HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Kazan-Tannus, J. F. Articles by Levine, D. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Kazan-Tannus, J. F. Articles by Levine, D. Social Bookmarking                      What's this? Hotlight (NEW!) What's Hotlight?

MR Volumetry of Brain and CSF in Fetuses Referred for Ventriculomegaly

¹ Department of Radiology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 330 Brookline Ave., Boston, MA 02215.
² Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
³ Clinical Research Program, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, MA 02115.
⁴ Department of Ambulatory Care & Prevention, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Boston, MA.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to validate the method of performing fetal brain volumetry. In particular, our objectives were to assess which imaging plane is most reproducible for the performance of brain volumetry measurements and to ascertain inter- and intraobserver variability in determining brain volume in fetuses referred for ventriculomegaly (VM).

SUBJECTS AND METHODS. In this prospective study, 50 consecutive fetuses at 17-37 weeks of gestational age referred for MRI for VM underwent fast spin-echo T2-weighted imaging. Supratentorial brain parenchyma, lateral ventricles, and extraaxial and cerebellar volumetric measurements were manually obtained in three planes by three radiologists. Inter- and intraobserver variability were assessed. The relationship between volumes and gestational age, and lateral ventricular diameter were assessed.

RESULTS. Volumes increased with gestational age. The presence of VM correlated with increased lateral ventricle diameter. The effect of imaging plane was negligible. Inter- and intraobserver variability were low.

CONCLUSION. Supratentorial parenchyma and lateral ventricular volumes can be reliably measured on fetal MRI, and imaging plane was not an important factor in measurement. Further studies are needed to correlate these indexes with long-term postnatal outcomes.

Keywords: brain • central nervous system • fetuses • MRI • ventriculomegaly

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?