Early prenatal diagnosis of congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation of the lung (Stocker's type I); a case report.

A congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation was diagnosed by ultrasound examination at 20 week's gestation. The entire right lung was cystic and elements of poor prognosis such as hydrops fetalis and polyhydramnios were present. After verification of the karyotype, abortion was performed and autopsy confirmed prenatal findings and Stocker's type I. Cystic congenital adenomatoid malformation of the lung is a rare form of congenital pulmonary disease. Our case shows that this malformation can be accurately diagnosed during the midtrimester of pregnancy by ultrasound examination. Ultrasound examination permits an evaluation of the three types described by Stocker and may reveal certain lesions associated with poor prognosis, such as anasarca or polyhydramnios. Also, it offers the possibility to save some fetuses by surgical decompression in the immediate postnatal period, or to terminate earlier pregnancies by abortion.