Structural assessment of the fetal brain in late-onset fetal growth restriction using magnetic resonance imaging
Stoliarova E.V., Kholin A.M., Syrkashev E.M., Khodzhaeva Z.S., Gus A.I.
Objective: To assess the volumes of fetal anatomical structures using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in pregnant women with late-onset fetal growth restriction (FGR) and small-for-gestational-age (SGA) fetuses.
Materials and methods: This prospective cohort study included 15 pregnant women with late-onset FGR and 15 pregnant women with SGA who underwent MRI. The control group consisted of nine pregnant women with appropriate-for-gestational-age fetuses. Using manual selection of the regions of interest, the volumes of the supratentorial brain and cerebellum were measured, and their ratios were calculated. Quantitative measurements of all the brain structures were converted to percentile values.
Results: The percentile values of supratentorial brain and cerebellum volumes were significantly smaller in the late-onset FGR group (p=0.004 and p<0.001, respectively). There were no statistically significant differences in the volume of the brain structures in the SGA group.
Conclusion: Fetuses with late-onset fetal growth restriction have reduced supratentorial brain and cerebellar volumes, as assessed by MRI, compared with controls. Placental insufficiency in late-onset FGR has a greater effect on brain volume than on birth weight. Further studies are needed to clarify the areas of interest in the brain and to determine their association with the severity and likelihood of reversibility of neurological deficits in newborns and infants with late-onset fetal growth restriction.
Authors' contributions: Stoliarova E.V. – conduct of the study, drafting of the manuscript; Kholin A.M. – conception of the study, editing of the manuscript; Syrkashev E.M. – conception of the study, collection of clinical material; Khodzhaeva Z.S. – supervision of the study, final editing of the manuscript; Gus A.I. – conception of the study, editing of the manuscript.
Conflicts of interest: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
Funding: This article was prepared by a team of authors within the framework of research work (No. EGISU NIOKTR: 121040600408-4) in accordance with the state order of V.I. Kulakov NMRC for OG&P, Ministry of Health of Russia,
for 2023–2024.
Ethical Approval: The study was reviewed and approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the V.I. Kulakov NMRC for OG&P, Ministry of Health of Russia.
Patient Consent for Publication: All patients provided informed consent for the publication of their data.
Authors' Data Sharing Statement: The data supporting the findings of this study are available upon request from the corresponding author after approval from the principal investigator.
For citation: Stoliarova E.V., Kholin A.M., Syrkashev E.M., Khodzhaeva Z.S., Gus A.I.
Structural assessment of the fetal brain in late-onset fetal growth restriction using magnetic resonance imaging.
Akusherstvo i Ginekologiya/Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2025; (2): 52-58 (in Russian)
https://dx.doi.org/10.18565/aig.2024.257
Keywords
fetal growth restriction
small for gestational age
magnetic resonance imaging
MRI
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Received 21.10.2024
Accepted 30.01.2025
About the Authors
Elizaveta V. Stoliarova, PhD student, 1st Obstetric Department of Pregnancy Pathology, V.I. Kulakov NMRC for OG&P, Ministry of Health of Russia, 117997, Russia, Moscow, Ac. Oparin str., 4, ev_stolyarova@oparina4.ru, https://orcid.org/0009-0001-2049-3119Alexey M. Kholin, PhD, Head of the Department of Telemedicine, V.I. Kulakov NMRC for OG&P, Ministry of Health of Russia, 117997, Russia, Moscow, Ac. Oparin str., 4, a_kholin@oparina4.ru, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4068-9805
Egor M. Syrkashev, PhD, Senior Researcher at the Radiology Department, V.I. Kulakov NMRC for OG&P, Ministry of Health of Russia, 117997, Russia, Moscow,
Ac. Oparin str., 4, e_syrkashev@oparina4.ru, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4043-907X
Zulfiya S. Khodzhaeva, Dr. Med. Sci, Professor, Deputy Director, Institute of Obstetrics, V.I. Kulakov NMRC for OG&P, Ministry of Health of Russia, 117997, Russia, Moscow, Ac. Oparin str., 4, z_khodzhaeva@oparina4.ru, https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8159-3714
Aleksandr I. Gus, Dr. Med. Sci., Chief Researcher at the Department of Ultrasound and Functional Diagnostics, V.I. Kulakov NMRC for OG&P, Ministry of Health of Russia, 117997, Russia, Moscow, Ac. Oparin str., 4; Head of the Department of Ultrasound Diagnostics, Medical Institute of Patrice Lumumba Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, a_gus@oparina4.ru, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1377-3128
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