A Case Report of a Postmortem Intrauterine Fetal Magnetic Resonance Imaging That Identified an Umbilical Cord Factor as the Cause of Fetal Death

Abstract

Compared to conventional autopsies, using postmortem fetal imaging techniques to investigate the cause of intrauterine fetal demise (IUFD) allows for shorter analysis times and increased consent rates from parents. We reported a case of IUFD in which postmortem fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed before delivery. We confirmed the umbilical abnormalities on MRI: a true knot, hypocoiled, and entangled with the fetal trunk. Notably, the umbilical cord entanglement observed on MRI had been released at the time of delivery. These MRI findings supported the umbilical cord abnormality as the probable cause of the IUFD. Postmortem intrauterine fetal MRI can identify umbilical cord entanglement before delivery, which could not otherwise be detected by conventional examinations. This case demonstrates the potential utility of postmortem intrauterine fetal MRI for evaluating the placenta and umbilical cord in IUFD cases.