Idrees Muhammad, Ahmed Mushtaq, Tariq Waleed, Tahir Muhammad Junaid, Rehman Anis Ur
Department of Orthopedis, Lahore General Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan.
Department of Pediatric Surgery, Sheikh Zayed Medical College, Rahim Yar Khan, Pakistan.
Radiol Case Rep. 2025 Apr 17;20(7):3331-3334. doi: 10.1016/j.radcr.2025.03.073. eCollection 2025 Jul.
Owing to the rare existence of fetus in fetu (FIF) with an incidence of one per 500,000 live births worldwide, embryologically it is characterized as diamniotic, monochorionic, monozygotic twins partially developing within the twin body. We present a case of a 10-month-old female suffering from progressively increasing abdominal distention and an immobile abdominal mass which was highlighted on contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) consisting of soft tissue, gaseous, and fluid components. It was deciphered after surgical intervention as a stunted fetus characterized by the presence of structures such as the auricle, eye impressions, limb, vertebral column, brain, and gastrointestinal tissue. Such findings suggest the case of a fetus in fetu. Fetus in fetu must be considered as a differential diagnosis among infants and young children presenting with abdominal distention. Such a presentation must never be overlooked and probed clinically and radiologically, followed by surgical intervention to relieve the pressure effect over the viscera and abdomen.
由于胎中胎（FIF）极为罕见，全球活产婴儿中其发生率为五十万分之一，从胚胎学角度来看，其特征为双羊膜、单绒毛膜、单卵双胎，其中一个胎儿部分在另一个胎儿体内发育。我们报告一例10个月大的女性患儿，其腹部膨隆逐渐加重，腹部可触及一固定肿块，增强计算机断层扫描（CECT）显示该肿块由软组织、气体和液体成分组成。手术干预后发现是一个发育不全的胎儿，其具有耳廓、眼痕、肢体、脊柱、脑和胃肠道组织等结构。这些发现提示为胎中胎的病例。对于出现腹胀的婴幼儿，必须将胎中胎视为鉴别诊断之一。绝不能忽视这种表现，应进行临床和影像学检查，随后进行手术干预以减轻对内脏和腹部的压迫效应。
