MRI and US imaging in fetal anomalies

Purpose:  The use of MRI in diagnose fetal abnormalities and the correlation with ultrasound.Methods:  Twenty‐five patents in which were diagnosed fetal abnormalities (CNS, thorax and renal) were submitted to MRI. The stage of pregnancy at the time of MR imaging ranged 16–34 weeks gestation. The half‐Fourier single shot rapid acquisition with relaxation enhancement (RARE) technique was used to obtain T2‐weighted images, this sequence has excellent contrast resolution of fetal tissues. It is a single selection acquisition technique limits the artifacts related to maternal and fetal motion.Results:  Fetus with CNS, thorax and renal abnormalities were submitted to MRI study. The CNS anomalies were vein of Galen aneurysm, archnoid cyst, Dandy–Walker complex, megacysterna magna, espina bifida. Thorax anomalies were adenomatoid cystic malformation. The renal anomalies were obstructive urophaty, renal displasia. The images of the ultrasound scans and the MRI images were analyzed individually and after compared each other to understand the limits and benefits of each technique.Conclusion:  Fast MR imaging techniques provide excellent resolution for imaging the fetal anatomies without the need for maternal or fetal sedation, and should be used as a complementary tool in the diagnosis of fetal anomalies.