Cardiac rhabdomyomas: A clinical case report

Abstract

Introduction: cardiac tumors are rare, usually benign and result in few cardiac complications. Most cardiac tumors are asymptomatic but may give rise to arrhythmias, ventricular outflow tract obstruction, and secondary cardiogenic shock that leads to hydrops and fetal death. Rhabdomyomas represent over 60% of all cardiac tumors diagnosed in the prenatal and postnatal age. In over 50% of the cases these are the primary clinical manifestation of tuberous sclerosis (TS), an autosomal dominant genetic condition affecting multiple organ systems. Methodology: first pregnancy patient with echocardiography report of a 34-week gestation fetus showing multiple solid nodules localized on both sides of the heart ventricles. The case was studied with detailed anatomic ultrasound, Color Doppler fluxometry and fetal monitoring. The images were recorded and the case was followed with prenatal and postnatal color Doppler echocardiography. A brain CT-scan and MRI were performed to rule out any brain lesions suggestive o tuberous sclerosis. Conclusions: studying the fetal cardiac ultrasound enabled an early diagnosis of cardiac tumors for developmental control and association with other lesions.