[Fetal myocardial calcification (report of 4 cases and review of the literature]

Abstract

(Report of four cases and review of the literature) Calcification of the myocardium is a rare condition. The cause may be dystrophic or metastatic. An autosomal recessive inherited idiopathic arterial calcification of infancy is more rare abnormality. A dystrophic calcification is the more common of the three and may occur in areas of necrosis, hemorrhage, or fibrosis of the myocardium. Metastatic calcification is associated with hyperparathyroidism, D hypervitaminosis or renal failure, usually accompanied by the deposit of calcium in other organs, particularly the lungs, stomach, kidneys, spleen and liver. Authors report four cases of myocardial calcification diagnosed in intrauterine life. They give a review of literature of fetal and neonatal myocardial calcification.