Unusual signal intensity of congenital pulmonary airway malformation on fetal magnetic resonance imaging

Abstract

Congenital pulmonary airway malformation (CPAM) is classified into pathologically different types. These types are sometimes distinguishable by fetal lung MRI and are usually observed as higher-signal lesions on T2-weighted images than normal lung. We describe a case of unusual CPAM resembling neoplasms, with a lower signal than is found in normal lung. Histopathology showed a large number of mucogenic cells but found no evidence that could explain this feature on fetal MRI. An unusual low-signal mass associated with a pulmonary cyst in fetal lung on MRI may suggest an unusual type 1 CPAM.