Tumores cardiacos fetales: diagnóstico ecográfico, evolución y tratamiento

aims: to analize the diagnosis, clinical course and management of fetal cardiac tumors diagnosed at la paz hospital (madrid) between 1995 and 2010. methods: we performed a retrospective descriptive study collecting the main ultrasound dates of the maternal, newborn and pediatric history. results: during the study period, 28 fetal cardiac tumors were dignosed. rhabdomyomas were diagnosed in 21 fetuses; 11 rhabdom-yomas returned almost completely. eight of them were diagnosed of tuberous sclerosis up to the moment. other two cases died in utero. one pregnant decided to be practised a miscarriage and four rhabdomyomas which were diagnosed by ultrasound, were not found in the newborns. two fibroms were diagnosed by ultrasound; one of the pregnant woman decided to be practised a miscarriage and the other fetus died when he was born. two newborns were operated, with the pathological anatomy result of a hemangioma and a teratoma. a biopsy was made that confirmed the presence of an atrial hemangiopericitoma which was treated by quimiotherapy. conclusion: fetal cardiac tumors are a rare disease. most of them are rhabdomyomas which syntomatology and clinical course depend on its location. they usually regret spontaneously, but they can be associated with tuberous sclerosis, and this aggravates their prognosis.