Ultrasonographic Findings of Fetal Congenital Intracranial Teratoma

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To evaluate the sonographic findings of fetal congenital intracranial teratoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 1994 to 2002, of the 11 fetuses which had been diagnosed with fetal intracranial tumors after second level fetal ultrasonography, the six that were confirmed after autopsy as congenital intracranial teratomas were included in our study. The sonographic findings, including size, homogeneity, echogenicity compared with surrounding normal brain tissues, cystic components, and tumor related calcification, were retrospectively evaluated. RESULTS: The incidence of fetal congenital intracranial teratoma out of all fetal intracranial tumors was 54.5% (6 of 11 cases) during the 8-year period. The mean mass size was 7.4 cm (3.0-15.0 cm). Two thirds of (4/6) of the teratoma cases showed high echogenicity compared with normal brain tissues, and two thirds (4/6) showed heterogeneous echogenicity. Four teratoma cases (67%) showed cysts in the mass with a mean size of 1.9cm. One third (2/6) showed calcifications within the tumor. Out of the six cases, two had oropharyngeal teratoma with extension into the intracranial portion (so called epignathus) and showed homogenous mass without any cysts or calcifications. CONCLUSION: The typical sonographic appearance of intracranial teratoma was a heterogeneous, hyperechoic mass with cysts. In the epignathus cases, the sonographic appearances differed somewhat from the others. An understanding of the sonographic findings of fetal intracranial teratoma will help in the timely counseling of the parents and in obstetric decision making.