Normal development of the fetal spinal canal and spinal cord at T12 on 3.0-T MRI

The studies that described the dimensions of the normal fetal thoracic spinal canal and spinal cord on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are scarce.

To determine the normal appearance of the fetal spinal canal and spinal cord at T12 across different gestational ages using 3.0-T MRI.

The spines of 43 normal human fetuses, aged 15-40 weeks, were scanned by 3.0-T MRI. All specimens were scanned using a GE 3.0-T MRI scanner. Imaging of the T12 vertebrae was performed in the coronal, sagittal, and axial planes. The anterior-posterior (AP) diameter, width, and cross-sectional area of the spinal canal and spinal cord at T12 were measured. The influence of gestational age on these parameters was investigated with a scatter plot and linear regression analysis using Pearson correlation coefficient.

The normal morphology of the fetal vertebra at T12 can be clearly showed by MRI; the spinal canal appeared circular, while the spinal cord was ellipsoid. Linear regression analysis showed a significant positive correlation between the AP diameter, width, and cross-sectional area of the spinal canal at T12 and gestational age.

Postmortem MRI is a reliable method for understanding the growth dynamics of the spinal canal and spinal cord at T12. Findings from this study would benefit the prenatal diagnosis of congenital malformations by MRI.