What are the prevalence, characteristics and significance of fetal lateral neck cysts detected in an early anatomical scan?

Rivka Sukenik Halevy*, Jordana Mashiach Friedler, Anat Hershko-Klement, Tal Biron-Shental, Ofer Markovitch, Ronnie Tepper

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

Purpose: This study evaluated the association of fetal lateral neck cysts (FLNC) with adverse pregnancy outcomes, in relation to specific sonographic characteristics and co-existing findings. Methods: Pregnancies in which FLNC were detected by a single examiner in early anatomical scans (14–16 weeks) were included. Data regarding the pregnancy and its outcome were retrieved from telephone-based questionnaires, patient charts and from the examiner’s reports. Results: 654 cases of FLNC were detected among 9446 early anatomical scans (6.9%). Complete data regarding 219 pregnancies were available. FLNC were significantly more prevalent in males (65.2%). The prevalence of heart malformations was 3.2% [all were non-isolated cases or with abnormal nuchal translucency (NT) and/or nuchal fold (NF)]. Amniocentesis performed in 165 pregnancies was abnormal in 1.2%. Among 206 children born from this cohort, adverse medical outcomes were reported in 5.3%. The likelihood of adverse pregnancy outcomes was significantly higher in non-isolated cases and in cases with abnormal NT or NF. Sonographic characteristics such as cyst size and bilateral findings were not linked to adverse pregnancy outcomes. Conclusion: Isolated FLNC are benign findings which do not require additional work up. FLNC with additional sonographic abnormalities are associated with a significantly increased risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)51-58
Number of pages8
JournalArchives of Gynecology and Obstetrics
Volume298
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Jul 2018

Keywords

  • Aneuploidy
  • Heart malformations
  • Lateral neck cyst
  • Pregnancy outcome

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