Fetal abdominal echogenic mass: an early sign of intrauterine cytomegalovirus infection.

Abstract

Recent advances in ultrasound technology have made it possible to diagnose fetal diseases much earlier in pregnancy. Reports have indicated that intrauterine infections, specifically cytomegalovirus, can be diagnosed prenatally by ultrasound. We encountered two cases in which cytomegalovirus infection was associated with hyperechoic areas in the fetal abdomen. Hyperechoic areas in the fetal abdomen may be an early sign of fetal cytomegalovirus infection. Persistence of this sign may indicate a mild form of infection. Disappearance of these hyperechoic areas in subsequent ultrasonographic examinations and development of other ultrasound signs may indicate severe infection and poor prognosis.