Usefulness of magnetic resonance imaging in the prenatal study of malformations of the face and neck

Sonography has been the fundamental pillar of fetal diagnosis, and until relatively recently, no other valid and reliable noninvasive technique that could adequately determine fetal morphology was available. However, even after the technological advances in obstetric sonography, is still unable to detect some anomalies. One example of this shortcoming is the morphological study of the face and neck. Owing to the ossification of adjacent structures and interposition of the tongue, sonography is not accurate in the detection of some of the most common anomalies. Enormous advances have been made in fetal magnet resonance imaging since it was first described 25 years ago. The usefulness of this modality as a tool to complement sonography in fetal evaluation is now firmly established. MRI provides useful information about orofacial anatomy, enabling accurate evaluation of both the primary and secondary palates. (C) 2011 SERAM. Published by Elsevier Espana, S.L. All rights reserved.