title: Prenatal ultrasonographic findings of a cardiac myxoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cardiac myxomas have been reported in the neonate but never in the fetus. We present the prenatal diagnosis of such a tumor.
  
  
  METHODS
  The patient had been referred for fetal echocardiography for a right atrial mass. At 23 weeks' gestation, the tumor was initially located in the left atrium. Then it crossed the foramen ovale and began moving between the right atrium and ventricle. It appeared as a soft, moderately echogenic mass with a long peduncle attached to the right atrial wall. It was followed until delivery and removed at 20 days of life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This case shows that myxomas can also arise in the fetus. Such a diagnosis should be taken into consideration when a soft, echogenic, pedunculated mass is seen within the fetal heart.
authors: Fetal Cardiology Unit, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Federico II, Naples, Italy. paladini@unina.it
authors: Dario
authors: D
authors: Paladini
authors: Antonio
authors: A
authors: Tartaglione
authors: Michele
authors: M
authors: Vassallo
authors: Pasquale
authors: P
authors: Martinelli
mesh_terms: D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006325:Heart Atria; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009232:Myxoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011247:Pregnancy; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal