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MR insights into fetal brain development: what is normal and what is not

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Abstract

Fetal brain development is a complex, rapid, and multi-dimensional process that can be documented with MRI. In the second and third trimesters, there are predictable developmental changes that must be recognized and differentiated from disease. This review delves into the key biological processes that drive fetal brain development, highlights normal developmental anatomy, and provides a framework to identify pathology. We will summarize the development of the cerebral hemispheres, sulci and gyri, extra-axial and ventricular cerebrospinal fluid, and corpus callosum and illustrate the most common abnormal findings in the clinical setting.

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The image set displayed in this study is not publicly available. However, de-identified data can be obtained from the corresponding author upon request.

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Funding

American Roentgen Ray Society Scholarship; Career development award from the Office of Faculty Development at Boston Children’s Hospital; National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Grant/Award Numbers:R01EB031849, R01EB032366, R01HD109395, R01NS106030; NIH Office of the Director, Grant/Award Number: S10OD0250111; Rosamund Stone Zander Translational Neuroscience Center, Boston Children’s Hospital; National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering; Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA

    Maria Camila Cortes-Albornoz & Camilo Jaimes

  2. Pediatric Imaging Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA

    Maria Camila Cortes-Albornoz & Camilo Jaimes

  3. Department of Radiology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA

    M. Alejandra Bedoya

  4. Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Maria Camila Cortes-Albornoz, M. Alejandra Bedoya & Camilo Jaimes

  5. Department of Radiology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Cincinnati, OH, USA

    Jungwhan John Choi

Authors
  1. Maria Camila Cortes-Albornoz
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  2. M. Alejandra Bedoya
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  3. Jungwhan John Choi
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  4. Camilo Jaimes
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection, and analysis were performed by M.C.C-A, M.A.B, J.J.C, and C.J. The first draft of the manuscript was written by M.C.C-A and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Camilo Jaimes.

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Jungwhan John Choi and Camilo Jaimes are co- senior authors.

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Cortes-Albornoz, M.C., Bedoya, M.A., Choi, J.J. et al. MR insights into fetal brain development: what is normal and what is not. Pediatr Radiol 54, 635–645 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-024-05890-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-024-05890-z

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