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Latest developments in post‐mortem foetal imaging
Author(s) -
Shelmerdine Susan C.,
Hutchinson John C.,
Arthurs Owen J.,
Sebire Neil J.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
prenatal diagnosis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.956
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1097-0223
pISSN - 0197-3851
DOI - 10.1002/pd.5562
Subject(s) - magnetic resonance imaging , medicine , radiology , medical imaging , modalities , medical physics , diffusion mri , sampling (signal processing) , computed tomography , computer science , computer vision , social science , filter (signal processing) , sociology
A sustained decline in parental consent rates for perinatal autopsies has driven the development of less‐invasive methods for death investigation. A wide variety of imaging modalities have been developed for this purpose and include post‐mortem whole body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound, computed tomography (CT) and micro‐focus CT techniques. These are also vital for “minimally invasive” methods, which include potential for tissue sampling, such as image guidance for targeted biopsies and laparoscopic‐assisted techniques. In this article, we address the range of imaging techniques currently in clinical practice and those under development. Significant advances in high‐field MRI and micro‐focus CT imaging show particular promise for smaller and earlier gestation foetuses. We also review how MRI biomarkers such as diffusion‐weighted imaging and organ volumetric analysis may aid diagnosis and image interpretation in the absence of autopsy data. Three‐dimensional printing and augmented reality may help make imaging findings more accessible to parents, colleagues and trainees.