Prenatal diagnosis and follow-up of fetal cardiac tumors: case series and review of the literature

Background: Cardiac tumors are frequent in the fetal and infant stages, with rhabdomyoma being the most prevalent in fetal life. Its diagnosis has increased due to ultrasound screening. Objective: To report the first Peruvian series of cases with prenatal diagnosis of fetal cardiac tumors in a maternal perinatal institute. Methods: Descriptive study of case series. The database of all fetuses with prenatal diagnosis of cardiac tumors from January 2009 to January 2021 at the Instituto Nacional Materno Perinatal (INMP), Lima, Peru, was reviewed. These patients were followed up by telephone and in two cases echocardiographic control was performed. Results: We found 6 cases of patients diagnosed with cardiac tumors in the last 12 years in the INMP, with reduction in size in the follow-up of all cases and association with tuberous sclerosis in half of them. Conclusions: Cardiac rhabdomyomas represent the most frequent tumors in fetal life. Most of them have in common the partial remission of the tumor. However, the clinical evolution depends on the location of the tumor, size, and its association or not with tuberous sclerosis. For this reason, close follow-up is recommended, especially of the central nervous system.