Increased fetal lung T2 signal is not due to increasing surfactant concentration: an in vitro T2 mapping analysis

Prenat Diagn. 2017 Mar;37(3):211-214. doi: 10.1002/pd.4987. Epub 2017 Jan 25.

Abstract

Object: The aim of this study was to perform in vitro T2 mapping of serial dilutions of pharmaceutical surfactant.

Materials and methods: Magnetic resonance imaging. Magnetic resonance scanning was performed on serial dilutions of surfactant on large bore clinical magnets at a field strength of 1.5 T Philips and 3.0 T (Achieva TX, Philips Healthcare, the Netherlands).

Results: The curves demonstrate a small increasing trend between surfactant concentration and R2 (shortened T2's), with a 7.3% increase in R2 for each doubling of surfactant concentration (95% confidence interval: 6.1-8.6%, p < 0.001).

Conclusions: The increasing lung/liver T2 signal ratio seen in fetal lungs with increasing gestational age is not due to increasing surfactant concentration. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

MeSH terms

  • Female
  • Fetal Organ Maturity
  • Fetus / metabolism
  • Gestational Age
  • Humans
  • Lung / diagnostic imaging*
  • Lung / metabolism*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging*
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / methods
  • Pregnancy
  • Prenatal Diagnosis / methods*
  • Surface-Active Agents / analysis
  • Surface-Active Agents / metabolism*

Substances

  • Surface-Active Agents