Quantifying calcium changes in the fetal spine using quantitative susceptibility mapping as extracted from STAGE imaging

ObjectivesTo evaluate calcium deposition in the fetal spine in vivo during the second and third trimesters using quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM).MethodsFifty-four pregnant women in their second and third trimesters underwent a 2D multi-echo STrategically Acquired Gradient Echo (STAGE) MR imaging protocol at 3T covering the fetal spine. The first echo data was used for QSM processing. A linear regression model was used to assess the …