Fetal brain tumors are uncommon and tends to have very different pathological spectrum than that observed in adults; in order of decreasing frequency:
fetal intracranial teratoma: most common tumor by far
astrocytoma/glioblastoma: next most common
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Clinical presentation
Many present late in pregnancy (i.e in the 3rd trimester 1).
Radiographic features
Ultrasound
Ultrasound has only a limited role in diagnosing the specific histological sub-type but has overall high detection rate 6. Generally speaking, many fetal intracranial tumors have the following sonographic features:
echogenic and semi-cystic space occupying lesion with or without distortion of normal symmetrical intracranial (usually midline) structures
presence of other associated structural anomalies
Additional features include:
high-output cardiac failure (hydrops fetalis)
abnormal cerebral Doppler flow velocimetry
Treatment and prognosis
While prognosis for individual lesion can somewhat vary, intracranial tumors in general carry a poor prognosis in fetal population.
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