Hepatic calcifications in fetal population studied by autopsies in Bogota, Colombia
M Olaya-C1, S Aldana-M2, M Maya-G2
11Department of Pathology,Pontificia Universidad Javeriana,Bogota,Colombia.
Insights
Fetal hepatic calcifications are linked to chromosomal disorders and infections. Pathologists should consider these conditions when identifying liver calcifications in fetuses.
Area of Science:
- Perinatal pathology
- Fetal medicine
- Medical imaging
Background:
- Fetal hepatic calcifications are observed but their clinical significance and causes are not fully understood.
- Potential causes include infections, chromosomal abnormalities, thrombotic events, and ischemic necrosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe fetal hepatic calcifications.
- To investigate associations with clinical and histopathological findings from fetal autopsies.
Main Methods:
- Observational study utilizing a fetal autopsy database from 2007-2014.
- Reviewed 591 fetal autopsies, identifying 14 cases with hepatic calcifications.
- Analyzed associations with chromosomal disorders, TORSCH infections, and umbilical cord abnormalities.
Main Results:
- A significant association was found between fetal hepatic calcifications and chromosomal disorders.
- Hepatic calcifications were noted in 14 fetuses.
- Umbilical cord abnormalities were present in 207 fetuses, and TORSCH infections in 13.
Conclusions:
- Fetal hepatic calcifications are associated with chromosomal disorders.
- Conditions such as chromosomal disorders, transplacental infections, and umbilical cord abnormalities are risk factors.
- Hepatic calcifications warrant consideration of these underlying etiologies by pathologists.
Abstract:
Fetal hepatic calcifications can be caused by infections, chromosomal disorders, thrombotic events, ischemic hepatic necrosis and subcapsular hematomas among others events. Its features and clinical significance are still not well known. We performed an observational study to describe fetal hepatic calcifications and its association with main clinical and histopathological findings from the fetal autopsy database, between 2007 and 2014. Raw odds ratio analysis was performed. We reviewed 591 fetal autopsies: 14 cases with hepatic calcifications, 102 fetuses with chromosomal disorders; 13 with diagnosis of TORSCH (toxoplasma, rubella, syphilis, cytomegalovirus, herpes virus 1 and 2, and others) and 207 with any abnormality in the umbilical cord (UC). The relation between hepatic calcifications and chromosomal disorders in our series had significance. It is known that hepatic calcifications are common in chromosomal disorders, transplacental infections and UC abnormalities, those conditions are risk factor for hepatic calcifications formation; we suggest hepatic calcifications should alert the pathologists in order to consider these etiologies in first instance.
