title: Transient hepatic nodular lesions associated with patent ductus venosus in preterm infants.
abstract: We report on two cases of low-birth-weight preterm infants with patent ductus venosus associated with hepatic hypoechoic lesions of the fourth segment in an otherwise normal liver. Although tumorlike hepatic lesions have been previously reported in association with portosystemic shunts in children and adults, they were never described in preterm infants during physiological patency of ductus venosus. In our patients, hepatic lesions disappeared shortly after the spontaneous ductus closure. Physiopathologic interactions are discussed regarding altered portal blood supply caused by ductus venosus shunt.
authors.affiliation: Unità Complessa di Pediatria e Terapia Intensiva Neonatale, Dipartimento Universitario Materno Infantile, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Via Alfonso Giordano 3, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Ingrid Anne Mandy
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Schierz
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: La Placa
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Giuffrè
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Montalbano
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lenzo
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Corsello
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D020518:Focal Nodular Hyperplasia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006503:Hepatic Veins / Q000002:abnormalities*; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008099:Liver / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008102:Liver Circulation; D008297:Male; D011168:Portal System / Q000002:abnormalities*; D014463:Ultrasonography