Value of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy for Examining Fetal Brain Development in Mid‐ to Late Pregnancy
ABSTRACT Background Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) represents a significant advancement in the noninvasive assessment of brain metabolism. MRS can provide valuable metabolic information and facilitate more accurate diagnoses of intrauterine fetal brain development than was previously possible...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2025-06-01
|
| Series: | iRADIOLOGY |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ird3.70012 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849430402637234176 |
|---|---|
| author | Dejuan Shan Yi Zhang Maobo Wang Yanyan Liu Yudong Wang Lianxiang Xiao |
| author_facet | Dejuan Shan Yi Zhang Maobo Wang Yanyan Liu Yudong Wang Lianxiang Xiao |
| author_sort | Dejuan Shan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT Background Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) represents a significant advancement in the noninvasive assessment of brain metabolism. MRS can provide valuable metabolic information and facilitate more accurate diagnoses of intrauterine fetal brain development than was previously possible. To obtain information regarding normal intrauterine fetal brain metabolism and to establish gestational age‐specific reference values for normal fetal brain metabolites for subsequent use in MRS, we conducted MRS scans of normal fetal brains during mid‐ to late‐term pregnancies, along with related processing. Methods In this prospective study, MRS scans were conducted on 109 fetuses, with a total of 54 normal fetal brains enrolled on the basis of specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. We analyzed metabolic ratios, including the sum of N‐acetylaspartate (NAA) and total N‐acetylaspartate (tNAA), total choline (tCho), inositol (Ins), and total creatine (tCr), in relation to gestational age. Results Gestational age was significantly correlated with specific metabolic ratios (Ins/tCr: r = −0.75, p < 0.0001; tCho/tCr: r = −0.50, p < 0.0001), especially tNAA/tCho (tNAA/tCho: r = 0.54, p < 0.0001) and tNAA/Ins (r = 0.56, p < 0.0001), providing a baseline for fetal brain metabolic assessment. Linear regression analysis was used to calculate regression lines for fetal brain metabolite ratios. Slopes were tested at p of 0.05. Conclusions The current findings confirmed a significant correlation between fetal brain metabolites and gestational age, supporting the feasibility of establishing standard values for these metabolites in fetal brain assessment. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c19df379fbfe4220abdf4009e2417b09 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2834-2860 2834-2879 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | iRADIOLOGY |
| spelling | doaj-art-c19df379fbfe4220abdf4009e2417b092025-08-20T03:28:00ZengWileyiRADIOLOGY2834-28602834-28792025-06-013320921310.1002/ird3.70012Value of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy for Examining Fetal Brain Development in Mid‐ to Late PregnancyDejuan Shan0Yi Zhang1Maobo Wang2Yanyan Liu3Yudong Wang4Lianxiang Xiao5Department of Radiology Shandong Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital Affiliated to Qingdao University Jinan ChinaDepartment of Information Shandong Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital Affiliated to Qingdao University Jinan ChinaDepartment of Radiology Shandong Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital Affiliated to Qingdao University Jinan ChinaDepartment of Radiology Shandong Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital Affiliated to Qingdao University Jinan ChinaDepartment of Information Shandong Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital Affiliated to Qingdao University Jinan ChinaDepartment of Radiology Shandong Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital Affiliated to Qingdao University Jinan ChinaABSTRACT Background Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) represents a significant advancement in the noninvasive assessment of brain metabolism. MRS can provide valuable metabolic information and facilitate more accurate diagnoses of intrauterine fetal brain development than was previously possible. To obtain information regarding normal intrauterine fetal brain metabolism and to establish gestational age‐specific reference values for normal fetal brain metabolites for subsequent use in MRS, we conducted MRS scans of normal fetal brains during mid‐ to late‐term pregnancies, along with related processing. Methods In this prospective study, MRS scans were conducted on 109 fetuses, with a total of 54 normal fetal brains enrolled on the basis of specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. We analyzed metabolic ratios, including the sum of N‐acetylaspartate (NAA) and total N‐acetylaspartate (tNAA), total choline (tCho), inositol (Ins), and total creatine (tCr), in relation to gestational age. Results Gestational age was significantly correlated with specific metabolic ratios (Ins/tCr: r = −0.75, p < 0.0001; tCho/tCr: r = −0.50, p < 0.0001), especially tNAA/tCho (tNAA/tCho: r = 0.54, p < 0.0001) and tNAA/Ins (r = 0.56, p < 0.0001), providing a baseline for fetal brain metabolic assessment. Linear regression analysis was used to calculate regression lines for fetal brain metabolite ratios. Slopes were tested at p of 0.05. Conclusions The current findings confirmed a significant correlation between fetal brain metabolites and gestational age, supporting the feasibility of establishing standard values for these metabolites in fetal brain assessment.https://doi.org/10.1002/ird3.70012cholinecreatinefetal brain metabolismmagnetic resonance spectroscopyN‐acetylaspartate |
| spellingShingle | Dejuan Shan Yi Zhang Maobo Wang Yanyan Liu Yudong Wang Lianxiang Xiao Value of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy for Examining Fetal Brain Development in Mid‐ to Late Pregnancy iRADIOLOGY choline creatine fetal brain metabolism magnetic resonance spectroscopy N‐acetylaspartate |
| title | Value of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy for Examining Fetal Brain Development in Mid‐ to Late Pregnancy |
| title_full | Value of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy for Examining Fetal Brain Development in Mid‐ to Late Pregnancy |
| title_fullStr | Value of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy for Examining Fetal Brain Development in Mid‐ to Late Pregnancy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Value of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy for Examining Fetal Brain Development in Mid‐ to Late Pregnancy |
| title_short | Value of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy for Examining Fetal Brain Development in Mid‐ to Late Pregnancy |
| title_sort | value of magnetic resonance spectroscopy for examining fetal brain development in mid to late pregnancy |
| topic | choline creatine fetal brain metabolism magnetic resonance spectroscopy N‐acetylaspartate |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ird3.70012 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT dejuanshan valueofmagneticresonancespectroscopyforexaminingfetalbraindevelopmentinmidtolatepregnancy AT yizhang valueofmagneticresonancespectroscopyforexaminingfetalbraindevelopmentinmidtolatepregnancy AT maobowang valueofmagneticresonancespectroscopyforexaminingfetalbraindevelopmentinmidtolatepregnancy AT yanyanliu valueofmagneticresonancespectroscopyforexaminingfetalbraindevelopmentinmidtolatepregnancy AT yudongwang valueofmagneticresonancespectroscopyforexaminingfetalbraindevelopmentinmidtolatepregnancy AT lianxiangxiao valueofmagneticresonancespectroscopyforexaminingfetalbraindevelopmentinmidtolatepregnancy |