This video shows a fetus with a relatively large amount of amniotic fluid allowing free movement of all four limbs. The animation demonstrates fine movements of the fingers and evidence of swallowing. This degree of motion is typical for a fetus of this gestation and makes imaging of the brain very challenging.
What is fetal MRI?
MRI is a non-invasive diagnostic test that uses a large magnet, pulses of radiofrequency waves, and a computer to create detailed images of organs and structures within your body, including a detailed image of your baby. Physicians use MRI to diagnose conditions that may not be adequately assessed using other imaging methods, such as X-ray, ultrasound and CT scan. MRI is safer than tests that use radiation (like X-ray and CT scan).
During pregnancy, fetal MRI can be used to provide information about the fetal brain, chest and abdomen that cannot be gathered from ultrasound alone. This information allows your doctor to better understand how various abnormalities may correlate with your child’s development during pregnancy and in the future.
Standard test results are limited, so it can be very difficult to counsel parents who have a fetus with an abnormality, since outcomes of the same abnormality can vary widely. Fetal MRI enables abnormalities to be classified more thoroughly, which can give parents a more accurate picture of what to expect for their child, both neurologically and developmentally.
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