title: Oropharyngeal fetus in fetu.
abstract: Fetus in fetu is an extremely rare entity and refers to the growth of a "parasitic" twin within a more mature fetus due to its inclusion within cells of the blastocyst. The presence of a vertebral column is considered essential for the diagnosis of a fetus in fetu. The retroperitoneum is the most common location for a fetus in fetu and its location in the mouth is rare. We report a case of oropharyngeal mass detected on antenatal sonography with imaging features consistent with a fetus in fetu. Complete surgical removal of the mass was aided by imaging. Follow-up of these patients is recommended to detect the rare incidence of malignant degeneration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, 3705 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. kapoorv@msx.upmc.edu
authors.forename: Vibhu
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kapoor
authors.forename: Lynda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Flom
authors.forename: Charles R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Fitz
mesh_terms: D005333:Fetus / Q000002:abnormalities*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D018640:Stomatognathic System Abnormalities / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal