Interest of the Steady State Free Precession (SSFP) sequence for 3D modeling of the whole fetus

Fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been gaining interest over the last two decades. Current fast MRI sequences provide imaging data of the whole uterus in less than 20 seconds, avoiding fetal motion related artifacts without any maternal or fetal sedation. MRI has proved to be a useful adjunct to echographic screening for prenatal diagnosis. However, MRI volumetric data is still mainly interpreted on 2D slices and 3D applications remain limited. In this paper, we discuss the qualities of the SSFP MRI sequences to provide adequate data for 3D segmentation and modeling of the fetus. Potential exploitations of 3D segmentation and derived anatomical models cover several domains: biometric and morphologic clinical studies, quantitative longitudinal studies of normal and abnormal fetus developments, direct visualization of the overall fetus body and simulations in different fields (surgery, radiation dosimetry,...).