UMBILICAL-CORD HEMANGIOMA - PRENATAL IDENTIFICATION AND REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

Hemangioma of the umbilical cord is a tumor arising from endothelial cells of the umbilical vessels. It has also been referred to as angiomyxoma of the umbilical cord, cavernous hemangioma, myxoangioma, hemangiofibromyxoma, or telangiectatic myxosarcoma. A total of 22 cases have been reported in the world literature. In four cases the lesions were prenatally identified, the earliest being done at 17 weeks gestation. We present our case and review the other prenatal diagnoses, discuss the differential diagnosis and prognosis of this condition, and stress which common elements may help the sonographer to direct the diagnosis.