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Benign hemorrhagic adrenal cysts are a cause of subdiaphragmatic mass in the fetus and neonate with Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome. Characteristic imaging features on ultrasonography, color Doppler, and magnetic resonance imaging help differentiate adrenal hemorrhage from neonatal neuroblastoma and help avoid unnecessary surgery in these patients. Bilateral adrenal hemorrhage is self-limiting, and spontaneous resolution is the usual outcome. This report presents this rare condition with prenatal ultrasonographic and magnetic resonance imaging findings and reviews the differential diagnosis of neonatal adrenal masses.

We report a case of a right-sided cystic adrenal mass, detected after the 21st week of gestation, associated with fetal macrosomia. The diagnosis of Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome was evoked. Prenatal sonography and magnetic resonance imaging did not allow establishing the origin of the suprarenal mass. The differential diagnosis of cystic neuroblastoma, pseudocystic adrenal haemorrhage, and adrenocortical macrocysts was discussed. A laparotomy was performed 2 weeks after birth due to the increasing size of the tumour and due to its possible malignant origin. Histological findings were haemorrhagic lesions without evidence of malignancy and adrenal cortical cytomegaly. The diagnosis of an adrenocortical macrocyst component of Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome was established., (2004 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome is the most common overgrowth malformation syndrome. The classical features include macrosomia, macroglossia, omphalocele and ear lobe anomalies. Among the associated adrenal anomalies, foetal cortical cytomegaly, outer cortical haemorrhage and unilateral benign cysts are well described. A term neonate was admitted with typical features of the syndrome. Radiological evaluation revealed a rare association of bilateral benign hamorrhagic adrenal cysts. Serial sonography confirmed hamorrhage into benign cysts and ruled out neoplasms. Only one similar case has been documented in the literature previously.