Gestational age-specific MRI reference values for fetal renal morphology and ADC.
Fetal renal apparent diffusion coefficient on magnetic resonance imaging declines moderately with advancing gestational age
Gestational age-specific MRI reference values for fetal renal morphology and ADC.
Fetal renal developmental abnormalities are among the most common congenital malformations and are associated with adverse perinatal outcomes.
This study aimed to establish magnetic resonance imaging-based reference values for normal fetal renal morphology and apparent diffusion coefficient (apparent diffusion coefficient) across gestation.
In this retrospective single-center observational study, 313 singleton pregnancies (gestational age 23-38 weeks) with normal postnatal urinary outcomes underwent 1.5T fetal magnetic resonance imaging, including T2-weighted and diffusion-weighted imaging sequences.
lower kidney apparent diffusion coefficient as pregnancy progresses
All measured parameters showed good to excellent inter-observer reproducibility.
Renal diameters and mean renal parenchymal thickness increased significantly with gestational age (r = 0.72-0.89; all P < 0.0001).
The regression equations for apparent diffusion coefficient (×10 - 3 mm²/s) were ADC_right = 3.23 - 0.049 × gestational age and ADC_left = 3.46 - 0.058 × gestational age.
This study provides gestational age-stratified reference ranges for key morphological and functional magnetic resonance imaging parameters of normal fetal kidneys in the second and third trimesters.
These quantitative benchmarks may provide a reference framework for fetal renal magnetic resonance imaging assessment and for future studies of fetal renal abnormalities.