title: Regional apparent diffusion coefficient values in 3rd trimester fetal brain.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values in the developing fetus can be used in the diagnosis and prognosis of prenatal brain pathologies. To this end, we measured regional ADC in a relatively large cohort of normal fetal brains in utero.
  
  
  METHODS
  Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) was performed in 48 non-sedated 3rd trimester fetuses with normal structural MR imaging results. ADC was measured in white matter (frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital lobes), basal ganglia, thalamus, pons, and cerebellum. Regional ADC values were compared by one-way ANOVA with gestational age as covariate. Regression analysis was used to examine gestational age-related changes in regional ADC. Four other cases of CMV infection were also examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median gestational age was 32 weeks (range, 26-33 weeks). There was a highly significant effect of region on ADC, whereby ADC values were highest in white matter, with significantly lower values in basal ganglia and cerebellum and the lowest values in thalamus and pons. ADC did not significantly change with gestational age in any of the regions tested. In the four cases with fetal CMV infection, ADC value was associated with a global decrease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ADC values in normal fetal brain are relatively stable during the third trimester, show consistent regional variation, and can make an important contribution to the early diagnosis and possibly prognosis of fetal brain pathologies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer (affiliated to the Sackler School of Medicine), Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel, chen.hoffmann@sheba.health.gov.il.
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
authors.forename: Boaz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Weisz
authors.forename: Shlomo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lipitz
authors.forename: Gal
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yaniv
authors.forename: Eldad
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Katorza
authors.forename: Dafi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bergman
authors.forename: Anat
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Biegon
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000196:embryology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000379:methods*; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
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