A case series of 15 women inadvertently exposed to magnetic resonance imaging in the first trimester of pregnancy

Abstract

Information on the safety of first-trimester exposure to diagnostic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) remains scarce. We are reporting a case series of 15 consecutive pregnant women who underwent an MRI scan with a 1.5-Tesla scanner of either the head (n = 5), cervical spine (n = 4), lumbar spine (n = 4), pelvis (n = 1) or knee (n = 1) in their first trimester of pregnancy (mean gestational age at exposure: 3.8 weeks). Patients were prospectively followed up until the completion of their pregnancy. Two cases received gadolinium as a contrast agent. There were 15 babies born alive. Of them, one baby was born with the left kidney not visualised by ultrasound examination, and another one with an overlapping toe in the right foot. None of these abnormalities were considered by the authors related to the MRI exposure. In conclusion, our study provides support to published preliminary evidence regarding the safety of MRI in the first-trimester pregnant women.

Keywords::

• Diagnostic techniques and procedures
• foetal development
• maternal exposure

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Miss Mara R. Nava-Bello for her helpful assistance in editing the manuscript.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflict of interest to disclose. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper. The study was not supported in any form by any industry associated with the production, distribution or commercialisation of MRI scanners.