title: Diffusion-weighted MR imaging of the normal fetal lung.
abstract: To quantify apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) changes in fetuses with normal lungs and to determine whether ADC can be used in the assessment of fetal lung development. In 53 pregnancies (20-37th weeks of gestation), we measured ADC on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in the apical, middle, and basal thirds of the right lung. ADCs were correlated with gestational age. Differences between the ADCs were assessed. Fetal lung volumes were measured on T2-weighted sequences and correlated with ADCs and with age. ADCs were 2.13 +/- 0.44 microm(2)/ms (mean +/- SD) in the apex, 1.99 +/- 0.42 microm(2)/ms (mean +/- SD) in the middle third, and 1.91 +/- 0.41 microm(2)/ms (mean +/- SD) in the lung base. Neither the individual ADC values nor average ADC values showed a significant correlation with gestational age or with lung volumes. Average ADCs decreased significantly from the lung apex toward the base. Individual ADCs showed little absolute change and heterogeneity. Lung volumes increased significantly during gestation. We have not been able to identify a pattern of changes in the ADC values that correlate with lung maturation. Furthermore, the individual, gravity-related ADC changes are subject to substantial variability and show nonuniform behavior. ADC can therefore not be used as an indicator of lung maturity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria. csilla.balassy@meduniwien.ac.at
authors.forename: Csilla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Balassy
authors.forename: Gregor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kasprian
authors.forename: Peter C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Brugger
authors.forename: Bence
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Csapo
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hörmann
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bankier
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bammer
authors.forename: Christian J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Herold
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Prayer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000196:embryology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric