Ultrafast fetal MR sequences allow to
“picture freeze” the fetus in utero without the need for sedation..
The goal of fetal MRI is to offer an enhanced visualization and characterization of the pathologies detected by
routine prenatal sonography, and it is therefore used as a
problem-solving technique in a selected patient population..
USG has routinely been used in the evaluation of obstetrical andgynecological conditions since the late 1950s. However, due to its limitations of a small field of view, operator dependence, a need for an additional imaging modality has emerged, especially in cases of oligohydramnios and obese patients. As MRI does not involve radiation, is safe for the fetus, and provides detailed structural anatomy, it has emerged as a suitable adjunct to USG.
MRI was first performed in 1983 for evaluation of the placenta and fetus. The main drawback of MRI was fetal motion which was overcome in the 1990s with the development of ultrafast sequences. According to the Safety Committee of the Society for MRI, no known biological risks have so far been proven to be associated with MRI.
