Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37161647›Full record

ArticleUltrasound in obstetrics & gynecology : the official journal of the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology2023

Assessment of longitudinal brain development using super-resolution magnetic resonance imaging following fetal surgery for open spina bifida.

N Mufti, J Chappell, M Aertsen, M Ebner, L Fidon, J Deprest, A L David, A Melbourne, GIFT-Surg Imaging Working Group

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Ultrasound in obstetrics & gynecology : the official journal of the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Interhemispheric fissure distortion in fetal open spina bifida: an under-recognized prenatal ultrasound finding.Ultrasound in obstetrics & gynecology : the official journal of the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
  4. TMagnetic resonance in medicine · 2025
    Article
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

N MuftiElizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute for Women's Health, University College London, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-9839-8085
J ChappellSchool of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences (BMEIS), King's College London, London, UK.
M AertsenDepartment of Radiology, University Hospitals Katholieke Universiteit (KU) Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.ORCID 0000-0003-1994-5365
M EbnerSchool of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences (BMEIS), King's College London, London, UK.
L FidonSchool of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences (BMEIS), King's College London, London, UK.
J DeprestElizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute for Women's Health, University College London, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-4920-945X
A L DavidElizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute for Women's Health, University College London, London, UK.
A MelbourneSchool of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences (BMEIS), King's College London, London, UK.
GIFT-Surg Imaging Working Group

Funding

Wellcome TrustWellcome Trust [203148/Z/16/Z; 203145Z/16/Z; WT101957]
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesPrenatal surgery is offered for selected fetuses with open spina bifida (OSB) to improve long-term outcome. We studied the effect of fetal OSB surgery on brain development using advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques to quantify the volume, surface area and shape of cerebral structures and to analyze surface curvature by means of parameters that correspond to gyrification.

methodsWe compared MRI data from 29 fetuses with OSB before fetal surgery (mean gestational age (GA), 23 + 3 weeks) and at 1 and 6 weeks after surgery, with that of 36 GA-matched control fetuses (GA range, 21 + 2 to 36 + 2 weeks). Automated super-resolution reconstruction provided three-dimensional isotropic volumetric brain images. Unmyelinated white matter, cerebellum and ventricles were segmented automatically and refined manually, after which volume, surface area and shape parameter (volume/surface area) were quantified. Mathematical markers (shape index (SI) and curvedness) were used to measure gyrification. Parameters were assessed according to lesion type (myelomeningocele vs myeloschisis (MS)), postoperative persistence of hindbrain herniation (HH) and the presence of supratentorial anomalies, namely partial agenesis of the corpus callosum (pACC) and heterotopia (HT).

resultsGrowth in ventricular volume per week and change in shape parameter per week were higher at 6 weeks after surgery in fetuses with OSB compared with controls (median, 2500.94 (interquartile range (IQR), 1689.70-3580.80) mm

conclusionsFollowing fetal OSB repair, volume, shape and curvedness of ventricles and unmyelinated white matter differed significantly compared with those of normal fetuses. Morphological brain changes after fetal surgery were not limited to effects on the circulation of cerebrospinal fluid. These observations may have implications for postnatal neurocognitive outcome. © 2023 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Indexed as

MeningomyeloceleSpina Bifida CysticaAgenesis of Corpus CallosumBrainFemaleFetusGestational AgeHumansMagnetic Resonance ImagingPregnancyRetrospective StudiesUltrasonography, Prenatalcurvednessfetal surgerygyrificationmagnetic resonance imagingMRIopen spina bifidasuper-resolution reconstructionsurface areavolume

Identifiers

PMID37161647
PMCPMC10947002

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.