[Prenatal imaging of the fetal brain--indications and developmental implications of fetal MRI]

Cerebral anomalies at birth account for approximately 9% of all isolated anomalies and are present in 15.9% of babies with multiple malformations and, thereby, warrant concern in antenatal diagnosis. Ultrasonography is the basic screening examination for the pregnant woman due to its efficiency, availability, low cost and real time capability. Many of the major anomalies can be diagnosed by ultrasound during the first trimester of pregnancy. However subtle abnormalities can be missed by ultrasonography or detected only in later stages of pregnancy. Fetal MRI has proved itself to be an effective adjuvant imaging tool and is indicated whenever there is a diagnostic query on ultrasound or a need to define a suspected brain anomaly. The information obtained from fetal MRI has significant implications for parental counseling regarding both the type of malformation as well as the neurological and developmental prognosis. Current indications for fetal MRI, focusing on various common fetal cerebral pathologies, will be addressed in this review.