Study of internal structure of the human fetus in utero by echo-planar magnetic resonance imaging.
The ultrafast echo-planar magnetic resonance imaging technology, developed and built in Nottingham, has been used to produce the first snapshot images of the human fetus in utero. The imager, operating at a proton resonance frequency of 22 MHz, produces transaxial views in 64 or 128 milliseconds. These images comprise either 64 x 128 or 128 x 128 pixels with an in-plane resolution of 3 x 3 mm2. The slice thickness is 10 mm. Fetal scans of up to 32 contiguous slices are produced in a few minutes. These have been used to study the internal structure of the uterus and the fetus in a range of cases with gestations ranging from 26 weeks to term. Echo-planar imaging seems particularly suitable as an imaging modality since its high speed obviates image blurring arising from fetal motion.
Johnson
I R
IR
Department of Physics, University of Nottingham, England.
Stehling
M K
MK
Blamire
A M
AM
Coxon
R J
RJ
Howseman
A M
AM
Chapman
B
B
Ordidge
R J
RJ
Mansfield
P
P
Symonds
E M
EM
Worthington
B S
BS
D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005333:Fetus / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis