title: Prenatal diagnosis of anterior sacral meningocele.
abstract: Anterior sacral meningocele is an extremely rare condition and there has been only one previous report of a prenatal diagnosis. We report the case of a 36-year-old primigravida who was referred following detection of a huge fetal pelvic cyst on routine ultrasound examination at 19 + 4 weeks' gestation. Neither fetal ultrasound nor magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 20 + 5 weeks' gestation could detect communication between the cyst and the spinal cord. Because extension of the pear-shaped cyst through the pelvic diaphragm down to the perineum was reminiscent of dilated vagina and uterine cervix, a tentative diagnosis of hydrometrocolpos secondary to imperforate hymen was considered. On follow-up MRI at 33 + 5 weeks' gestation, a narrow stalk connecting the pelvic cyst and the spinal canal through the anterior sacral foramen was clearly delineated, allowing us to reach the prenatal diagnosis of anterior sacral meningocele.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sumi
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kakui
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tatsumi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fujiwara
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Konishi
mesh_terms: D000015:Abnormalities, Multiple / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D052202:Hydrocolpos / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008588:Meningocele / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D017689:Polydactyly / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D011247:Pregnancy; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000379:methods*; D012445:Sacrococcygeal Region / Q000002:abnormalities; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal; D014591:Uterine Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis