Lithopädion

das Steinkind
von Leinzell, Zeichnung von W. Kieser
Wikipedia • Public domain
Lithopedion
diagnosed during infertility workup: a case report. Abdominal radiograph showing radio-opaque shadow of calcified skull of lithopedion.
springerplus.springeropen.com • CC-by-2.0
Neglected
intrauterine fetal demise for more than two decades leading to the development of a lithopedion: a case report. Scanogram shows calcified tubular fetal parts in the pelvis
jmedicalcasereports.biomedcentral.com • CC-by-4.0
Neglected
intrauterine fetal demise for more than two decades leading to the development of a lithopedion: a case report. Post-contrast abdominal computed tomography images. a Sagittal image showing intrauterine fetal bony parts and focal adhesion of the uterus to the anterior abdominal wall. b. Axial image showing multiple bony structures of the fetus and displaced urinary bladder anterolateral
jmedicalcasereports.biomedcentral.com • CC-by-4.0
nicht verwechseln mit: fetus in fetu
Radiopaedia • CC-by-nc-sa 3.0 • de

Lithopaedions, also referred as stone babies, are a rare phenomenon which occurs most commonly when a fetus dies during an ectopic pregnancy.

Epidemiology

The estimated incidence is at ~ 1.5 to 1.8% of abdominal ectopic pregnancies .

Pathology

If the deceased fetus is too large to be re-absorbed by the mother’s body it becomes a foreign body to the mother’s immune system. To protect itself from possible infection, the mother’s body will encase the fetus in a calciferous substance. The fetus is gradually mummified becoming a stone baby. Lithopedions may occur from 14 weeks’ gestation to full term. It is not unusual for a stone baby to remain undiagnosed for decades and found incidentally when taking plain films for various reasons.

History and etymology

Derives from the Ancient Greek roots, litho (λίθο) = stone and paedion (παιδίον) = child.

Differential diagnosis

Diagnosis is usually straightforward, but differential hypotheses might include:

Siehe auch:
Assoziationen und Differentialdiagnosen zu Lithopädion:
Extrauteringravidität
 
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