Nabelschnurzyste
Umbilical cord cysts can refer to any cystic lesion associated with the umbilical cord. They can be single (commoner) or multiple.
Epidemiology
They may be seen in ~3% of pregnancies in the first trimester .
Pathology
Umbilical cord cysts can represent either true or false cysts:
- true cysts: have an epithelial lining
- false cysts: no epithelial lining (commoner)
Associations
There are increased associations (especially when there are additional sonographic abnormalities and if there is persistence in the 2 or 3 trimester) with certain chromosomal/structural anomalies (reported in upto 20% in one study ):
- aneuploidic conditions such as
Radiographic features
Antenatal ultrasound
They tend to be eccentric in relation to the umbilical cord . It can be almost impossible to differentiate a true cyst from a pseudocyst on sonographic grounds. The cyst sizes can be variable ranging from a few millimeters up to 5 cm .
Treatment and prognosis
Most advocate a detailed sonographic assessment to be performed if an umbilical cord cyst is seen. A transient cyst which resolves on subsequent imaging is considered to carry an excellent prognosis.
Concerning factors include:
- multiple cysts
- presence of other sonographic abnormalities
- persistence during serial sonographic assessment or persistence into the 2 or 3 trimester
Differential diagnosis
On ultrasound, consider:
- umbilical arterial aneurysm (UAA): shows flow on color Doppler