Prenatal and Postnatal Diagnosis of Rhabdomyomas and Tuberous Sclerosis Complex by Ultrafast and Standard MRI.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the features of cardiac rhabdomyomas and tuberous sclerosis in fetuses and infants using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and to determine whether MRI is an effective tool to facilitate early detection of tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC).

METHODS: Fifteen patients with TSC were evaluated by ultrafast or standard MRI between June 2005 and September 2016. Fifteen patients were divided into two groups. Group A included five cases in utero and followed in infancy with gestational ages from 26 + 1 to 38 + 2 wk. Group B included ten cases aged from 36 d to 18-mo-old.

RESULTS: There were 11 and 10 cardiac lesions of prenatal and postnatal period respectively in five subjects of Group A and 27 cardiac lesions in ten subjects of Group B. There were more than 31 prenatal brain lesions and 30 postnatal brain lesions in Group A and 169 lesions in Group B. Standard postnatal brain MRI confirmed the prenatal study of Group A. At 1 y follow up of Group A, there was partial regression of 2 cardiac lesions, complete regression of 1 cardiac lesion, no obvious regression of 8 cardiac lesions.

CONCLUSIONS: When one or multiple cardiac tumors are detected by ultrasound in fetal period or some specific clinical manifestations are presented in infancy, fetal ultrafast MRI or standard MRI is suggested to make early diagnosis of TSC.