Premium
Cerebral biometry in fetal magnetic resonance imaging: new reference data
Author(s) -
Tilea B.,
Alberti C.,
Adamsbaum C.,
Armoogum P.,
Oury J. F.,
Cabrol D.,
Sebag G.,
Kalifa G.,
Garel C.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
ultrasound in obstetrics and gynecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.202
H-Index - 141
eISSN - 1469-0705
pISSN - 0960-7692
DOI - 10.1002/uog.6276
Subject(s) - medicine , intraclass correlation , magnetic resonance imaging , reproducibility , nuclear medicine , ultrasound , corpus callosum , neuroradiology , gestational age , percentile , radiology , anatomy , pregnancy , neurology , clinical psychology , statistics , genetics , mathematics , psychiatry , biology , psychometrics
Objectives To provide normal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) reference biometric data of the fetal brain, to evaluate reproducibility and gender effect, to compare the two cerebral hemispheres and to compare MRI with ultrasonographic biometry, in a large cohort. Methods Normal cerebral fetal MRI examinations were collected prospectively and several parameters were measured: the supratentorial space (bone and cerebral fronto‐occipital and biparietal (BPD) diameters), the length of the corpus callosum (LCC), the surface area, height and anteroposterior diameter of the vermis, the transverse cerebellar diameter (TCD) and the anteroposterior diameter of the pons. We evaluated the interobserver reproducibility of measurements and the possible gender effect on measurements of bone BPD, TCD and LCC. We compared right and left hemispheres, right and left atria and ultrasound and MRI measurements. Results The study included 589 fetuses, ranging from 26 to 40 weeks. Normal values (from 3 rd to 97 th percentile) are provided for each parameter. Interobserver agreement was excellent, with an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) > 0.75 for many parameters. The gender effect was evaluated in 372 cases and did not reveal any clinically meaningful difference. Comparison between the right and left cerebral hemispheres and between the right and left atria did not reveal any meaningful differences. Ultrasound and MRI measurements of BPD and TCD were compared in 94 cases and 48 cases, respectively, and the agreement was excellent (ICC = 0.85). Conclusions We present new reproducible reference charts for cerebral MRI biometry at 26–40 weeks' gestation, from a large cohort of fetuses. Copyright © 2009 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.