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Keywords: Cross-organ: Antenatal, Neuro: Brain, Neuro: Nervous system

Fetal life is the most dynamic and crucial stage in human neurodevelopment. The exceptional tissue contrast offered by fetal MRI has revolutionized our ability to study brain development and identify emerging abnormalities. Processes like neuronal migration, parenchymal growth, and cortical folding are displayed in remarkable detail. The potential to detect abnormalities prior to birth opens the possibility for interventions earlier in the course of diseases, which could potentially improve the neurological outcomes of fetuses affected by congenital disorders.

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Keywords: Fetal, Velocity & Flow

Fetal cardiovascular MRI has the potential to aid in the diagnosis and evaluation of congenital heart disease. Here, a fast, Doppler ultrasound- gated, 4D flow MRI acquisition with online reconstruction was achieved in twelve healthy fetuses and six patients with suspected congenital cardiovascular defects. Analysis of the 4D flow data revealed expected flow distributions across vascular territories in the healthy cohort. Using 4D flow MRI, we were also able to evaluate the presence and impact of ductal dependent lesions in patients with suspected congenital heart disease, finding confirmation of presence/absence of pathology on post-natal imaging.  

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Datta Singh Goolaub¹, Ye Tian², Joshua F.P. van Amerom¹, John Wood^3,4, Jon Detterich⁴, Krishna S. Nayak², and Christopher K. Macgowan^1,5
1Translational Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada, ²Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States, ³Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States, ⁴Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics and Radiology, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States, ⁵Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

Keywords: Prenatal, Fetus

In this study, we demonstrate the feasibility of CINE fetal CMR at 0.55 T at multiple spatial resolutions. First, real-time images are reconstructed for motion-correction and cardiac gating. Fetal cardiac CINEs are then reconstructed using the corrected data. Retrospective CINEs have higher SNR relative to their corresponding real-time reconstructions. Feasibility of the pipeline is demonstrated for up to 1.0 mm in-plane resolution. Good cardiac structure conspicuity is observed at coarse spatial resolutions in real-times and at all spatial resolutions in CINEs.

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Ye Tian¹, Jon Detterich², Jay D. Pruetz², Anand A. Joshi¹, John Wood², and Krishna S. Nayak^1
1University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States, ²Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States

Keywords: Fetal, Fetus

We demonstrate a real-time spiral balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP) pulse sequence for fetal cardiac examinations on a 0.55T scanner. The real-time sequence provides easy adjustments of scan plan, automatic volumetric sweeping covering the whole heart, and flexible choice of reconstruction temporal resolution, without relying on any maternal breath-hold or cardiac gating. In 9 experiments involving 8 volunteers, we demonstrated high-temporal resolution (40ms/frame) real-time videos that capture fetal cardiac dynamics, and low-temporal resolution (320ms/frame) volumetric images that capture cardiac anatomy. This approach provides both functional and structural evaluations of the fetal heart.  

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Marjolein Piek¹, Johannes Töger¹, Erik Hedström^1,2, and Anthony H. Aletras^1,3
1Clinical Physiology, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden, ²Diagnostic Radiology, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden, ³Laboratory of Computing, Medical Informatics and Biomedical-Imaging Technologies, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece

Keywords: Fetal, Image Reconstruction

Recently, the first 3D cine radial acquisition of the fetal heart with isotropic resolution was introduced. However, image quality suffers from radial streaking artifacts due to under-sampling. A new coil combination method, Region-Optimised Virtual coils (ROVir), was suggested to improve image quality by highlighting signal from the ROI while suppressing signal from unwanted regions. This study aimed to compare 3D fetal cardiac imaging ROVir to conventional SVD-based coil combination, in a parallel imaging based reconstruction. Streaking artifacts were reduced, and the cine could be reconstructed to more cardiac phases. This allowed for improved appreciation of fetal cardiac function.

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Robin Ferincz¹, Mariana Baginha Da Lanca Falcão¹, Aurelio Secinaro², Guido Buonincontri³, Leonor Alamo⁴, Estelle Tenisch⁴, Milan Prša⁵, Davide Piccini^1,6,7, Jérôme Yerly⁸, Matthias Stuber⁸, and Christopher William Roy^1
1Department of Radiology, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, Switzerland, ²Advanced Cardiothoracic Imaging Unit, Department of Imaging, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital IRCCS, Rome, Italy, ³Siemens Healthcare srl, Milan, Italy, Milan, Italy, ⁴Department of Radiology and Interventional Radiology, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, Switzerland, ⁵Woman- Mother-Child Department, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, Switzerland, ⁶Advanced Clinical Imaging Technology (ACIT), Siemens Healthineers International AG, Lausanne, Switzerland, ⁷LTS5, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland, ⁸Center for Biomedical Imaging (CIBM), Lausanne, Switzerland

Keywords: Fetal, Cardiovascular

MR imaging of the fetal heart is challenging due to resolution requirements and the impact of maternal respiration, fetal cardiac motion, and gross fetal movement. These factors have largely precluded the development of 3D acquisition techniques. In this work, a novel reconstruction algorithm is developed to estimate and correct for displacement of the fetal heart due to maternal respiration and gross fetal movement enabling the first-ever motion-corrected time-resolved 4D images of the fetal heart from 3D radial data. Proof-of-concept results are demonstrated using a comprehensive numerical simulation developed for this work and initial data acquired in utero.

