MULTIPLE CARDIAC RHABDOMYOMA WITH EXCLUSIVELY HISTOLOGICAL MANIFESTATION

Rhabdomyomas of the heart are rare lesions and usually exhibit macrosc opic tumour nodules at autopsy. The uncommon death of an apparently he althy 2 1/2-month-old female infant is described. Post-mortem examinat ion revealed normal gross cardiac morphology and exclusively histologi cal manifestation of multifocal rhabdomyoma. The microscopic and immun ohistochemical features are demonstrated. Tuberous sclerosis, frequent ly associated with this type of hamartoma was not present. The case co nfirms again the importance of additional histological investigations in unexpected fatalities in infancy: beside the clarification of death . autopsy may obtain a prophylactic function in the detection of possi bly genetically determined diseases such as cardiac rhabdomyoma.