title: MR imaging of the fetal musculoskeletal system.
abstract: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) appears to be increasingly used, in addition to standard ultrasonography for the diagnosis of abnormalities in utero. Previous studies have recently drawn attention to the technical refinement of MRI to visualize the fetal bones and muscles. Beyond commonly used T2-weighted MRI, echoplanar, thick-slab T2-weighted and dynamic sequences, and three-dimensional MRI techniques, are about to provide new imaging insights into the normal and the pathological musculoskeletal system of the fetus. This review emphasizes the potential significance of MRI in the visualization of the fetal musculoskeletal system.
authors.affiliation: Medical University Vienna, Department of Radiology, Division of Neuroradiology and Musculoskeletal Radiology, Vienna, Austria. stefan.nemec@meduniwien.ac.at
authors.forename: Stefan Franz
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Nemec
authors.forename: Ursula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Nemec
authors.forename: Peter C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Brugger
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bettelheim
authors.forename: Siegfried
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rotmensch
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Graham
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Rimoin
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Prayer
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D041641:Musculoskeletal Development / Q000502:physiology; D009141:Musculoskeletal System / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000196:embryology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000379:methods*; D011859:Radiography