Application of quantitative MRI sequences: Assessment of oxygenation and perfusion and potential impact on brain development in fetuses with congenital heart disease (CDH)

• Applicant: Dr. Alina Priller
• Subject Area: Radiology
• Term: since 2026
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 582814536

Differences in the brains of neonates with congenital heart disease (CHD) can be observed compared to healthy controls. These differences were initially attributed to complications caused by surgery performed postnatally. However, more recent studies on fetuses with CHD have shown that abnormalities of the brain can already be observed intrauterine. It is nowadays well established that at least some CHD - among them the transposition of the great arteries (TGA) - already have an impact on the brain development prenatally. Patho-physiologically, this might be due to a reduced cardiac output and the potentially resulting altered cerebral perfusion and oxygenation, for example. The main prenatal diagnostic technique, ultrasound, can often detect overt morphological disruptions or alterations in the middle cerebral artery (MCA) flow but has its limits when it comes to a more precise examination of the brain. However, since it must be assumed that once morphological abnormalities have occurred, the developmental disorder of the brain is already relatively advanced, more comprehensive diagnostic techniques are needed for an adequate evaluation of the fetal brain. Prenatal MRI is therefore considered a promising supplementary diagnostic method as it enables not only the visualization of neuroradiological findings but also the examination of the tissue at a quantitative and microstructural level. Unfortunately, especially the required sequences for the latter issues have proven successful in adult imaging, but experiences in fetal imaging are sparse. Within this project, both already established and in fetal imaging newly implemented MRI sequences will be used to compare brain development in fetuses with and without CHD - in particular assessing cerebral perfusion, oxygenation as well as micro- and macrostructural integrity. The overarching goal is to improve prenatal diagnostics, ideally by identifying prognostic parameters for the early detection of cerebral anomalies, and thus to enhance pre- and perinatal management of affected patients.

• DFG Programme: Fellowship
• International Connection: France
• Host: Professor Dr. Laurent Salomon