Congenital neuroblastoma: evaluation with multimodality imaging.

Abstract

The authors retrospectively evaluated 12 patients with congenital (neonatal) neuroblastoma to assess the utility of newer imaging modalities. Findings at prenatal ultrasound (US), performed in four patients, were nonspecific (hydramnios and hydrops fetalis) in two and consistent with a suprarenal mass (one solid, one cystic) in the other two. Postnatal US helped accurately detect adrenal tumors (solid or complex, with one exception) but was less accurate in the diagnosis of metastatic disease to the liver. Computed tomography accurately depicted all primary tumors and liver metastases. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging helped establish the correct diagnosis in three patients. This study again confirmed the benign course of neonatal neuroblastoma, with 50% of the patients classified with stage IV-S disease and two deaths occurring in the series, both due to complications. Therefore, aggressive diagnostic imaging is less desirable, and US is therefore very useful, despite its limitations. The prenatal detection and solid appearance of a suprarenal mass makes the diagnosis of neuroblastoma very likely, as does the presence of liver lesions. In the absence of these characteristic findings, US should be repeated to exclude adrenal hemorrhage. MR imaging seems to be a good alternative in some instances.