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Updated: Mar 21, 2026

Human Fetal Blood Flow Quantification with Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Motion Compensation
Published on: January 7, 2021
Magnetic resonance angiography of fetal vasculature at 3.0 T
Jaladhar Neelavalli1,2, Uday Krishnamurthy3,4, Pavan K Jella3
1Department of Radiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 4201 St. Antoine, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA. jneelava@med.wayne.edu.
Magnetic resonance angiography has not been used much previously for visualizing fetal vessels in utero for reasons that include a contraindication for the use of exogenous contrast agents, maternal respiratory motion and fetal motion. In this work, we report the feasibility of using an appropriately modified clinical time-of-flight magnetic resonance imaging sequence for non-contrast angiography of human fetal and placental vessels at 3.0 T. Using this 2D angiography technique, it is possible to visualize fetal vascular networks in late pregnancy.
Magnetic resonance angiography has not been used much previously for visualizing fetal vessels in utero for reasons that include a contraindication for the use of exogenous contrast agents, maternal respiratory motion and fetal motion. In this work, we report the feasibility of using an appropriately modified clinical time-of-flight magnetic resonance imaging sequence for non-contrast angiography of human fetal and placental vessels at 3.0 T. Using this 2D angiography technique, it is possible to visualize fetal vascular networks in late pregnancy.
Key Points:
• 3D-visualization of fetal vasculature is feasible using non-contrast MRA at 3.0 T. • Visualization of placental vasculature is also possible with this method. • Fetal MRA can serve as a vascular localizer for quantitative MRI studies. • This method can be extended to 1.5 T.
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