Christiaens Daan, Slator Paddy J, Cordero-Grande Lucilio, Price Anthony N, Deprez Maria, Alexander Daniel C, Rutherford Mary, Hajnal Joseph V, Hutter Jana
Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK.
Centre for Medical Engineering, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London UK.
Top Magn Reson Imaging. 2019 Oct;28(5):255-264. doi: 10.1097/RMR.0000000000000211.
In utero diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides unique opportunities to noninvasively study the microstructure of tissue during fetal development. A wide range of developmental processes, such as the growth of white matter tracts in the brain, the maturation of placental villous trees, or the fibers in the fetal heart remain to be studied and understood in detail. Advances in fetal interventions and surgery furthermore increase the need for ever more precise antenatal diagnosis from fetal MRI. However, the specific properties of the in utero environment, such as fetal and maternal motion, increased field-of-view, tissue interfaces and safety considerations, are significant challenges for most MRI techniques, and particularly for diffusion. Recent years have seen major improvements, driven by the development of bespoke techniques adapted to these specific challenges in both acquisition and processing. Fetal diffusion MRI, an emerging research tool, is now adding valuable novel information for both research and clinical questions. This paper will highlight specific challenges, outline strategies to target them, and discuss two main applications: fetal brain connectomics and placental maturation.
子宫内扩散磁共振成像（MRI）为无创研究胎儿发育过程中的组织微观结构提供了独特的机会。许多发育过程，如大脑白质束的生长、胎盘绒毛树的成熟或胎儿心脏中的纤维，仍有待详细研究和了解。此外，胎儿干预和手术的进展增加了通过胎儿MRI进行更精确产前诊断的需求。然而，子宫内环境的特殊性质，如胎儿和母体的运动、增大的视野、组织界面以及安全考虑，对大多数MRI技术来说都是重大挑战，尤其是对扩散成像而言。近年来，在针对采集和处理方面这些特定挑战开发定制技术的推动下，取得了重大进展。胎儿扩散MRI作为一种新兴的研究工具，现在为研究和临床问题都增添了有价值的新信息。本文将重点介绍具体挑战，概述应对这些挑战的策略，并讨论两个主要应用：胎儿脑连接组学和胎盘成熟。
