Fetal cardiac rhabdomyoma: a sheep or a wolf?

J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2007 Apr;20(4):343-8. doi: 10.1080/14767050601158297.

Abstract

Rhabdomyoma is the most common primary cardiac tumor identified in utero and in infancy. Usually it has a benign course, which has prompted an expectant approach to its management. We report herein the cases of three patients who presented prenatally with cardiac rhabdomyomas. Only one of them had a benign course. The other two patients provided recognizable characteristics of rhabdomyomas with an unfavorable course and demonstrated that fetal rhabdomyomas can have a fatal outcome.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Female
  • Heart Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Heart Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Heart Neoplasms / embryology
  • Heart Neoplasms / pathology
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Trimester, Third
  • Prenatal Diagnosis*
  • Rhabdomyoma / diagnosis*
  • Rhabdomyoma / diagnostic imaging
  • Rhabdomyoma / embryology
  • Rhabdomyoma / pathology
  • Ultrasonography