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Diagnostics
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Advances in Fetal Imaging
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Advances in Fetal Imaging

A special issue of Diagnostics (ISSN 2075-4418). This special issue belongs to the section "Medical Imaging and Theranostics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2025 | Viewed by 2061

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Eldad Katorza

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Director of Gertner Institute for Epidemiology and Health Policy Research, Director of Arrow Program for Medical Research Education, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Tel Aviv, Israel
2. Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
Interests: fetal imaging; fetal MRI; fetal medicine

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The field of fetal medicine has developed dramatically in recent years due to advances in the ability to treat a fetus during the prenatal period, as well as due to significant improvements in genetic and imaging diagnostic capabilities.

Today we are able to discuss not only the anatomical integrity of the various body systems of a fetus, but also their functions.

Beyond this, the improvement in imaging capabilities allows for the understanding of other important components of pregnancy, such as the uterus and placenta, unique fetal conditions, such as intrauterine growth retardation, and unique types of multiple pregnancies.

Beyond the technological improvements that have taken place in the field of ultrasonography, additional imaging tools such as MRI and CT were added and have opened a new world of opportunities.

The combination of advances in imaging capabilities with dramatic advances in genetic diagnosis has changed the field of fetal medicine.

In this Special Issue, we will focus on progress and innovation in fetal imaging.

Prof. Dr. Eldad Katorza
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Diagnostics is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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24 pages, 836 KiB  
Article
Utility of Biometric Measurements from Fetal Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Improved Antenatal Diagnosis of Dandy–Walker Spectrum Posterior Fossa Lesions
by Rakhee M. Bowker, Kranthi K. Marathu, Marissa Pharel, Jubril O. Adepoju, Farzan Vahedifard, Seth Adler, Mehmet Kocak, Xuchu Liu and Sharon E. Byrd
Diagnostics 2025, 15(10), 1295; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics15101295 - 21 May 2025
Viewed by 183
Abstract
Background/Objective: The accurate diagnosis of congenital central nervous system abnormalities is critical to pre- and postnatal prognostication and management. When an abnormality is found in the posterior fossa of the fetal brain, parental counseling is challenging because of the wide spectrum of clinical [...] Read more.
Background/Objective: The accurate diagnosis of congenital central nervous system abnormalities is critical to pre- and postnatal prognostication and management. When an abnormality is found in the posterior fossa of the fetal brain, parental counseling is challenging because of the wide spectrum of clinical and neurodevelopmental outcomes in patients with Dandy–Walker (DW) spectrum posterior malformations. The objective of this study was to evaluate the utility of biometric measurements obtained from fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to facilitate the prenatal differentiation of Dandy–Walker (DW) spectrum malformations, including vermian hypoplasia (VH), Blake’s pouch cyst (BPC), and classic Dandy–Walker malformation (DWM). Methods: This retrospective single-center study evaluated 34 maternal–infant dyads referred for fetal MRI evaluation of suspected DW spectrum malformations identified on antenatal ultrasound. Radiologists took posterior fossa measurements, including the vermis anteroposterior (AP) diameter, vermis height (VH), and tegmento–vermian angle (TVA). The posterior fossa, fourth ventricle, and cisterna magna were classified as normal, large, or dilated. The postnatal imaging findings were evaluated for concordance. The acquired values were compared between the groups and with normative data. The genetic testing results are reported when available. Results: A total of 27 DW spectrum fetal MRI cases were identified, including 7 classic DWMs, 14 VHs, and 6 BPCs. The TVA was significantly higher in the DWM group compared with the VH and BPC groups (p < 0.001). All three groups had reduced AP vermis measurements for gestational age compared with normal fetal brains, as well as differences in the means across the groups (p = 0.002). Conclusions: Biometric measurements derived from fetal MRI can effectively facilitate the prenatal differentiation of VH, BPC, and classic DWM when assessing DW spectrum posterior fossa lesions. Standardizing biometric measurements may increase the diagnostic utility of fetal MRI and facilitate improved antenatal counseling and clinical decision-making. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Fetal Imaging)
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10 pages, 1450 KiB  
Article
Assessing the Agreement Between Diffusion Tension Imaging (DTI) and T2-Weighted MRI Sequence for Biometry of the Fetal Corpus Callosum
by Liel N. Cohn, Shai Bookstein, Tamar Laytman Klein, Nadia Mordenfeld Kozlovsky, Tomer Ziv-Baran, Arnaldo Mayer and Eldad Katorza
Diagnostics 2024, 14(23), 2700; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics14232700 - 29 Nov 2024
Viewed by 854
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Little is known about the advantages of Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) when evaluating the fetal corpus callosum (CC), a sensitive indicator for normal brain development. This study evaluates the contribution of DTI compared to T2-weighted imaging to assess fetal CC biometry. Methods: [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Little is known about the advantages of Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) when evaluating the fetal corpus callosum (CC), a sensitive indicator for normal brain development. This study evaluates the contribution of DTI compared to T2-weighted imaging to assess fetal CC biometry. Methods: Data from the fetal MRI exams of singleton pregnancies between July 2017 and 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Mid-sagittal sections were used to measure the CC biometry, and inter- and intra-observer agreements were assessed using the interclass correlation coefficient (ICC), targeting an ICC above 0.85. Results: The results from 100 patients (mean gestational age, 32.24 weeks) indicated excellent inter-observer reliability for DTI (ICC = 0.904, 95% CI = 0.815–0.952) and moderate agreement for T2-weighted imaging (ICC = 0.719, 95% CI = 0.556–0.842). Intra-observer assessments showed excellent reliability for both DTI and T2-weighted imaging (ICC = 0.967, 95% CI = 0.933–0.984 and ICC = 0.942, 95% CI = 0.884–0.971, respectively). However, a comparison between DTI and T2-weighted images for CC biometry showed poor agreement (ICC = 0.290, 95% CI = 0.071–0.476). Conclusions: In conclusion, the study highlights a lack of agreement between DTI and T2-weighted imaging in fetal CC biometry, suggesting the need for further research to understand this discrepancy and the role of DTI in fetal health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Fetal Imaging)
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Other

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15 pages, 6480 KiB  
Case Report
The Significance and Limitations of Pre- and Postnatal Imaging in the Diagnosis and Management of Proximal Focal Femoral Deficiency
by Aaron C. Llanes, Emma Venard, Sean Youn, Dane Van Tassel, Luis F. Goncalves and Mohan V. Belthur
Diagnostics 2025, 15(11), 1302; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics15111302 - 22 May 2025
Viewed by 262
Abstract
Background and Clinical Significance: Proximal femoral focal deficiency (PFFD), also referred to as congenital femoral deficiency, is a longitudinal limb deficiency and birth defect that affects the lower extremity including the hip and femur, resulting in a deformed and shortened limb. It [...] Read more.
Background and Clinical Significance: Proximal femoral focal deficiency (PFFD), also referred to as congenital femoral deficiency, is a longitudinal limb deficiency and birth defect that affects the lower extremity including the hip and femur, resulting in a deformed and shortened limb. It can be diagnosed and classified using a combination of imaging modalities, including radiographs, ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging and computerized tomography. It is crucial to characterize this birth defect in the prenatal period to appropriately prepare parents through counseling. Postnatal imaging should be performed to confirm the diagnosis, prognosticate and predict the patient’s course for treatment and management. Close follow-up and family/patient-centered care contribute to optimized patient outcomes. Case Presentation: Here, we present a series of three cases of varying PFFD severity and presentation, detailing the evaluation process, the limitations and value of imaging, and the treatment outcomes of these patients. Each case has a different PFFD classification and treatment strategy that we utilized according to the data that we attained through continuous patient care and discussion. Conclusions: We highlight the difficulties in identifying and classifying PFFD in the prenatal period while demonstrating how postnatal imaging clarified the diagnosis and informed appropriate counseling and treatment. Close follow-up and the length of patient continuity allowed us to maximize patient outcomes despite the variety in PFFD presentation and severity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Fetal Imaging)
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