Purpose: Pulmonary hypoplasia is a determinant parameter for
extra-uterine life. In the last years, MRI appears as a complement to US
in order to evaluate the degree of pulmonary hypoplasia in foetuses with
congenital anomalies, by using different methods - fetal lung volumetry
(FLV), lung-to-liver signal intensity ratio (LLSIR)-. But until now,
information about the correlation between the MRI prediction and the
real postnatal outcome is limited.
Methods and materials: We retrospectively reviewed the fetal MRI
performed at our Institution in the last 8 years and selected the cases
with suspicion of fetal pulmonary hypoplasia (n = 30). The pulmonary
volumetry data of these foetuses were collected and the lung-to-liver
signal intensity ratio (LLSIR) measures performed. These data were
compared with those obtained from a control group of 25 foetuses
considered as normal at MRI. The data of the study group were also
correlated with the autopsy records or the post-natal clinical information
of the patients.
Results: As expected, the control group showed higher FLV and LLSIR
values than the problem group at all gestational ages. Higher values of
FLV and LLSIR were associated with a better post-natal outcome.
Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and
accuracy for the relative LLSIR and the relative FLV showed no
significant differences.
Conclusion: Our data show that not only the FLV but also the relative
LLSIR inform about the degree of fetal lung development. This
information may help to predict the fetal outcome and to evaluate the
need for neonatal intensive care.