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Echo planar imaging of the human fetus in utero at 0.5 T

P. Mansfield, BSc, PhD, FRS M. K. Stehling, Dr med R. J. Ordidge, BSc, PhD R. Coxon, BSc, PhD B. Chapman, BSc, PhD A. Blamire, BSc P. Gibbs, BSc I. R. Johnson, BSc, MB, BS, DM, MRCOG ^* E. M. Symonds, MD, FRCOG ^* B. S. Worthington, BSc, LIMA, MB, BS, DMRD, FRCR and R. E. Coupland, MD, PhD, DSc, FRSE

Department of Physics, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD ^* Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD Department of Human Morphology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD

The snap-shot capability of the echo-planar imaging technique is used to freeze motion effectively in human fetal studies in utero. These first results obtained at 0.5 T demonstrate diagnostic quality images without the need for averaging. Although averaging improves the image signal to noise ratio, it is shown that significant image blurring is produced even when only eight separate images are averaged over a period of a few seconds. Results are presented showing anatomical detail of the internal organs of the fetus. Some pathology is also demonstrated. These results were obtained using the modulus blipped echo-planar single-pulse technique (MBEST). Running at 10 frames/second, the modulus version of the fast low-angle excitation echo-planar technique (FLEET) is used to produce ungated fetal cardiac movies.

Received for publication November 1, 1989. Revision received April 1, 1990.

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