Fetal body MRI and its application to fetal and neonatal treatment: an illustrative review

Joseph R Davidson; Alena Uus; Jacqueline Matthew; Alexia M Egloff; Maria Deprez; Iain Yardley; Paolo De Coppi; Anna David; Jim Carmichael; Mary A Rutherford

doi:10.1016/S2352-4642(20)30313-8

Fetal body MRI and its application to fetal and neonatal treatment: an illustrative review

Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 2021 Jun;5(6):447-458. doi: 10.1016/S2352-4642(20)30313-8. Epub 2021 Mar 12.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Prenatal Cell and Gene Therapy, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute of Women's Health, University College London, London, UK; UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK. Electronic address: joseph.davidson@ucl.ac.uk.
² Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine; Perinatal Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK.
³ Paediatric Surgery, Evelina London Children's Hospital, London, UK.
⁴ UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK; Specialist Neonatal and Paediatric Surgery, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London, UK; Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
⁵ Prenatal Cell and Gene Therapy, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute of Women's Health, University College London, London, UK; Fetal Medicine Unit, University College London, London, UK.
⁶ Paediatric Radiology, Evelina London Children's Hospital, London, UK.

Abstract

This Review depicts the evolving role of MRI in the diagnosis and prognostication of anomalies of the fetal body, here including head and neck, thorax, abdomen and spine. A review of the current literature on the latest developments in antenatal imaging for diagnosis and prognostication of congenital anomalies is coupled with illustrative cases in true radiological planes with viewable three-dimensional video models that show the potential of post-acquisition reconstruction protocols. We discuss the benefits and limitations of fetal MRI, from anomaly detection, to classification and prognostication, and defines the role of imaging in the decision to proceed to fetal intervention, across the breadth of included conditions. We also consider the current capabilities of ultrasound and explore how MRI and ultrasound can complement each other in the future of fetal imaging.

Publication types

Comparative Study
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Abdominal Cavity / abnormalities
Abdominal Cavity / diagnostic imaging
Abdominal Cavity / pathology
Clinical Decision-Making / methods
Congenital Abnormalities / diagnosis*
Congenital Abnormalities / epidemiology
Congenital Abnormalities / pathology
Female
Gestational Age
Head and Neck Neoplasms / congenital
Head and Neck Neoplasms / diagnosis
Head and Neck Neoplasms / epidemiology
Head and Neck Neoplasms / pathology
Humans
Imaging, Three-Dimensional / methods
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods*
Magnetic Resonance Imaging / statistics & numerical data
Pregnancy
Prenatal Care / statistics & numerical data*
Prenatal Care / trends
Prenatal Diagnosis / methods*
Prenatal Diagnosis / statistics & numerical data
Prognosis
Radiology / methods
Spinal Diseases / congenital
Spinal Diseases / diagnosis
Spinal Diseases / epidemiology
Spinal Diseases / pathology
Thoracic Diseases / congenital
Thoracic Diseases / diagnosis
Thoracic Diseases / epidemiology
Thoracic Diseases / pathology
Ultrasonography, Prenatal / methods*
Ultrasonography, Prenatal / statistics & numerical data
Urologic Diseases / congenital
Urologic Diseases / diagnosis
Urologic Diseases / epidemiology
Urologic Diseases / pathology
Video Recording / instrumentation

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding