Clinical Applications of Fetal MRI in the Brain

Overview

Journal Diagnostics (Basel)

Specialty Radiology

Date 2022 Mar 25

PMID 35328317

Authors

Usha D Nagaraj

Beth M Kline-Fath

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become a widely used tool in clinical practice, providing increased accuracy in prenatal diagnoses of congenital abnormalities of the brain, allowing for more accurate prenatal counseling, optimization of perinatal management, and in some cases fetal intervention. In this article, a brief description of how fetal ultrasound (US) and fetal MRI are used in clinical practice will be followed by an overview of the most common reasons for referral for fetal MRI of the brain, including ventriculomegaly, absence of the cavum septi pellucidi (CSP) and posterior fossa anomalies.

Citing Articles

Current Diagnostic, Counseling, and Treatment Options in Non-Severe and Severe Apparently Isolated Fetal Ventriculomegaly.

Zamlynski M, Grokhovska M, Suranyi A, Olejek A Biomedicines. 2025; 12(12.

PMID: 39767835 PMC: 11673042. DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12122929.

Intracranial hemorrhage and additional anomalies detected on prenatal magnetic resonance imaging: A large, retrospective study in two tertiary medical institutions.

Zhu H, Wang T, Lu Y, Huang X, Bai Y, Zhang G Heliyon. 2025; 10(24):e41037.

PMID: 39759338 PMC: 11696780. DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e41037.

An Association Between Fetal Subarachnoid Space and Various Pathologies Using MR Imaging.

Onn-Margalit L, Weissbach T, Gafner M, Fried S, Wandel A, Ziv-Baran T Diagnostics (Basel). 2024; 14(22).

PMID: 39594200 PMC: 11592746. DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics14222535.

Isolated Fetal Ventriculomegaly: Diagnosis and Treatment in the Prenatal Period.

Zamlynski M, Zhemela O, Olejek A Children (Basel). 2024; 11(8).

PMID: 39201892 PMC: 11352226. DOI: 10.3390/children11080957.

Emerging technologies in pediatric radiology: current developments and future prospects.

Kibrom B, Manyazewal T, Demma B, Feleke T, Kabtimer A, Ayele N Pediatr Radiol. 2024; 54(9):1428-1436.

PMID: 39012407 DOI: 10.1007/s00247-024-05997-3.

References

Salomon L, Bernard J, Ville Y . Reference ranges for fetal ventricular width: a non-normal approach. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2007; 30(1):61-6. DOI: 10.1002/uog.4026. View

Nagaraj U, Calvo-Garcia M, Kline-Fath B . Abnormalities Associated With the Cavum Septi Pellucidi on Fetal MRI: What Radiologists Need to Know. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2018; 210(5):989-997. DOI: 10.2214/AJR.17.19219. View

Falip C, Blanc N, Maes E, Zaccaria I, Oury J, Sebag G . Postnatal clinical and imaging follow-up of infants with prenatal isolated mild ventriculomegaly: a series of 101 cases. Pediatr Radiol. 2007; 37(10):981-9. DOI: 10.1007/s00247-007-0582-2. View

Stevenson K . Chiari Type II malformation: past, present, and future. Neurosurg Focus. 2004; 16(2):E5. DOI: 10.3171/foc.2004.16.2.6. View

Jissendi-Tchofo P, Kara S, Barkovich A . Midbrain-hindbrain involvement in lissencephalies. Neurology. 2008; 72(5):410-8. PMC: 2677533. DOI: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000333256.74903.94. View

Pfeifer C, Willard S, Cornejo P . MRI depiction of fetal brain abnormalities. Acta Radiol Open. 2020; 8(12):2058460119894987. PMC: 6927204. DOI: 10.1177/2058460119894987. View

