Updated MR imaging of fetal intracranial anomalies

Abstract

MRI has been increasingly used for detailed visualization of the fetus in utero as well as pregnancystructures. Yet, the familiarity of radiologists and clinicians with fetal MRI is still limited.This article provides a practical approach to fetal MR imaging. Fetal MRI is an interactivescanning of the moving fetus owed to the use of fast sequences. Single-shot fast spin-echo(SSFSE) T2-weighted imaging is a standard sequence. T1-weighted sequences are primarily usedto demonstrate fat, calcification and hemorrhage. Balanced steady-state free-precession (SSFP),are beneficial in demonstrating fetal structures as the heart and vessels. Diffusion weightedimaging (DWI), MR spectroscopy (MRS), and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) have potentialapplications in fetal imaging. Knowing the developing fetal MR anatomy is essential to detectabnormalities.

KeywordsFetal .Neuroradiology .Development . MRI