Fetal cardiac cine magnetic resonance imaging in utero

Figures

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  Figure 1. Schematic of the reconstruction framework. The data are acquired continuously irrespective of the cardiac cycle (a), and are reconstructed in real-time as a first pass (b). From the real-time images, the contraction of the fetal heart can be detected and a gating signal extracted (c). Using the gating signal, data are reordered according to the cardiac phase during which they were acquired, and images of high temporal and spatial resolution are reconstructed during a second pass (d).

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  Figure 2. Self-retro gated reconstruction in a 28-week-old fetus in the short-axis view. Magnified views of the heart are shown in diastole (a) and systole (b), along with y–t space (c) and x–t space (d) traces obtained from the middle of the ventricles. The contraction of the heart and the thickening of the myocardium can be seen in both x–t and y–t space. For the corresponding movie, see the Supplementary Information.

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  Figure 3. Self retro-gated reconstruction in a 32-week-old fetus in the 4-chamber view. The diastolic (a) and systolic (b) phases are presented, along with a y–t space trace (c) measured in the middle of the ventricles. The contraction of the myocardium and the thickening of the cardiac wall can be seen in the corresponding movie (Supplementary Information).

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  Figure 4. Self retro-gated reconstruction in a 32-week-old fetus in the 3-vessel view. From left to right at the level of the dashed line are the main pulmonary artery, the ascending aorta and the superior vena cava. For the corresponding movie, see the Supplementary Information.

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  Figure 5. Comparison of MR (left) and echocardiographic (right) images. Top row: 4-chamber view; middle row: short-axis view; bottom row: 3-vessel view.