Abstract
Fetal magnetic resonance imaging is a complementary imaging method to antenatal ultrasound. It provides advanced information for detection and characterisation of fetal brain and body anomalies. Even though modern single shot sequences allow fast acquisition of 2D slices with high in-plane image quality, fetal MRI is intrinsically corrupted by motion. Fetal motion leads to loss of structural continuity and corrupted 3D volumetric information in stacks of slices. Furthermore, the arbitrary and constantly changing position of the fetus requires dynamic readjustment of acquisition planes during scanning.
Over the past 15 years, a series of works have addressed this challenge via retrospective motion correction performed in the image domain using slice-to-volume registration (SVR). SVR-based methods allow reconstruction of 3D isotropic high-resolution images of the fetal brain and body from multiple motion-corrupted stacks. 3D reconstructed images can be reoriented in any plane and used for volume rendering for advanced visualisation. This also potentially reduces the errors in biometry and organ volumetry which are conventionally performed using 2D image data.
The reported early-stage results on the added value of SVR reconstruction are promising and 3D fetal MRI is gradually evolving towards clinical validation. However, the next step on the way to full integration into clinical practice would require extensive evaluation and standardisation of the different components of SVR reconstruction methods and further optimisation of existing software solutions for large-scale application.
Over the past 15 years, a series of works have addressed this challenge via retrospective motion correction performed in the image domain using slice-to-volume registration (SVR). SVR-based methods allow reconstruction of 3D isotropic high-resolution images of the fetal brain and body from multiple motion-corrupted stacks. 3D reconstructed images can be reoriented in any plane and used for volume rendering for advanced visualisation. This also potentially reduces the errors in biometry and organ volumetry which are conventionally performed using 2D image data.
The reported early-stage results on the added value of SVR reconstruction are promising and 3D fetal MRI is gradually evolving towards clinical validation. However, the next step on the way to full integration into clinical practice would require extensive evaluation and standardisation of the different components of SVR reconstruction methods and further optimisation of existing software solutions for large-scale application.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | British Journal of Radiology |
| Early online date | 8 Aug 2022 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 8 Aug 2022 |