Fetal MRI of the Chest

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a non-invasive technique that allows the acquisition of high-definition images of fetal anatomy. Prenatal ultrasound (US) is currently the gold standard imaging technique during pregnancy. However, MRI has several advantages which have led to its increasing use for further characterization of fetal anatomy. MR images are usually not affected by fetal position, and image quality does not depend on the amount of amniotic fluid (Hubbard et al. 1999; Matsuoka et al. 2003). MRI can provide more accurate information than US alone, and may therefore assist decisions regarding the continuation of pregnancy, the method or site of delivery, and whether to perform a high-risk but potentially life-saving fetal intervention (Guo and Luo 2006).