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AJNR - American Journal of Neuroradiology

Published ahead of print on June 18, 2009
doi: 10.3174/ajnr.A1664

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American Journal of Neuroradiology 30:1787-1791, October 2009
© 2009 American Society of Neuroradiology

PEDIATRICS

In Utero Eye Development Documented by Fetal MR Imaging

L.B. Paquette^a, H.A. Jackson^c, C.J. Tavaré^b, D.A. Miller^d and A. Panigrahy^c

^aFrom the Division of Neonatology (L.B.P.)
^bDivision of Neuropathology (C.J.T.)
^cDepartment of Radiology (H.A.J., A.P.), Institute of Maternal and Fetal Health, Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Calif
^dDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology (D.A.M.), Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Calif

Please address correspondence to Ashok Panigrahy, MD, Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, Department of Radiology, 4650 Sunset Blvd., MS #81, Los Angeles, CA 90027; e-mail: apanigrahy{at}chla.usc.edu

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To date, very limited attention has been given to ocular abnormalities or growth parameters detected by fetal MR imaging. Our objective was to retrospectively determine the relationship between different parameters of eye development and estimated gestational age in the human fetus by use of fetal MR imaging.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was performed to measure the transverse diameter, interocular distance, and lens diameter of the globes of 127 fetuses who had a morphologically normal central nervous system. Multiple single-shot T2 fast spin-echo images were obtained with a 1.5T magnet by use of contiguous 3-mm intervals in at least 2 orthogonal planes. Loess curves were fitted to explore the relationship between gestational age and each of the 3 measurements of interest. Different models were compared statistically to determine the model of best fit.

RESULTS: For each variable of interest, the "best" model of eye growth was a quadratic function. Specifically, lens growth seems to plateau after 36 weeks of gestation, interocular distance plateaus after 36 weeks of gestation, and globe growth plateaus after 42 weeks of gestation.

CONCLUSIONS: The lens, orbit, and interocular distance growth of the fetus can be demonstrated on fetal MR imaging. All 3 measurements suggest a quadratic model of growth, which indicates slowing of growth toward the end of gestation.