Prenatal diagnosis of fetal bilateral adrenal carcinoma.

Abstract

Fetal malignancies that are capable of metastasizing to other fetal organs and the placenta are exceedingly rare. Fetal tumors are suspected on ultrasonography in the presence of structures of abnormal shape or size that are occasionally associated with polyhydramnios and hydrops. Most of the large abdominal masses detected antenatally are renal in origin, although adrenal tumors should also be kept in mind in their differential diagnosis. We report a case of a large-for-gestational-age fetus with abdominal distention secondary to bilateral adrenal carcinoma, polyhydramnios and placental enlargement. Postmortem histological findings included nesidioblastosis, (i.e. hyperplasia of the cells of the islets of Langerhans) and adrenocortical cytomegaly, suggestive of a form of Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome.