Pre- and neonatal imaging of gastrointestinal complications in congenital diaphragmatic hernia

Abstract

The initial outcome in infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia is mainly related to the associated lung hypoplasia. However, these patients frequently present with additional gastrointestinal pathology that also influences their quality of life and final prognosis. Congenital gastrointestinal anomalies are often observed and the displacement of the liver, the stomach and/or the intestines into the thorax may cause distortion of the vascular axis of these organs, increasing the risk of congestion and/or ischemia. Some of these gastrointestinal complications are already visible at imaging studies performed in utero and/or in newborns.This pictorial essay describes the imaging findings of the most frequently detected gastrointestinal complications in fetuses and infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, focusing on prenatal exams.