Diffusion-weighted imaging in fetuses with severe congenital heart defects

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: J. I. Berman, University of California, San Francisco; Shannon Hamrick, Emory University; P. S. McQuillen, University of California, San Francisco; C. Studholme, University of California, San Francisco; D. Xu, University of California, San Francisco; R. G. Henry, University of California, San Francisco; L. K. Hornberger, University of Alberta; O. A. Glenn, University of California, San Francisco
• Language: English
• Date: 2011-02-01
• Publisher: AJNR
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © American Society of Neuroradiology.
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.3174/ajnr.A1975
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: American Journal of Neuroradiology
• Volume: 32
• Issue: 2
• Start Page: E21
• End Page: E22
• Grant/Funding Information: This work was supported by the Dana Foundation Brain and Immuno Imaging Track A, National Institutes of Health grant K23 NS52506, and NIH/NCRR UCSF-CTSI grant UL1 RR024131.
• Keywords: Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Heart Defects, Congenital; Fetal Diseases; Thalamus; Leukoencephalopathies; Corpus Callosum; Severity of Illness Index; Pregnancy; Prenatal Diagnosis; Agenesis of Corpus Callosum; Humans; Female
• Research Categories: Engineering, Biomedical; Health Sciences, Human Development; Health Sciences, Radiology

Abstract

Fetal diffusion MR imaging was performed in 3 fetuses with CHD. ADC values in the periatrial WM, thalamus, and basal ganglia were compared with those in a control population of fetuses. Diffusivity in the periatrial WM and thalamus was higher for the fetuses with CHD compared with controls. These observations support the finding of abnormal in utero brain development in fetuses with CHD.