New Findings in the Multidisciplinary Management of a Fetal Intrapericardial Teratoma: A Case Report.

INTRODUCTION: Fetal intrapericardial teratoma is a rare tumor that can be diagnosed by antenatal ultrasonography early in pregnancy. CASE PRESENTATION: A fetal intrapericardial teratoma was detected on routine ultrasonography in the second trimester of pregnancy. At 31 weeks gestation, a marked increase in tumor size, fetal ascites, and pericardial effusion were observed, indicating that preterm delivery would be inevitable. Corticosteroid prophylaxis (24 mg of betamethasone in two doses of 12 mg 24 h apart) initiated for prophylaxis of respiratory distress syndrome led to a reduction in fetal ascites and pericardial effusion. Betamethasone therapy (4 mg/per day) was continued with the aim to postpone the expected date of delivery. Gestation was extended for more than 2 weeks. At 33 weeks and 5 days gestation, the neonate was delivered by elective cesarean section with ex utero intrapartum treatment and immediately submitted to fetal cardiac surgery. The infant was discharged from the hospital in good health about 4 months later. CONCLUSION: The present report draws attention to improvement in fetal status and extension of gestation achieved with maternal low-dose corticosteroid therapy on antenatal ultrasound finding of fetal ascites and pericardial effusion due to intrapericardial teratoma.

Uterine smooth muscle tumors: a multicenter, retrospective, comparative study of clinical and ultrasound features.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a wide range of clinical and ultrasound characteristics of different uterine smooth muscle tumors to identify features capable of discriminating between these types. METHODS: This was a retrospective, multicenter study that included 285 patients diagnosed with uterine smooth muscle tumors (50 leiomyosarcomas, 35 smooth muscle tumors of uncertain malignant potential, and 200 leiomyomas). The patients were divided into three groups based on the histological type of their tumors, and the groups were compared according to the variables collected. RESULTS: Leiomyosarcomas were more common in older and post-menopausal women. Compared with leiomyomas, smooth muscle tumors of uncertain malignant potential and leiomyosarcomas had similar ultrasound features such as absence of normal myometrium, multilocular appearance, hyper-echogenicity in case of uniform echogenicity, absence of posterior shadows, echogenic areas, and hyperechoic rim. Leiomyosarcomas were larger, had more cystic areas, and were associated with a higher prevalence of pelvic free fluid. Smooth muscle tumors of uncertain malignant potential were characterized by a higher frequency of International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) type 6-7, the absence of internal shadows, and, in the case of cystic area, the presence of a regular internal wall. Tumor outline varied among the three histological types. A color score of 1 was typical of leiomyoma, a color score 2 was mainly observed in leiomyomas and smooth muscle tumors of uncertain malignant potential, a color score 3 did not differ among the tumors, while a color of score 4 was related to leiomyosarcomas. When combining color scores 3 and 4, leiomyosarcomas and smooth muscle tumors of uncertain malignant potential showed a high percentage of both circumferential and intra-lesional vascularization. A cooked appearance was not statistically different among the tumors. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our findings, specific ultrasonographic features as well as age and menopausal status are associated with different uterine smooth muscle tumor types. Integration of these data can help the pre-operative assessment of these lesions for proper management.

Ultrasound and clinical characteristics of uterine smooth muscle tumors of uncertain malignant potential (STUMPs).

OBJECTIVE(S): Smooth muscle tumors of uncertain malignant potential are rare uterine neoplasms. Their identification through imaging is still limited due to the few available descriptions in the scientific literature. The objective of this paper is to provide clinical and ultrasound features that could support an early identification of these neoplasms. STUDY DESIGN: We retrospectively evaluated preoperative sonographic data of patients receiving a histopathological diagnosis of smooth muscle tumors of uncertain malignant potential between 2014 and 2019 at the S. Anna Hospital (Turin, Italy), a tertiary gynecological center. Tumors were characterized on the basis of ultrasound images using terms and definitions according to the morphological uterus sonographic assessment group. RESULTS: A total of fourteen patients with smooth muscle tumors of uncertain malignant potential (20 lesions, including 18 pure and 2 with associated leiomyosarcoma) were identified. The median age was 47 years (range 28-77) and nine (64%) patients were of reproductive age. Six patients (43%) were asymptomatic, two (14%) presented with abdominal pain, two (14 %) with menorrhagia and four (29%) with both symptoms. Two (14%) patients developed local recurrences as uterine smooth muscle tumor of uncertain malignant potential and leiomyosarcoma, respectively. At ultrasound imaging, nine (69%) smooth muscle tumors of uncertain malignant potential were poorly or moderately vascularized and nine (82%) showed both circumferential and intra-lesional flows. Only three (15%) showed shadowing. The outlines were well-defined in seventeen cases (85%) and most (90%) showed isoechoic or mixed echogenicity with microcystic anechoic areas in fourteen (70%) of cases. CONCLUSION(S): Sonographic features of smooth muscle tumors of uncertain malignant potential may vary and a pathognomonic description has not been recognized. However, the identification of single or multiple lesions with specific ultrasound features should raise the suspicion of tumors of uncertain malignant potential. These features include isoechogenicity or mixed echogenicity, regular borders, presence of internal microcystic and anechoic areas, circumferential and intralesional vascularization ranging from minimal to high and absence of shadowing.

The ADNEX model to triage adnexal masses: An external validation study and comparison with the IOTA two-step strategy and subjective assessment by an experienced ultrasound operator.

OBJECTIVES: The ADNEX (Assessment of Different NEoplasias in the adneXa) model was developed using parameters collected by experienced (level III) ultrasound examiners. Our primary aim was to externally validate the ADNEX model. Then, the discriminatory performance of ADNEX was compared with the two-step strategy and subjective assessment by an experienced ultrasound operator. METHODS: Between February 2013 and January 2017, all patients who were scheduled for surgery for an adnexal mass at the Sant'Anna Hospital in Turin were enrolled in this study. Preoperative transvaginal sonography was performed, and the two-step strategy was applied for triage of the adnexal mass. Two ultrasound examiners, IOTA certified, applied the ADNEX model to all the collected masses based on the ultrasound reports. Finally, an experienced operator assigned the subjective assessment based on recorded ultrasound images. The discrimination and calibration performance of ADNEX were evaluated. The AUC was calculated for the basic discrimination between benign and malignant tumours. In addition, AUCs were computed for each pair of tumour types using the conditional risk method. RESULTS: A total of 577 patients were included in the analysis: the overall prevalence of malignancy was 25 %. With ADNEX, the AUC to differentiate between benign and malignant masses was 0.9111 (95 % CI 0. 8788-0.9389). At risk cut-offs of 1%, 10 % and 30 %, sensitivities were 100 %, 89.6 % and 79.2 %, respectively, and specificities were 2.8 %, 76.2 % and 89.6 %, respectively. Discrimination between benign and stage II-IV tumours was good (AUC 0.935). The model had the most difficulties discriminating between borderline and stage I tumours (AUC 0.666), and between stages II-IV invasive and secondary metastatic tumours (AUC 0.736). The polytomous discrimination index (PDI) was 0.61 for ADNEX, whereas PDI for random performance would be 0.25. ADNEX proved to be equally or more accurate than the subjective assessment or the two-step strategy in the discrimination between benign and malignant adnexal masses. CONCLUSIONS: the ADNEX model could probably be successfully applied when an expert examiner is not available and, therefore both a subjective assessment and the two-step strategy cannot be performed.