Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aalborg Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark.
Prenat Diagn. 2013 Feb;33(2):141-5. doi: 10.1002/pd.4025. Epub 2012 Dec 12.
Changes in blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signal are closely related to changes in fetal oxygenation. In this study, we aimed to investigate the changes in human fetal oxygenation during maternal hyperoxia by using the non-invasive BOLD MRI technique.
Eight healthy pregnant women in gestational week 28 to 34 were included. With the use of a facial oxygen mask, we induced maternal hyperoxia and measured changes in the BOLD MRI signal of selected fetal organs.
In a number of fetal organs, the BOLD MRI signal increased significantly (P < 0.01) during maternal hyperoxia (mean change in % ± SEM): liver (14.3 ± 3.7%), spleen (15.2 ± 3.5%) and kidney (6.2 ± 1.8%) as well as the placenta (6.5 ± 1.6%). In the fetal brain, however, the BOLD MRI signal remained constant (0.3 ± 0.2%).
During maternal hyperoxia, we demonstrated an increased oxygenation in a number of human fetal organs by using the non-invasive BOLD technique. The oxygenation of the fetal brain remained constant, thus a 'reversed' brain sparing mechanism could be considered in healthy fetuses subjected to hyperoxia.
血氧水平依赖（BOLD）磁共振成像（MRI）信号的变化与胎儿氧合的变化密切相关。本研究旨在利用非侵入性的 BOLD MRI 技术研究母体高氧血症期间胎儿氧合的变化。
纳入 8 名妊娠 28 至 34 周的健康孕妇。使用面部氧气面罩诱导母体高氧血症，并测量选定胎儿器官的 BOLD MRI 信号变化。
在一些胎儿器官中，BOLD MRI 信号在母体高氧血症期间显著增加（P<0.01）（% ± SEM 的平均变化）：肝脏（14.3 ± 3.7%）、脾脏（15.2 ± 3.5%）和肾脏（6.2 ± 1.8%）以及胎盘（6.5 ± 1.6%）。然而，在胎儿大脑中，BOLD MRI 信号保持不变（0.3 ± 0.2%）。
在母体高氧血症期间，我们使用非侵入性 BOLD 技术证明了许多胎儿器官的氧合增加。胎儿大脑的氧合保持不变，因此在健康胎儿中可能会考虑到“反向”的脑保护机制。
