MR imaging methods for assessing fetal brain development

Rutherford, Mary; Jiang, Shuo; Allsop, Joanna; Perkins, Lucinda; Srinivasan, Latha; Hayat, Tayyib T. A.; Kumar, Sailesh; Hajnal, Jo

doi:10.1002/dneu.20614

Cited by 71 publications

(50 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…Currently, mainly the brain and the whole fetus appearance are qualitatively examined in clinical practice [1,2]. Fetal motion and its unpredictable nature ( Fig.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fast fully automatic brain detection in fetal MRI using dense rotation invariant image descriptors

Kainz

Keraudren

Kyriakopoulou

et al. 2014

2014 IEEE 11th International Symposium on Biomedical Imaging (ISBI)

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Automatic detection of the fetal brain in Magnetic Resonance (MR) Images is especially difficult due to arbitrary orientation of the fetus and possible movements during the scan. In this paper, we propose a method to facilitate fully automatic brain voxel classification by means of rotation invariant volume descriptors. We calculate features for a set of 50 prenatal fast spin echo T2 volumes of the uterus and learn the appearance of the fetal brain in the feature space. We evaluate our novel classification method and show that we can localize the fetal brain with an accuracy of 100% and classify fetal brain voxels with an accuracy above 97%. Furthermore, we show how the classification process can be used for a direct segmentation of the brain by simple refinement methods within the raw MR scan data leading to a final segmentation with a Dice score above 0.90.

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“…Currently, mainly the brain and the whole fetus appearance are qualitatively examined in clinical practice [1,2]. Fetal motion and its unpredictable nature ( Fig.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fast fully automatic brain detection in fetal MRI using dense rotation invariant image descriptors

Kainz

Keraudren

Kyriakopoulou

et al. 2014

2014 IEEE 11th International Symposium on Biomedical Imaging (ISBI)

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“…The application of modern diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) allows the in-vivo analysis of abnormal changes of the axonal pathways during vulnerable periods (Huang et al 2006(Huang et al , 2009Kasprian et al 2008;Kim et al 2008;Rutherford et al 2008;Aeby et al 2009;Hoon et al 2009;Ment et al 2009;Ramenghi et al 2009). It has been shown that the DTI technique is very useful for the 3D study of the macroscopic fiber bundle architecture and their maturational changes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of axonal pathways in the human fetal fronto‐limbic brain: histochemical characterization and diffusion tensor imaging

et al. 2010

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The development of cortical axonal pathways in the human brain begins during the transition between the embryonic and fetal period, happens in a series of sequential events, and leads to the establishment of major long trajectories by the neonatal period. We have correlated histochemical markers (acetylcholinesterase (AChE) histochemistry, antibody against synaptic protein SNAP-25 (SNAP-25-immunoreactivity) and neurofilament 200) with the diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) database in order to make a reconstruction of the origin, growth pattern and termination of the pathways in the period between 8 and 34 postconceptual weeks (PCW). Histological sections revealed that the initial outgrowth and formation of joined trajectories of subcortico-frontal pathways (external capsule, cerebral stalk-internal capsule) and limbic bundles (fornix, stria terminalis, amygdaloid radiation) occur by 10 PCW. As early as 11 PCW, major afferent fibers invade the corticostriatal junction. At 13-14 PCW, axonal pathways from the thalamus and basal forebrain approach the deep moiety of the cortical plate, causing the first lamination. The period between 15 and 18 PCW is dominated by elaboration of the periventricular crossroads, sagittal strata and spread of fibers in the subplate and marginal zone. Tracing of fibers in the subplate with DTI is unsuccessful due to the isotropy of this zone. Penetration of the cortical plate occurs after 24-26 PCW. In conclusion, frontal axonal pathways form the periventricular crossroads, sagittal strata and 'waiting' compartments during the path-finding and penetration of the cortical plate. Histochemistry is advantageous in the demonstration of a growth pattern, whereas DTI is unique for demonstrating axonal trajectories. The complexity of fibers is the biological substrate of selective vulnerability of the fetal white matter.

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“…15 Perhaps the most distinguishing characteristics of fetal head motion are that it is 3D and uncontrollable. 16,17 In some centers, maternal sedation is used to try to suppress fetal motion. However, even if the fetus remains still, head motion may occur, depending on fetal life (eg, in breech presentation, where the head lies close to maternal diaphragm and maternal respiratory motion is directly transmitted to fetal head).…”

Section: Fetal Motionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Motion-Compensation Techniques in Neonatal and Fetal MR Imaging

Malamateniou

Malik

Counsell

et al. 2012

AJNR Am J Neuroradiol

111

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SUMMARY:Fetal and neonatal MR imaging is increasingly used as a complementary diagnostic tool to sonography. MR imaging is an ideal technique for imaging fetuses and neonates because of the absence of ionizing radiation, the superior contrast of soft tissues compared with sonography, the availability of different contrast options, and the increased FOV. Motion in the normally mobile fetus and the unsettled, sleeping, or sedated neonate during a long acquisition will decrease image quality in the form of motion artifacts, hamper image interpretation, and often necessitate a repeat MR imaging to establish a diagnosis. This article reviews current techniques of motion compensation in fetal and neonatal MR imaging, including the following: 1) motion-prevention strategies (such as adequate patient preparation, patient coaching, and sedation, when required), 2) motion-artifacts minimization methods (such as fast imaging protocols, data undersampling, and motion-resistant sequences), and 3) motion-detection/correction schemes (such as navigators and self-navigated sequences, external motion-tracking devices, and postprocessing approaches) and their application in fetal and neonatal brain MR imaging. Additionally some background on the repertoire of motion of the fetal and neonatal patient and the resulting artifacts will be presented, as well as insights into future developments and emerging techniques of motion compensation.ABBREVIATIONS: bFFE ϭ balanced fast-field echo; FLASH ϭ fast low-angle shot; G RO ϭ readout gradient; NSA ϭ number of signal averages; PROPELLER ϭ periodically rotated overlapping parallel lines with enhanced reconstruction; RF ϭ radio-frequency M R imaging is an ideal diagnostic technique for the evaluation of infants and fetuses 1-7 because of the absence of ionizing radiation, the superior contrast of soft tissues compared with sonography, and the availability of different contrast options (T1-weighted, T2-weighted, and diffusion-weighted imaging, Fig 1) to improve characterization of both anatomy and pathology. However MR imaging remains a relatively slow technique, with scanning times for most applications in the order of seconds to minutes, leaving them susceptible to motion artifacts. The normally mobile fetus and the unsettled neonate present a major difficulty because the presence of motion during a long acquisition will decrease image quality in the form of motion artifacts (Fig 2), hamper accurate image interpretation, and often necessitate a repeat MR imaging to establish a diagnosis. This may have major emotional implications for parents and can stress the tight budgets of health care providers.

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MR imaging methods for assessing fetal brain development

Cited by 71 publications

References 47 publications

Fast fully automatic brain detection in fetal MRI using dense rotation invariant image descriptors

Fast fully automatic brain detection in fetal MRI using dense rotation invariant image descriptors

Development of axonal pathways in the human fetal fronto‐limbic brain: histochemical characterization and diffusion tensor imaging

Motion-Compensation Techniques in Neonatal and Fetal MR Imaging

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