Fetal cardiac MRI: a single center experience over 14-years on the potential utility as an adjunct to fetal technically inadequate echocardiography

Su-Zhen Dong,Ming Zhu,Jing-Ya Ren,Hui Ji,Ke Liu

doi:10.1038/s41598-020-69375-3

Su-Zhen Dong, Ming Zhu + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-69375-3

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Journal: Scientific Reports	Publication Date: Jul 23, 2020
Citations: 21	License type: open-access

Affiliation: Shanghai Children's Medical Center

Abstract

Unlike ultrasound (US) imaging, foetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is not significantly limited by maternal obesity, oligohydramnios, uterine myoma, twins, and foetal lie, which impair US visualization of the foetus. The present study aimed to introduce our foetal cardiac MRI scanning technology and over 14-years of experience on the potential utility of foetal cardiac MRI examination as an adjunct to foetal technically inadequate echocardiography (Echo). This retrospective review included 1,573 pregnant women [1,619 foetuses (46 twins)] referred for a foetal cardiac MRI because of technically limited Echo. Foetal cardiac MRI was performed using two 1.5 T units. Among the 1,619 foetuses referred for cardiac MRI, 1,379 (85.2%) cases were followed up using postnatal imaging and/or surgery, 240 (14.8%), including three twins, had no follow-up confirmation because of pregnancy termination without autopsy or loss to follow-up. The results of the present study indicated that foetal cardiac MRI examinations can be a useful adjunct to foetal echocardiography when the technical limitations of echocardiography make it inadequate for diagnosis.

Highlights

Unlike ultrasound (US) imaging, foetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is not significantly limited by maternal obesity, oligohydramnios, uterine myoma, twins, and foetal lie, which impair US visualization of the foetus
Prenatal diagnosis of certain types of Congenital heart disease (CHD), such as transposition of the great arteries (TGA), pulmonary atresia with intact ventricle septum (PA/IVS), hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), obstructive total anomalous pulmonary veins connection (TAPVC), and other severe CHDs has been associated with improved outcomes and decreased perioperative mortality[2]
There has been no report on the potential utility of foetal cardiovascular MRI as an adjunct to foetal echocardiography when echocardiography is technically limited, either from a single centre or as pooled data from multiple centres

Summary

Introduction

Unlike ultrasound (US) imaging, foetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is not significantly limited by maternal obesity, oligohydramnios, uterine myoma, twins, and foetal lie, which impair US visualization of the foetus. The present study aimed to introduce our foetal cardiac MRI scanning technology and over 14-years of experience on the potential utility of foetal cardiac MRI examination as an adjunct to foetal technically inadequate echocardiography (Echo). This retrospective review included 1,573 pregnant women [1,619 foetuses (46 twins)] referred for a foetal cardiac MRI because of technically limited Echo. The results of the present study indicated that foetal cardiac MRI examinations can be a useful adjunct to foetal echocardiography when the technical limitations of echocardiography make it inadequate for diagnosis. We introduce our special foetal cardiovascular MRI scanning techniques and experience of the potential utility of foetal cardiovascular MRI as an adjunct to technically inadequate foetal echocardiography

Methods

Results

Conclusion