Brain Mass & Pregnancy

[222Chris]

A brain MRI revealed a round, diffusely enhancing 12mm mass in the frontal horn of my right lateral ventricle (flush against the lateral wall of the frontal horn).  It has been diagnosed as most likely a subependynoma or giant cell astrocytoma.  The doctors also believe it is most likely a manifestation of tuberous sclerosis (due to the fact I have been found to have benign kidney tumors, a forehead birthmark consistent with TSC and two other findings on the MRI --  a 2mm nodular outpouching off the posterior portion of the left lateral ventricle, and T2 hyperintense signal in the subcortical white matter in the right parietal lobe appreciated only on FLAIR imaging -- no definite tubers seen).  

We have been monitoring the 12mm mass by MRI to make sure it doesn't grow large enough to obstruct the foramen of monro (the right lateral ventricle is slightly larger than the left, but the ventricles are within normal limits in size and this is seen as a normal variation).

A 3-month follow up MRI and a subsequent 6-month follow-up (9 months from the first) have revealed no growth in the 12mm mass.

My husband and I would like to try to get pregnant and have another child.  Is it likely the hormones and growth associated with pregnancy would cause this mass (subependynoma or giant cell astrocytoma) to grow if it otherwise would not?  Should this 12 mm mass keep me from having another child?

[John Gray]

Hello. I assume the doctors warned you about the chances of having a child with TS are 50/50 if you have a diagnosis of TS. John Gray. father of  26 year old with TS.

[222Chris]

I originally went for the MRI because I was having headaches, but the doctors I have seen don't believe the mass is the cause of my headaches.  They said the mass was an "incidental finding."

[alchris]

Do you have any symtpoms from your mass?????

[katesmith]

From my experience it is unlikely that the 12mm mass revealed on the MRI would prevent you from having another baby. I too had similar findings on my MRI Scan several years ago, and while it was extremely worrying at the time my Neurologist informed me taht it too was not enlarging or exacerbating over time. Indeed since then I have given birth to two lovely daughters.