Ultrasound Diagnosis of Infantile Axillary Cystic Hygroma

Axillary Cystic Hygroma

Abstract

Cystic hygroma or cystic lymphangioma is a rare developmental congenital lymphatic malformation. It is most commonly related to thorax and neck region but it can also involve axilla, mediastinum, limbs and face. It is characterized by multiloculated cystic lesion of variable sizes. Ultrasound is very important in the diagnosis of prenatal cystic hygroma but it is also important in the characterization and differential diagnosis of cystic hygroma postnatally. In radiology department CT and MRI is done for the differentiation of cystic hygroma from other cystic lesions but due to the hazardous effects of these modalities it is important to give preference to ultrasound in the diagnosis of cystic lymphangioma. Some international studies are available on the cystic hygroma of the axillary region in infants but no local studies are published on the role of ultrasound in the diagnosis of cystic hygroma in infants.

Objective: To Determine Infantile Axillary Cystic Hygroma through ultrasonography.

Methods: We present a case of axillary cystic hygroma in infant of 3 months, diagnosed with ultrasound. An infant was brought to Gilani Ultrasound Center by his grandmother with a mass in the right axillary region, to search for its possible cause and extension to the adjacent organs. We diagnosed it as cystic hygroma with certainty by Ultrasound. The result was later on confirmed by surgery in children Hospital Lahore.

Conclusions: Ultra sound is more important in the characterization and diagnosis of cystic hygroma in infants.