Scans show brain changes in fetuses exposed to alcohol
Even with one to three drinks a week, MRI scans reveal brain alterations prenatally in research first
Radiologists observed significant changes in the brain structure of fetuses exposed to alcohol in the first MRI-based study to investigate the issue.
The results are based on fetal MRI scans from 24 women who drank alcohol during pregnancy and 52 who did not.
At the time of MRI imaging, fetuses ranged in age between 20 and 37 weeks, according to the study presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) in Chicago.
Austrian researchers analysed 12 different brain structures, computing total brain volume and segment volumes of different brain compartments.
