Color flow mapping and Doppler velocimetry in the diagnosis and management of a placental chorioangioma associated with nonimmune fetal hydrops.

BACKGROUND

Placental chorioangiomas are the most common tumors of the placenta, occurring in 1% of all pregnancies. With the increasing use of ultrasound, prenatal recognition of these tumors is becoming more common.

CASE: A 36-year-old woman presented at 28 weeks' gestation with an intrauterine mass suggested by color flow and Doppler studies to be a vascular tumor. Because of the association of these findings to nonimmune fetal hydrops, management included umbilical blood sampling and intravascular transfusion for fetal anemia. This intervention temporarily corrected the hydrops and significantly prolonged the pregnancy.

CONCLUSION

Color flow mapping and Doppler flow studies of intrauterine tumors associated with fetal nonimmune hydrops can be helpful in both diagnosis and management.