Sutton L, Adzick N, Bilaniuk L, Johnson M, Crombleholme T, Flake A . Improvement in hindbrain herniation demonstrated by serial fetal magnetic resonance imaging following fetal surgery for myelomeningocele. JAMA. 1999; 282(19):1826-31. DOI: 10.1001/jama.282.19.1826. View

Platt L, Barth R, Pugash D . Current controversies in prenatal diagnosis 3: Fetal MRI should be performed in all prenatally detected fetuses with a major structural abnormality. Prenat Diagn. 2018; 38(3):166-172. DOI: 10.1002/pd.5219. View

Nagaraj U, Kline-Fath B, Calvo-Garcia M, Vadivelu S, Venkatesan C . Fetal and postnatal MRI findings of Blake pouch remnant causing obstructive hydrocephalus. Radiol Case Rep. 2020; 15(12):2535-2539. PMC: 7548422. DOI: 10.1016/j.radcr.2020.09.039. View

10.

Nagaraj U, Kline-Fath B, Horn P, Venkatesan C . Evaluation of Posterior Fossa Biometric Measurements on Fetal MRI in the Evaluation of Dandy-Walker Continuum. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2021; 42(9):1716-1721. PMC: 8423037. DOI: 10.3174/ajnr.A7215. View

11.

DAddario V, Pinto V, Di Cagno L, Pintucci A . Sonographic diagnosis of fetal cerebral ventriculomegaly: an update. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2007; 20(1):7-14. DOI: 10.1080/14767050601036188. View

12.

Hayashi M, Poretti A, Gorra M, Farzin A, Graham E, Huisman T . Prenatal cerebellar hemorrhage: fetal and postnatal neuroimaging findings and postnatal outcome. Pediatr Neurol. 2015; 52(5):529-34. DOI: 10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2015.01.011. View

13.

DEMYER W, Zeman W, Palmer C . THE FACE PREDICTS THE BRAIN: DIAGNOSTIC SIGNIFICANCE OF MEDIAN FACIAL ANOMALIES FOR HOLOPROSENCEPHALY (ARHINENCEPHALY). Pediatrics. 1964; 34:256-63. View

14.

Garel C, Luton D, Oury J, Gressens P . Ventricular dilatations. Childs Nerv Syst. 2003; 19(7-8):517-23. DOI: 10.1007/s00381-003-0795-0. View

15.

Bosemani T, Orman G, Boltshauser E, Tekes A, Huisman T, Poretti A . Congenital abnormalities of the posterior fossa. Radiographics. 2015; 35(1):200-20. DOI: 10.1148/rg.351140038. View

16.

Cinalli G, Spennato P, Nastro A, Aliberti F, Trischitta V, Ruggiero C . Hydrocephalus in aqueductal stenosis. Childs Nerv Syst. 2011; 27(10):1621-42. DOI: 10.1007/s00381-011-1546-2. View

17.

Bethune M, Alibrahim E, Davies B, Yong E . A pictorial guide for the second trimester ultrasound. Australas J Ultrasound Med. 2017; 16(3):98-113. PMC: 5029995. DOI: 10.1002/j.2205-0140.2013.tb00106.x. View

18.

Nagaraj U, Moudgal R, Hopkin R, Venkatesan C, Kline-Fath B . Prenatal evaluation of the Sakoda complex. Pediatr Radiol. 2019; 49(13):1843-1847. DOI: 10.1007/s00247-019-04491-5. View

19.

Cemeroglu A, Coulas T, Kleis L . Spectrum of clinical presentations and endocrinological findings of patients with septo-optic dysplasia: a retrospective study. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2015; 28(9-10):1057-63. DOI: 10.1515/jpem-2015-0008. View

20.

Heaphy-Henault K, Guimaraes C, Mehollin-Ray A, Cassady C, Zhang W, Desai N . Congenital Aqueductal Stenosis: Findings at Fetal MRI That Accurately Predict a Postnatal Diagnosis. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2018; 39(5):942-948. PMC: 7410663. DOI: 10.3174/ajnr.A5590. View