Researchers form several Boston-area universities have developed an MRI algorithm which can account for the constant movement of the fetus and mother, possibly giving clinicians the ability to measure levels of chemicals in the placenta and fetal organs--an important diagnostic marker. 

Some of the most common complaints about MRI exams are the loud machines, feelings of claustrophobia, and absolute stillness required. The lack of motion is one of the main reasons why fetal MRI is often impossible, explains Polina Golland, PhD, a professor at the Massachusests Institute of Technology's (MIT's) Electrical Engineering and Computer Science department. 

"For the brain, when the person is performing a particular task in the scanner, they’re lying still. And then after the fact, you can use algorithmic approaches to correct for very small motions. Inside the uterus, well, you can’t tell the mother not to breathe. And you can’t tell the baby not to kick."

Their algorithm maps the movement of pixels from one frame to another, and a human expert draws precise outlines on objects of interest such as the placenta or an organ. Those outlines are then adjusted frame-to-frame based on the movement of pixels calulated in the first step.

Read more about the development process by following the link below.