Fetal Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Central Nervous System Anomalies

Foetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has emerged as a pivotal adjunct to prenatal ultrasound for the evaluation of central nervous system (CNS) anomalies. By providing high-contrast, multiplanar views of the developing brain, foetal MRI enhances the detection and characterisation of midline malformations, cortical dysplasias, posterior fossa anomalies and white-matter disorders. Advanced sequences such as diffusion-weighted imaging and diffusion tensor imaging enable insights into tissue microstructure and tract development, while higher-field systems (1.5 T and 3 T) improve spatial resolution without ionising radiation. Integration of automated image-processing algorithms and deep learning frameworks is beginning to streamline scan planning and anomaly detection. Clinically, foetal MRI refines diagnostic confidence, informs multidisciplinary counselling, guides obstetric and postnatal management, and underpins prognostic assessments, with global applicability across diverse healthcare settings.

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Fetal Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Central Nervous System Anomalies publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in fetal magnetic resonance imaging in central nervous system anomalies across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI): MRI sequence sensitive to the random motion of water molecules, used to assess tissue microstructure in the developing brain.

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI): An extension of DWI that maps the directionality of water diffusion, enabling visualisation of white-matter tracts and connectivity.

Convolutional neural network (CNN): A class of deep learning models that uses layered convolutional filters to recognise patterns in image data, applied here to automate orientation and anomaly detection.

Agenesis of the corpus callosum (ACC): A congenital absence or malformation of the corpus callosum, the major white-matter bridge between cerebral hemispheres, often evaluated by foetal MRI.

Midline brain malformation: Developmental anomaly affecting structures along the brain’s central axis, including the corpus callosum, cavum septi pellucidi and septo-optic region.

References

1. Fet-Net Algorithm for Automatic Detection of Fetal Orientation in Fetal MRI. Bioengineering (2023).
2. Fetal MRI Analysis of Corpus Callosal Abnormalities: Classification, and Associated Anomalies. Diagnostics (2024).
3. Use of MRI in the diagnosis of fetal brain abnormalities in utero (MERIDIAN): a multicentre, prospective cohort study. The Lancet (2016).