BRCA Associated Tumors—Not Just Breast and Ovarian Cancer

Several attempts have been made in the past at imaging the fetus at 3T as part of the continuous search for increased image signal and better anatomic delineation of the developing fetus. Until now, imaging of the fetus at 3T has been disappointing, with numerous artifacts impeding image analysis. Improved technology now allows imaging of the fetus at greater magnetic strength, while still encountering some hurdles in the shape of imaging artifacts. In this course we present the preliminary experience of evaluating the developing fetus at 3T, discuss several artifacts encountered and techniques to decrease them, as well as safety concerns associated with scanning the fetus at higher magnetic strength. Fetal Cardiac MRI and Left Ventricular Function Assessment Using a New Gating Strategy Based on Doppler Ultrasound: Preliminary Results Fabian Kording (Presenter): Nothing to Disclose , Jin Yamamura MD : Nothing to Disclose , Chressen Catharina Remus MD : Nothing to Disclose , Manuela Tavares de Sousa : Nothing to Disclose , Friedrich Uberle : Nothing to Disclose , Gerhard B. Adam MD : Nothing to Disclose , Bjoern Schoennagel MD : Nothing to Disclose PURPOSE The commonly used method to evaluate the fetal heart is echocardiography (ECG). However, the detection of congenital heart diseases by ECG varies from 45% to 74% and an alternative imaging modality would be desirable. Fetal cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has the potential to visualize anatomy and to assess functional parameters of the fetal heart but was up to now not feasible due to a missing gating strategy. The purpose of this study was to perform fetal cardiac MRI using a newly developed Doppler ultrasound sensor (DUS) for external fetal cardiac gating in a human fetus for the first time. METHOD AND MATERIALS One pregnant volunteer (gestation week 34) was examined at 1.5 T to evaluate the DUS gating method for fetal cine MRI. To obtain a gating signal from the fetal heart, an MRI compatible ultrasound transducer of a cardiotocogram was employed for cardiac triggering. DUS signals from the CTG were transferred to LabView with a data acquisition card. Trigger signals were processed based on a newly developed algorithm and transmitted to the physiologic unit of the MRI for cardiac gating. Retrospective cine imaging was then performed in four-chamber, long-axis and short-axis view. Left ventricular function parameters were assessed by cardiac cine MRI and compared to parameters obtained from consecutively performed standard ECG. RESULTS Cardiac gating signals from the fetus could be reliably detected. No artefacts and interferences were observed, resulting in very good image quality. The synchronous contraction of the ventricles was clearly visualized from the apex to the base with an average R-R interval of 464 ± 94 ms. End-systolic and end-diastolic volumes calculated from cine cardiac MRI and ECG were 0.58 ml / 0.62 ml and 3.17 ml / 3.22 ml, yielding stroke VSPD12-01