ESTIMATION OF FETAL LUNG-VOLUME USING ECHO-PLANAR MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING

Objective: To measure fetal lung volume by echo-planar magnetic resona nce imaging (MRI). Methods: Twenty singleton pregnancies were scanned on one occasion each using echo-planar imaging, a form of MRI. Cases o f fetal growth restriction and macrosomia were excluded from the study . Results: Lung volumes increased with gestational age from 21 mt at 2 3 weeks' gestation to a maximum of 94 mt at term. The relation between lung volume and gestational age was exponential. The ratio of lung vo lume to total fetal volume decreased with gestational age. Conclusion: The use of echo-planar imaging allows estimation of normal fetal grow th; it has clear applications for the diagnosis of lung hypoplasia and potential use for the study of lung maturity.