Stomach in Contact with the Bladder: A Sonographic Sign of Left Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia

Fetal Diagn Ther. 2016;40(3):231-234. doi: 10.1159/000434642. Epub 2015 Jun 26.

Abstract

The evaluation of the characteristics of the fetal stomach should be part of every routine prenatal ultrasound after 11 weeks. A position that has not been previously described in the literature is the stomach in contact with the bladder. We describe 6 cases with the ultrasonographic finding of the stomach in contact with the bladder, all of them in fetuses with left-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Even though the reasons for this striking position of the stomach are not clear, our series highlights the fact that the visualization of the stomach in contact with the bladder may be a specific sonographic marker of congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Fetus / diagnostic imaging*
  • Gestational Age
  • Hernias, Diaphragmatic, Congenital / diagnostic imaging*
  • Humans
  • Stomach / diagnostic imaging*
  • Ultrasonography, Prenatal*
  • Urinary Bladder / diagnostic imaging*