Congenital Incidental Findings in Children that Can Be Mistaken as True Pathologies in Adults: Pearls and Pittfalls of Imaging Diagnosis

Abstract

Congenital entities sharing imaging characteristics with true pathologies occasionally are discovered incidentally in adults. These may occur in the neck, chest, abdomen/pelvis, or musculoskeletal systems. Although these incidental findings share imaging features with true pathologic processes, up-to-date knowledge and assessment with the most appropriate imaging modalities generally allow a distinction between congenital entities that may be safely dismissed and pathologic processes requiring further assessment and treatment. This article reviews several of the most common congenital processes that may present incidentally in adult patients mimicking disease. Emphasis is on findings that can be used to distinguish congenital process from true disease processes.

Keywords: Adult; Congenital; Developmental variant; Disease mimic; Incidental; Pediatric.