Multiple cardiac rhabdomyoma with exclusively histological manifestation

Rhabdomyomas of the heart are rare lesions and usually exhibit macroscopic tumour nodules at autopsy. The uncommon death of an apparently healthy 2 1/2-month-old female infant is described. Post-mortem examination revealed normal gross cardiac morphology and exclusively histological manifestation of multifocal rhabdomyoma. The microscopic and immunohistochemical features are demonstrated. Tuberous sclerosis, frequently associated with this type of hamartoma was not present. The case confirms 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 possibly genetically determined diseases such as cardiac rhabdomyoma.