Cardiac Masses in Infants and Children

Between 1990 and 1995, 9 patients (4 girls, 5 boys) aged 8 months to 12 years (mean 5.13 years) with intracardiac masses were seen in our Department. Three patients had rhabdomyomas (2 patients with tuberous sclerosis), one patient had a metastatic Wilms' tumor, 2 patients had cardiac hydatid cysts, 3 patients had intracardiac thrombi. Diagnosis was madde by two-dimensional colour Doppler echocardiography in all patients, computed tomography was performed in three. The masses were localized in the left ventricle in 5 patients, in the interventricular septum and left ventricle in one, in the interventricular septum and right ventricle in one and in the right atrium in 2 patients. The clinical features were variable, symptoms in 7 patients included back pain, palpitations, dyspnea, superior vena cava syndrome and heart failure; 2 patients were asymptomatic. Two patients underwent emergency surgery, three had elective surgical interventions. Three patients (2 with intracardiac thrombi, one with metastatic Wilms' tumor) died within 6-30 dys, 6 patients remain in good condition 2 months to 6.5 years following the diagnosis.