Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2015 Jan 28;7(1):17-21.
doi: 10.4329/wjr.v7.i1.17.

Fetal brain tumors: Prenatal diagnosis by ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging

Hérbene José Milani  1 , Edward Araujo Júnior  1 , Sérgio Cavalheiro  1 , Patrícia Soares Oliveira  1 , Wagner Jou Hisaba  1 , Enoch Quinderé Sá Barreto  1 , Maurício Mendes Barbosa  1 , Luciano Marcondes Nardozza  1 , Antonio Fernandes Moron  1
Affiliations
Review

Fetal brain tumors: Prenatal diagnosis by ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging

Hérbene José Milani et al. World J Radiol. .

Abstract

Congenital central nervous system tumors diagnosed during pregnancy are rare, and often have a poor prognosis. The most frequent type is the teratoma. Use of ultrasound and magnetic resonance image allows the suspicion of brain tumors during pregnancy. However, the definitive diagnosis is only confirmed after birth by histology. The purpose of this mini-review article is to describe the general clinical aspects of intracranial tumors and describe the main fetal brain tumors.

Keywords: Brain tumors; Fetus; Magnetic resonance imaging; Teratoma; Ultrasound.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Case of anaplastic astrocytoma. Magnetic resonance imaging (T1 Fast Spin Echo, axial plane) 7 d after birth showing large parieto-occipital lesion with solid and cystic components (white arrow).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Fetus at 15 wk of gestation. Magnetic resonance imaging (T2 haste), (A) coronal plane, and (B) axial plane, showing a large lesion with solid and cystic components involving the whole brain (white arrows), and a severe macrocrania (cranial biometry for 30 wk). Histology confirmed immature teratoma.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Teratoma. A: Ultrasound (US) at 29 wk of gestation (median sagittal plane) showing heterogeneous and hyperechogenic lesion in the suprasellar region (white arrow); B: Fetal magnetic resonance imaging (T2 haste, sagittal plane) at 29 wk of gestation confirming aspects observed on US (white arrow); C: Magnetic resonance imaging (T1 Fast Spin Echo, sagittal plane) 3 d after birth showing suprasellar lesion with solid and cystic components distorting brain anatomy (white arrow). Histology confirmed teratoma.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Craniopharyngioma. (A) Fetal magnetic resonance imaging (T2 haste, sagittal plane) and (B) ultrasound (axial plane) at 28 wk of gestation showing a heterogeneous and hyperechogenic suprasellar lesion and hydrocephalus (white arrows). Histology confirmed craniopharyngioma.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Cavalheiro S, Moron AF, Hisaba W, Dastoli P, Silva NS. Fetal brain tumors. Childs Nerv Syst. 2003;19:529–536. - PubMed
    1. Stiller CA, Bunch KJ. Brain and spinal tumours in children aged under two years: incidence and survival in Britain, 1971-85. Br J Cancer Suppl. 1992;18:S50–S53. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Meizner I. Tumors of the Brain. In: Ultrasonography of the prenatal brain., editor. 3rd ed. McGrawHill: New York; 2012. pp. 393–406.
    1. Cassart M, Bosson N, Garel C, Eurin D, Avni F. Fetal intracranial tumors: a review of 27 cases. Eur Radiol. 2008;18:2060–2066. - PubMed
    1. Hoff NR, Mackay IM. Prenatal ultrasound diagnosis of intracranial teratoma. J Clin Ultrasound. 1980;8:247–249. - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources