What can fetal MRI examine?

Magnetic resonance imaging has been used overseas for more than 20 years, and most hospitals in China have also carried out this test. They are mainly used for fetal assessment and diagnosis of congenital anomalies, and have become an important supplementary method for prenatal examinations, providing clinicians with more and more reliable information to decide whether to terminate the pregnancy. So, what can fetal MRI check?

First of all, due to maternal obesity, oligohydramnios, uterine fibroids, etc., after three months of pregnancy, the posterior cranial fossa deformity and fetal position change of the fetus cause the ultrasound to be unable to provide diagnostic information. If ultrasound examination is used, it is impossible to determine or cannot determine whether the fetal nervous system is normal, but if MRI is used for examination, it can provide a lot of useful information. In addition, some complex abnormalities of the fetus, such as congenital cystic adenomatous malformation of the lung, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, lung protection, etc., can be detected.

Secondly, MRI can also detect and evaluate fetal abdominal abnormalities and embryo abnormalities. Compared with ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging has a larger field of view, better soft tissue saturation, and high-quality display of fetal organs, which is more conducive to evaluating the spatial relationship of fetal anatomical abnormalities and the relationship between large lesions and surrounding structures. However, MRI examinations cannot completely show that there are any abnormalities in the shape of the fetus. For example, due to fetal position, some deformities of the human body surface and some body deformities, the information cannot be displayed well. However, during pregnancy, if it is not necessary, try to avoid MRI examinations.

In general, we understand what fetal MRI can check. MRI is a relatively safe examination method, but due to the special nature of the fetus, all examinations should be performed with extreme caution. Although some fetal congenital defects can be detected, the potential effects of magnetic fields and electromagnetic radiation generated by MRI are still unclear. Therefore, if it is not necessary, try to avoid MRI examinations as much as possible.