Prenatal diagnosis of congenital lobar emphysema: Case report and review of the literature

Congenital lobar emphysema (CLE) is a rare developmental anomaly of the lower respiratory tract, which is characterized by hyperinflation of 1 or more of the pulmonary lobes. The routine use of prenatal sonography has resulted in early identification and serial evaluation of congenital lung lesions. Prenatal diagnosis of CLE is rarely reported in the literature. Here we report a case of a fetus with an echogenic lung presenting in the second trimester suspected of CLE. A discussion of the causes and natural course of CLE is presented.