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. 2022 Jan;50(1):74-79.
doi: 10.1002/jcu.23092. Epub 2021 Oct 20.

Echogenicities in the fetal gallbladder: Prevalence, sonographic findings, and postnatal outcomes

Gokce Annac  1 , Arzu Bilge Tekin  2
Affiliations

Echogenicities in the fetal gallbladder: Prevalence, sonographic findings, and postnatal outcomes

Gokce Annac et al. J Clin Ultrasound. 2022 Jan.

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the prevalence of echogenicity in the fetal gallbladder (EFG) and to present prenatal sonographic findings and their postnatal outcomes.

Materials and methods: We performed a retrospective study within 17420 pregnant women during a 66-month period. Fetuses with an incidental finding of EFG in their 2nd or 3rd trimester of pregnancy were followed until birth per two weeks with sonographic examinations.

Results: Out of 5977 fetuses, 44 fetuses were found to have EFG with a prevalence of 0.74%. Nine (20%) of 44 fetuses had single echogenicity, 25 (56%) had multiple echogenicities, 10 (22%) had sludge-like echogenicities. In Doppler sonography, 28 fetuses with EFG exhibited twinkling artifacts; however, none of the echogenicities had obvious acoustic shadowing. All of the cases were resolved either in utero or after birth before 10 months of age.

Conclusion: EFG is a late third-trimester phenomenon with a prevalence of 0.74%. Most EFGs presented as twinkling artifacts, suggesting they had a cholesterol component.

Keywords: echogenicity; fetal; gallbladder; gallstone.

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References

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