at the present hospital. Results: The scan indicated an echoic semisolid subcutaneous mass covered by skin, posterior to the lumbosacral spinal canal of the fetus. Based on the findings indicating occult dysraphism, a fetal MRI examination was conducted, revealing that the mass was extending to the spinal cord, tethering the cauda equina. The diagnosis of lipomyelomeningocele was established. Conclusion: Lipomyelomeningocele is a form of closed neural tube defect with unclear predisposing factors. Its prevalence ranges between 0.3 and 0.6 per 10,000 live births. It leads to progressive conus tethering with associated neurological, urinary, and gastrointestinal deficits, demonstrating the importance of prenatal diagnosis.
Keywords
Lipomyelomeningocele
Spinal dysraphism
Occult spina bifida
Tethered cord
Fetal MRI
Prenatal ultrasound
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