Sectional anatomy of the fetal brain in uterus at term on the sagittal plane.

OBJECTIVE

To provide sectional anatomic data for the precise localization of developmental malformation of fetal brain in sagittal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

METHOD: After abdominal and pelvic MRI scanning, the gravid specimen was cut into serial sagittal slices in correspondence with MRI in a low temperature laboratory to demonstrate the structures of fetal brain.

RESULT: (1) Directional determination of the sloping and rotating fetal head. From the serial sagittal sections of pregnant cadaver at term, we concluded that, the longitudinal lying and cephalic presentation fetal had run into maternal pelvis, and rotated and sloped to right. Anteroposterior position and median sagittal plane of the fetal was in correspondence with his mother's. (2) Seven serial sagittal sections of the fetal brain were obtained through lateral surface of the right cerebral hemisphere, lateral sulcus, internal capsule, median sagittal plane, middle cerebellar peduncle, brainstem, and lateral surface of the left cerebral hemisphere.

CONCLUSION

Through the comparison study between sagittal sections and corresponding MRI of fetal brain at term, we could obtain morphological anatomic structures and MRI of fetal brain, providing morphological demonstration of the intrauterine development of fetal brain and auxiliary diagnosis of ultrasound and MRI in pregnant woman.