A novel fetal MRI lung volume nomogram stratified by estimated fetal weight

Abstract

MRI total fetal lung volumes (TLV), and observed-to-expected TLV (O/E TLV) are increasingly used to prognosticate neonatal outcomes in fetuses with suspected pulmonary hypoplasia. However, pregnancies complicated by fetal anomalies are often also complicated by FGR, and existing lung volume nomograms are stratified by gestational age (GA) rather than EFW. Therefore, if a low O/E TLV is found in a fetus with pulmonary hypoplasia and FGR, it is unclear whether the lungs are “small” because of the pathology, or small fetal size.