The fetus at term: in utero volume-selected proton MR spectroscopy with a breath-hold technique--a feasibility study.
In three healthy gravidas at 38 and 39 weeks gestation, fetal MR spectroscopy was performed with a breath-hold technique by using the following pulse sequences: single voxel point-resolved spectroscopy, or PRESS, for liver and heart studies and stimulated-echo acquisition mode, or STEAM, for brain studies. Signal peaks of lipid from heart and liver were detected, as were the signal peaks of choline, creatine, and N-acetylaspartate from fetal brain. Findings demonstrated the feasibility of performing proton MR spectroscopy to assess mobile fetal structures.
Fenton
B W
BW
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA. bradfenton@aol.com
Lin
C S
CS
Macedonia
C
C
Schellinger
D
D
Ascher
S
S
D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000196:embryology; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000737:chemistry*; D006321:Heart / Q000196:embryology; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry / Q000196:embryology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000737:chemistry; D011247:Pregnancy