MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING OF THE FETUS - A STUDY OF 20 CASES PERFORMED WITHOUT CURARIZATION

Twenty patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at a mean g estational age of 32 weeks. There were 12 patients with suspected feta l brain abnormality and four with intrauterine growth retardation (IUG R), while the remaining four cases were studied for other reasons. The MRI examinations were performed on a 0.5 Tesla machine, with surface coils. One minute acquisition time T1 sequences were used. All the stu dies were performed without fetal curarization. and only under materna l sedation using flunitrazepam given per os 1 h before MRI examination . Three examinations were incomplete because of fetal movement artefac ts. In the remaining cases, MRI allowed the examination of fetal brain anatomy. In five cases, it helped to differentiate iso at d hydroceph alus and corpus callosum agenesis. Sub-ependymal nodules were depicted in a case of fetal tuberous sclerosis. One suspected arachnoid cyst w as proved to be an ultrasound artefact. Decreased fetal fat on MR imag es was correlated with low birth weight in cases of IUGR. Due to its b etter spatial resolution, ultrasonography was more accurate for the di agnosis of facial and lumbar anomalies. Fetal MRI may be performed wit hout curarization. Surface coils allow the detailed analysis of brain parenchyma, and thus MRI is especially useful in the difficult prenata l diagnosis of fetal brain abnormalities.