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Transvaginal 2D/3D US and MRI of the fetal CNS
Author(s) -
Pooh R. K.,
Pooh K.
Publication year - 2001
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 - 10.1046/j.1469-0705.2001.0180s1026.x
Subject(s) - medicine , corpus callosum , radiology , nuclear medicine , sagittal plane , magnetic resonance imaging , neuroimaging , cerebrum , imaging phantom , fetus , pregnancy , anatomy , central nervous system , genetics , psychiatry , biology
Transvaginal sonography of the fetal brain produce a series of oblique sections from the same ultrasound window. Transvaginal 3D automatic volume acquisition requires only 1.84–6.07 s for scanning without a shift and angle‐change of the transducer. Multiplanar image analysis and volumetric system are useful for objective evaluation of the fetal brain. Recent advances in fast MRI technology has remarkably improved the T2‐weighted image resolution without motion artifacts, despite a short acquisition time. We used both technologies for the fetal brain assessment. Patients and methods: Between May 2000 and April 2001, 11 cases with fetal brain abnormalities at 20–37 weeks of gestation were examined by transvaginal 2D/3D sonography and MRI. Logiq 700/500 (GE MS) and Voluson 530D (Medison), and 1.5 T MR unit VISART (Toshiba) with 2D half‐Fourier fast SE sequence were used in this study. Obtained US images and MRI were compared for brain evaluation. Results: From our study, TVS is better in depicting the corpus callosum in the sagittal section, while MRI with 2D half‐Fourier fast SE is superior in brainstem detection. In evaluation of the ventricular system, cerebrum and cerebellum, the same information was obtained from both methods. The same prenatal diagnoses were obtained from US and MR data in 10 cases. In one case with partial agenesis of corpus callosum at 20 weeks of gestation, US image was more demonstrative than MRI. Conclusions: Prenatal neuroimaging has been approaching postnatal imaging. Both transvaginal sonography and MRI are useful for evaluation of the fetal CNS. Transvaginal 2D/3D sonography should be used for routine assessment of fetal CNS, and MRI device should be used for more detailed evaluation including brainstem assessment. Practically, MRI is useful regardless of fetal head position, while US is not influenced by fetal movement.