Babies exposed to alcohol during pregnancy have significantly different brain structures compared to healthy groups, according to new research presented Wednesday during RSNA’s annual meeting. It’s the first study to utilize prenatal MRI in this regard.
Fetal alcohol syndrome comprises a group of conditions that can leave children with distinct physical features, learning disabilities and behavioral problems. About 9.8% of women drink alcohol during their pregnancy, with about 1 in 70 cases resulting in fetal alcohol syndrome.
Hoping to earlier identify brain changes during gestation, the investigators recruited 500 women referred for a clinically necessary fetal MRI. Two major differences were detected: a thicker connection between the brain’s two hemispheres and decreased volume in the periventricular zone, where neurons are born.
“This is the first time that a prenatal imaging study has been able to quantify these early alcohol-associated changes,” Gregor Kasprian, MD, associate professor of radiology at the Medical University of Vienna in Austria, said Wednesday.
The findings are based on anonymous survey responses from 51 women who said they drank alcohol during their pregnancy. Overall, the cohort included 26 fetal MRI scans taken from 24 alcohol-positive fetuses and 52 gender- and age-matched healthy controls.
Kasprian et al. analyzed 12 different brain structures and assessed small sub-compartments, a “main hallmark” of the investigation, they noted.
The authors note that more women likely consume alcohol during their pregnancy than is currently known, putting their unborn children at risk.
“It appears that alcohol exposure during pregnancy puts the brain on a path of development that diverges from a normal trajectory,” Kasprian added. “Fetal MRI is a very powerful tool to characterize brain development not only in genetic conditions, but also acquired conditions that result from exposure to toxic agents.”
Matt joined Chicago’s TriMed team in 2018 covering all areas of health imaging after two years reporting on the hospital field. He holds a bachelor’s in English from UIC, and enjoys a good cup of coffee and an interesting documentary.