查看文章

To evaluate changes occurring in the fetal brain prior to very preterm delivery using MRI T2* relaxometry, an indirect assessment of tissue perfusion.

Fetuses that subsequently delivered spontaneously <32 weeks gestation and a control cohort were identified from preexisting datasets. Participants had undergone a 3T MRI assessment including T2* relaxometry of the fetal brain using a 2D multislice gradient echo single shot echo planar imaging sequence. T2* maps were generated, supratentorial brain tissue was manually segmented and mean T2* values were generated. Groups were compared using quadratic regression.

Twenty five fetuses that subsequently delivered <32 weeks and 67 that delivered at term were included. Mean gestation at MRI was 24.5 weeks (SD 3.3) and 25.4 weeks (SD 3.1) and gestation at delivery 25.5 weeks (SD 3.4) and 39.7 weeks (SD 1.2) in the …