MR imaging of the fetal heart.

Abstract

In the last decade, technological advances have enabled the acquisition of high spatial and temporal resolution cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the fetus. Fetal cardiac MRI has emerged as an alternative to ultrasound, which may be helpful to confirm a diagnosis of congenital heart disease when ultrasound assessment is hampered, for example in late gestation or in the setting of oligohydramnios. MRI also provides unique physiologic information, including vessel blood flow, oxygen saturation and hematocrit, which may be helpful to investigate cardiac and placental diseases. In this review, we summarize some of the main techniques and significant advances in the field to date. Level of Evidence: 5 Technical Efficacy: Stage 5 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2020;51:1030-1044.