Skip to main content
Log in

Congenital Intracranial Teratoma—An Intractable Enigma: A Case Report and Review of Literature

  • Review Article
  • Published:
Journal of Fetal Medicine

Abstract

Congenital intracranial tumors are rare, accounting for 0.5–1.9% of pediatric tumors. Though antenatal detection rates have improved with ultrasound (US) and MRI, histopathology gives a definite diagnosis. Prognosis is guarded as there is no effective postnatal treatment. We present a fetus incidentally diagnosed with intracranial teratoma by US and MRI at 36 weeks of gestation. Elective cesarean was performed for anticipated labor dystocia. A female baby with head circumference > 99th centile was delivered. Due to the invasive growth potential of the tumor, the baby succumbed at 4 months of palliative care. Further research is required for devising new treatment modalities to tackle this intractable condition.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Milani HJ, et al. Fetal brain tumors: prenatal diagnosis by ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging. World J Radiol. 2015;7(1):17–21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Court BWM, et al. Incidence of leukaemia after exposure to diagnostic radiation in utero. Br Med J. 1960. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.2.5212.1539.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  3. Becker LE. Central neuronal tumors in childhood: relationship to dysplasia. J Neurooncol. 1995. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01052652.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Isaacs H. Perinatal (congenital and neonatal) neoplasms: a report of 110 cases. Pediatr Pathol. 1985;3:165–210.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Isaacs H Jr. Congenital and neonatal malignant tumors: a 28-year experience at children hospital of Los Angeles. Am J Pediatr Hematol/Oncol. 1987;9:121–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Parkes SE, et al. Neonatal tumors: a 30-year population-based study. Med Pediatr Oncol. 1994;22:309–17.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Lornegan GJ, et al. Neuroblastoma, ganglioneuroblastoma and ganglioneuroma: radiologic pathologic correlation. Radiographics. 2002;22:911–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Buetow PC, et al. Congenital brain tumors: a review of 45 cases. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 1990;155:587–93.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Isaacs H. Perinatal brain tumors: a review of 250 cases I. Pediatr Neurol. 2002;27:249–61.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Alamo L, et al. Congenital tumors: imaging when life just begins. Insights Imaging. 2011;2:297–308. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13244-011-0073-8.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  11. Volpe J J. Brain tumors and vein of Galen malformation. In: Neurology of the newborn. 4th ed. WB Saunders: Philadelphia, 2001.

  12. Schlembach D, et al. Fetal intracranial tumors detected by ultrasound: a report of two cases and review of the literature. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 1999. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1469-0705.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Desai K, et al. Midline posterior fossa teratoma-case report. Neurol Med Chir. 2001;41(2):94–6.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Pooh R K et al; Antenatal assessment of CNS anomalies, including neural tube defects. In: Fetal and neonatal neurology and neurosurgery. 4th ed. Philadelphia: Elsevier, 2009.

  15. Garel C. MRI of the Fetal Brain: normal development and cerebral pathologies. Berlin: Springer, 2004.

  16. Cassart M, et al. Fetal intracranial tumors: a review of 27 cases. Eur Radiol. 2008;18:2060–6.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Isaacs H. Fetal brain tumors: a review of 154 cases. Am J Perinatol. 2009;26:453–66.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Washburne JF, et al. Massive congenital intracranial teratoma with skull rupture at delivery. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1995;173:226–8.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Bolat F, et al. Congenital intracranial teratoma with massive macrocephaly and skull rupture. Fetal Diagn Ther. 2008;23:1–4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Köken G, et al. Prenatal diagnosis of a fetal intracranial immature teratoma. Fetal Diagn Ther. 2008;24:368–71.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. O’Grady J et al; 'Teeth in the brain' — a case of giant intracranial mature cystic teratoma. BMJ case rep 2012: bcr0320126130

  22. Schwartz S et al; An unusual mosaic karyotype detected through prenatal diagnosis with duplication of 1q and 19p and associated teratoma development. Teratology 1992; 46: 399–404 [PMID: 1384156 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/tera.1420460410]

  23. Saada J, et al. Early second-trimester diagnosis of intracranial teratoma. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2009. https://doi.org/10.1002/uog.6231.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Shari G et al; A Massive Congenital Intracranial-orbital Immature Teratoma Tracing Trigeminal Nerve Pathway in One monozygotic Twin: Report of a Case and Review of the Literature. Journal of neurology and neuroscience ISSN 2171–6625, 2016, DOI: https://doi.org/10.21767/2171-6625.100079.

  25. Gkasdaris G, et al. Congenital intracranial mature teratoma: the role of fetal MRI over ultrasound in the prenatal diagnosis and the perinatal management. BMJ Case Rep. 2019;12: e229774. https://doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2019-229774.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  26. Fukuoka K, et al. Successful treatment of hemorrhagic congenital intracranial immature teratoma with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and surgery. J Neurosurg: Pediatrics PED. 2014;13(1):38–44.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

No funding was received from any source to support the publication of this case report.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Contributions

All the authors have equally contributed to the article.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Brinda Sabu.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this case report and review of literature.

Ethics Approval

Not required for publication of this case report.

Patient Consent

Obtained.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Sabu, B., Khan, T., R, V. et al. Congenital Intracranial Teratoma—An Intractable Enigma: A Case Report and Review of Literature. J. Fetal Med. 8, 231–235 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40556-021-00314-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40556-021-00314-6

Keywords

Navigation