Advanced neuroimaging in the fetal brain: An update on technical advances and clinical findings

Abstract

Abstract Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is widely used to provide detailed information regarding fetal brain development in utero. Conventional T1‐and T2‐weighted sequences provide anatomical details of the normal brain and demonstrate brain lesions. In addition to providing highly detailed qualitative assessments of fetal brain development, advanced MRI methods such as three‐dimensional high‐resolution MRI, diffusion MRI, magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and functional MRI can provide quantitative morphologic assessments of tissue microstructure and functional activity. This review aims to describe normal fetal brain development and highlight current state‐of‐the‐art MRI sequences for fetal neuroimaging. We focus on current clinical applications which can provide a better understanding of in utero impairments in fetal brain development.

Keywords

• magnetic resonance imaging
• diffusion tensor imaging
• functional MRI
• fetal brain
• advances