Skip to main content
Log in

In vivo MRI of the fetal brain

  • Diagnostic Neuroradiology
  • Published:
Neuroradiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We report MRI of the brain in 45 fetuses; the findings were confirmed by pathological examination or postnatal neuroradiological studies. MRI necessitates medication to eliminate fetal motion; curare was injected into the umbilical cord, and MRI is therefore limited to cases in which umbilical cord puncture is indicated. T1-weighted images were obtained in axial, sagittal and coronal planes; the last of these was generally as the most useful as regards morphology. We demonstrated cerebral malformations (n=13), brain haemorrhage (n=1), a facial angioma (n=1), a facial mass (n=1), hydrocephalus (n=5), unilateral ventricular enlargement (n=1), atrophy (n=4), a porencephalic cyst (n=1) and normal appearances of the brain in 18 cases. Twenty-two of the fetuses were born alive, and the clinical and/or neuroradiological examination confirmed the antenatal findings. The diagnosis was also confirmed in 8 cases in which a neuropathological examination was possible.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Hill MC, Lande IM, Larsen JW (1988) Prenatal diagnosis of fetal anomalies using ultrasound and MRI. Radiol Clin North Am 26: 287–307

    Google Scholar 

  2. Lowe TW, Weinreb J, Santos-Ramos R, Cunningham FG (1985) Magnetic resonance imaging in human pregnancy. Obstet Gynecol 66:629–633

    Google Scholar 

  3. Weinreb JC, Lowe TW, Santos-Ramos R, Cunningham FG, Parkey R (1985) Magnetic resonance imaging in obstetric diagnosis. Radiology 154:157–161

    Google Scholar 

  4. Fees-Higgins A, Larroche JC (1987) Le développement du cerveau fetal humain. Atlas anatomique. Masson, Paris, pp 2–190

    Google Scholar 

  5. Toma P, Lucigrai G, Ravegnani M, Cariati M, Magnano G, Lituania M (1990) Hydrocephalus and porencephaly: prenatal diagnosis by ultrasonography and MR imaging. J Comput Assist Tomogr 14:843–845

    Google Scholar 

  6. Daffos F, Forestier F, MacAleese J, Aufrant C, Mandelbrot L, Cabanis EA, Iba-Zizen MT, Alfonso JM, Tamraz J (1988) Fetal curarization for prenatal magnetic resonance imaging. Prenat Diagn 8:311–314

    Google Scholar 

  7. Pielet BW, Socol ML, MacGregor SN, Dooley SL, Minogue J (1988) Fetal heart rate changes after fetal intravascular treatment with pancuronium bromide. Am J Obstet Gynecol 159: 640–643

    Google Scholar 

  8. De Crespigny LCH, Robinson HP, Ross AW, Quinn M (1985) Curarisation of fetus for intrauterine procedure. Lancet i:1164

    Google Scholar 

  9. Moise KJ, Carpenter RJ, Deter RL, Kirshon B, Diaz SF (1987) The use of fetal neuromuscular blockade during intrauterine procedures. Am J Obstet Gynecol 157:874–879

    Google Scholar 

  10. Seeds JW, Corke BC, Spieman FJ (1986) Prevention of fetal movement during invasive procedures with pancuronium bromide. Am J Obstet Gynecol 155:818–819

    Google Scholar 

  11. McCarthy SM, Filly RA, Stark DD, Hrick H, Brant-Zawadski MN, Callen PW, Higgins CB (1985) Obstetrical magnetic resonance imaging: fetal anatomy. Radiology 154:427–432

    Google Scholar 

  12. Larroche JC (1966) The development of the central nervous system during intrauterine life. In: Falkner F (ed) Human development, WB Saunders, Philadelphia, pp 257–276

    Google Scholar 

  13. Girard NJ, Raybaud CA (1992) In vivo MRI of fetal brain cellular migration. J Comput Assist Tomogr 16:265–267

    Google Scholar 

  14. Mintz MC, Grossman RI, Isaacson G, Thickman DI, Kundel H, Joseph P, Desimone D (1987) MR imaging of fetal brain. J Comput Assist Tomogr 11:120–123

    Google Scholar 

  15. Powell MC, Worthington BS, Buckley JM, Symonds EM (1988) Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in obstetrics. II. Fetal anatomy. Br J Obstet Gynecol 95:38–46

    Google Scholar 

  16. Smith IW, Adam AH, Philipps WDP (1985) NMR imaging in pregnancy. Lancet i:61–62

    Google Scholar 

  17. Smith IW, Kent C, Abramovich DR, Sutherland HW (1985) Nuclear magnetic imaging — a new look at the fetus. Br J Obstetr Gynaecol 92:1024–1033

    Google Scholar 

  18. Weinreb JC, Lowe T, Cohen JM, Kutler M (1985) Human fetal anatomy: MR imaging. Radiology 157:715–720

    Google Scholar 

  19. Mattison DR, Angtuaco T (1988) Magnetic resonance imaging in prenatal diagnosis. Clin Obstet Gynecol 31:353–389

    Google Scholar 

  20. Powell MC, Worthington BS, Buckley JM, Symonds EM (1988) Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in obstetrics. I. Maternal anatomy. Br J Obstet Gynecol 95:31–37

    Google Scholar 

  21. Hanigan WC, Gibson J, Kleopoulos NJ, Cusack T, Zwicky G, Wirght RM (1986) Medical Imaging of fetal ventriculomegaly. J Neurosurg 64:575–580

    Google Scholar 

  22. Oi S, Matsumoyo S, Katayama K, Mochizuki M (1990) Pathophysiology and postnatal outcome of fetal hydrocephalus. Child's Nerv Syst 6:338–345

    Google Scholar 

  23. Oi S, Tamaki N, Matsumoto S, Katayama K, Mochizuki M (1990) Prenatal neuroimaging in fetal dysraphism. Neurosonology 3: 90–96

    Google Scholar 

  24. Aguirre Vila-Coro A, Domínguez R (1989) Intrauterine diagnosis of hydranencephaly by magnetic resonance. Magn Res Imag 7:105–107

    Google Scholar 

  25. Thickman D, Mintz M, Mennuti M, Kressel HY (1984) MR imaging of cerebral abnormalities in utero. J Comput Assist Tomogr 8:1058–1061

    Google Scholar 

  26. Stark DD, McCarthy SM, Filly RA, Callen PW, Hricak H, Parer JT (1985) Intrauterine growth retardation: evaluation by magnetic resonance. Radiology 155:425–427

    Google Scholar 

  27. Cohen JM, Weinreb JC, Lowe TW, Brown C (1988) MR imaging of a viable full term abdominal pregnancy. AJR 145:407–408

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Girard, N., Raybaud, C., Dercole, C. et al. In vivo MRI of the fetal brain. Neuroradiology 35, 431–436 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00602823

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00602823

Key words

Navigation