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Normal Growth, Sexual Dimorphism, and Lateral Asymmetries at Fetal Brain MRI
Fedel Machado-Rivas1, Jasmine Gandhi1, Jungwhan John Choi1
1From the Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital, 300 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA 02115 (F.M.R., J.G., J.J.C., C.V.A., O.A., S.K.W., A.G., C.J.); and Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass (F.M.R., J.G., J.J.C., O.A., S.K.W., A.G., C.J.).
Fetal brain MRI reveals complex volumetric growth patterns influenced by gestational age, sex, and brain structure. These findings highlight the dynamic development of intracranial structures during gestation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Developmental Biology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Advanced MRI techniques enable precise volumetric analysis of fetal brain development.
- Accurate characterization of intracranial structures is crucial for understanding normal and abnormal growth trajectories.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the volumetric growth of fetal intracranial structures.
- To analyze growth patterns considering gestational age, sex, and laterality.
- To utilize a spatiotemporal MRI atlas for comprehensive fetal brain development assessment.
Main Methods:
- T2-weighted 3.0-T MRI scans were acquired from healthy fetuses (n=98).
- A validated reconstruction algorithm generated 3D volumes registered to a fetal brain MRI atlas.
- Atlas-based segmentation, including 28 anatomic regions, was performed and refined.
Main Results:
- All intracranial structures demonstrated significant volume growth with increasing gestational age (P < .001).
- Weekly growth rates varied significantly across brain regions, from 2.0% (hippocampal commissure) to 19.4% (cerebellum).
- Sex-related differences were observed, with lateral ventricles larger in males (22.1%). Significant lateral asymmetry was noted in the hippocampus and lateral ventricles.
Conclusions:
- Fetal brain volumetric growth follows complex, structure-specific trajectories.
- Gestational age, sex, and laterality are critical determinants of fetal brain development.
- A spatiotemporal MRI atlas provides a robust framework for studying these developmental patterns.
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