Abstract #1560

Priest A, Wedegrtner U, Tchirikov M, Kooijman H, Schrder H, Adam G

To consider fetal BOLD-MRI as a test modality to detect the fetus at risk, it is necessary to compare BOLD signal (SI) changes with defined changes of fetal tissue oxygenation. Recently, a non-O2-consuming fluorescent-fibre-optic probe has been developed. The purpose of this study was to compare BOLD-SI changes with local intracerebral oxygen tension measurements in the fetal brain during hypoxia in a sheep model. We conclude that BOLD-SI changes reflect changes of local brain pO2-values. R2*-changes in the brain correlate with local brain pO2-values. Therefore R2* provides information about fetal brain tissue oxygenation, which is important for fetal surveillance.