THE ROLE OF REPEATED FETAL MRI IN PRENATAL DIAGNOSIS

 

Korostyshevskaya A.M.¹, Strizhakov G.A.², Khalikov A.D.³

 

1 –International Tomography Center, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Novosibirsk, Russia.

2 – Expert Clinic Voronezh. Voronezh, Russia.

3 – Scandinavia Clinic, Saint Petersburg State University. Saint Petersburg, Russia.

P

urpose. To study the timing, nosological structure and the role of repeated MRI in the diagnosis of a wide range of intrauterine pathology.

Materials and methods. The data of primary and repeated MRI of the fetus (images in DICOM formats) were retrospectively analyzed, accompanied by the results of MRI and previous ultrasound studies performed according to clinical indications in the second and third trimesters in two independent large diagnostic centers: the International Tomography Center of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Novosibirsk and the “Scandinavia Clinic", St. Petersburg, Saint-Petersburg State Budgetary Health Care Institution “Center for Family Planning and Reproduction” – 993 studies in total. The frequency of occurrence, timing and nosological structure of repeated fetal MRI, the interval between examinations were assessed, and the additional contribution of repeated examination to the formation of the final prenatal diagnosis was studied.

Results. According to our study, repeated fetal MRI is performed only in 1.3% of cases. The most common and effective interval between fetal MRI examinations was 5-8 weeks (average 5.25 weeks), the average time for repeat examination was just under 30 weeks. All cases of additional formations, both in the brain and in the abdominal cavity, pathology of the chest, as well as anomalies of cortical development and the cerebellum are the most common and justified reason for repeat MRI. The most significant contribution of repeated fetal MRI is not so much in the rare cases of a change in diagnosis relative to primary MRI (6/43), but in the high frequency of the concomitant pathology detection (20/43), as well as the dynamics of previously identified changes (19/43), which influence on postnatal tactics (20/43).

Discussion. The most significant contribution of repeated fetal MRI is the high frequency of detection of concomitant pathology, the dynamics of previously identified changes, as well as clarification of a primary MRI diagnosis due to improve the accuracy of the results in the third trimester.

Conclusion. Repeated fetal MRI play an important role in the prenatal diagnosis of a wide range of intrauterine pathology.

 

Keywords: MRI, fetus, prenatal diagnosis, repeated fetal MRI.

 

Corresponding author: Korostyshevskaya A.M., e-mail: Этот e-mail адрес защищен от спам-ботов, для его просмотра у Вас должен быть включен Javascript

 

For citation: Korostyshevskaya A.M., Strizhakov G.A., Khalikov A.D. The role of repeated fetal MRI in prenatal diagnosis. REJR 2025; 15(3):142-154. DOI: 10.21569/2222-7415-2025-15-3-142-154.

Received: 09.01.25                 Accepted: 30.10.25