1 - Serviço de Radiologia, Hospital Dona Estefânia, Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Central, Lisboa, Portugal
2 - Serviço de Radiologia, Hospital Santa Marta, Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Central, Lisboa, Portugal
- Apresentação poster no 57th European Society of Paediatric Radiology Annual Meeting
Introduction and objective: Fetal thoracic anomalies comprise a group of pathologic entities with different etiologies and outcomes. We aim to provide a pictorial review of the most common fetal chest pathologies studied with Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), excluding cardiac abnormalities.
Material and methods: Topic review based on bibliographical research and selection of case images from a paediatric university hospital. Whenever possible imaging findings are correlated with post-natal imaging, clinical data and/or autopsy results.
Results: The most common fetal thoracic abnormalities studied with MRI comprise congenital diaphragmatic hernia, congenital pulmonary airway malformation and bronchopulmonary sequestration. Owing to its soft-tissue contrast and spatial resolution, MRI has established its role as an important adjunct to ultrasound on the study of fetal thoracic malformations, and has been shown to yeld additional information to that provided by ultrasound. MRI findings can impact both the diagnosis, allowing the distinction between the main pathologic entities, and the prognosis, predicting the risk of pulmonary hypoplasia or other adverse clinical outcomes. Key imaging findings that allow the distinction between thoracic abnormalities and estimation of unfavourable outcomes are addressed and revised.
Conclusions: Fetal MRI is a valuable imaging tool on the study of fetal thoracic abnormalities and there are key imaging features that can guide the radiologist in the differential diagnosis and the prediction of adverse clinical outcomes.
Palavras Chave: Anomalies, Fetal, MRI, Review, Thoracic