Fetal tumors of the choroid plexus: is differential diagnosis between papilloma and carcinoma possible?

Abstract

Fetal choroid plexus tumors are uncommon. The prognosis is widely variable and depends on the histological findings: papilloma or carcinoma. We report a case of prenatal diagnosis of choroid plexus mass detected by ultrasound at 33 weeks of gestation. Prenatal (T1, T2, T2* and diffusion weighted sequences) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to rule out a hematoma. Follow-up examination by ultrasound and MRI revealed a significant increase in the volume of the mass, suggesting a diagnosis of malignant tumor. A healthy neonate was delivered by Cesarean section at 38 weeks of gestation. Full surgical excision of the tumor was performed at 20 days after delivery and histological analysis revealed a papilloma.