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Ruike Chen¹, Ruoke Zhao¹, Xinyi Xu¹, Mingyang Li¹, Cong Sun², Guangbin Wang³, and Dan Wu^1
1Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering & Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China, ²Department of Radiology, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, P.R. China., Beijing, China, ³Department of Radiology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, China

Keywords: Fetal, Brain Connectivity, Structural Connectivity Network

Extensive cortico-cortical connections emerge in the fetal brain during the second-to-third trimester with the rapid development of white matter fiber pathways. However, the early establishment and prenatal development of the brain’s structural network are not yet understood. In this work, we built structural connectivity networks of the fetal brain using in-utero diffusion MRI data. Network analysis revealed the increasing overall efficiency of the fetal brain network. The strengthening of short-ranged cortico-cortical connections and the emerging hubs contributed to the reorganization of its sub-units. These findings provided valuable information on the early developmental patterns of brain cortico-cortical structural connectivity

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Or Rachel Sadan^1,2, Netanell Avisdris^2,3, Aviad Rabinowich^2,4,5, Daphna Link-Sourani², Liat Ben Sira^1,4,5, and Dafna Ben Bashat^1,2,5
1Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel, ²Sagol Brain Institute, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel, ³School of Computer Science and Engineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel, ⁴Department of Radiology, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel, ⁵Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

Keywords: Fetal, Infection

 

We aimed to examine whether MR spectroscopy (MRS) within the deep grey matter can detect brain metabolic changes in fetal cytomegalovirus infection. Retrospective data from 47 fetuses with brain sonography, MRI, and MRS scans were used: 27 women had a positive PCR on amniocentesis.

Seven (out of the 27) fetuses had brain MRI findings common to CMV. NAA+NAAG, and Cr were significantly lower in fetuses with PCR+ and MRI findings. No differences were detected in fetuses without imaging findings (PCR+ and PCR-). These metabolic changes could reflect brain impairments.

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Xinyi Xu¹, Haoan Xu¹, Tianshu Zheng¹, Yutian Wang¹, Chi Zhou¹, Jiaxin Xiao^1,2, Ruike Chen¹, Mingyang Li¹, Cong Sun³, Guangbin Wang⁴, Xianglei Kong⁵, Qingqing Zhu⁵, Jingshi Wang⁶, Hong Yu⁶, Yu Zou⁷, Guohui Yan⁷, and Dan Wu^1
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering & Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China, ²School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom, ³Department of Radiology, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, P.R. China., Beijing, China, ⁴Department of Radiology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China, ⁵Department of Radiology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China, ⁶Dalian Municipal Women and Children’s Medical Center (Group), Dalian, China, ⁷Department of Radiology, Women’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China

Keywords: Fetal, Brain, Multisite; morphological development; harmonization; cortical thickness

Studies have shown that the non-biological site-related effects may induce bias in multisite neuroimaging studies among adults and adolescents. It is unknown how site effects would affect the analysis of fetal brain MRI and which acquisition factors are critical in quantitative analysis. In this study, we identified site effects, including manufacture, field strength, in-plane resolution, and slice-thickness on volume and cortical thickness measurements in normal fetuses. We also showed these site effects could be effectively removed with ComBat-GAM while preserving developmental pattern indicating that the harmonization procedure is necessary when combing multisite imaging data to study fetal brain morphological development.

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Jacqueline Matthew¹, Alena Uus¹, Abi Fukami-Gartner¹, Lucillio Cordero Grande¹, Vanessa Kyriakopoulou¹, Daniel Cromb¹, Robert Wright¹, Jonathan O'Muircheartaigh¹, Ana Baburamani¹, Christina Malamateniou², Jana Hutter¹, Joseph Hajnal¹, Mary Rutherford¹, and Maria Deprez^1
1Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom, ²City University London, London, United Kingdom

Keywords: Prenatal, Fetus, Biometry

We introduce the first automated atlas-based method for fetal craniofacial biometry. Using motion-corrected slice-to-volume reconstructions for 3D fetal head visualisation, an automated label propagation method extracted linear biometry across 12 measures. The optimisation process used retrospective data and no differences in automated biometry was seen between different MRI acquisition parameters. A comparison of measures made between a cohort of fetuses with Down syndrome and control fetuses, with normal development, found significant differences for the occipitofrontal skull, oral hard palate and anterior base of skull distances. This suggests a promising and meaningful method for large population-level investigation of MRI craniofacial morphology.

Zhaoji Chen¹, Fan Wu¹, Xin Zhang¹, Yuchao Li¹, Zhenqing Liu¹, Chenxin Xie¹, and Hongsheng Liu^1
1Department of Radiology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University，Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Guangzhou, 510623, China, Guangzhou of China, China

Keywords: Prenatal, Brain

The objective of our study to perform the development of brain volume in fetus with the isolated non-severe ventriculomegaly (INSVM). Then the MRI images of 36 INSVM fetuses and 22 normal fetuses were retrospectively collected, and were manually delineated to obtain quantitative data of brain regions. The gestational age ranged from 26 to 35 weeks. Our study found that the volume development of the basal ganglia, thalamus, and partial white matter in the INSVM fetuses were different from those in the normal fetuses. These differences in the volume development of brain regions need to be determined by expanding the sample.