The growth and shape of the eyeball and crystalline lens in utero documented by fetal MR imaging

PURPOSE: To study the growth model, shape, and developmental relationship of lens and eyeball, we used two-dimensional Magnetic Resonance (MR) imaging to investigate gestationally age-related changes in the selected ocular parameters in vivo. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the MR images from 126 fetuses ranging from 21 to 39 weeks' gestation. Ocular parameters on MR imaging of transverse plane were measured including lens diameter (LD), anteroposterior lens diameter (APLD), lens surface area (LS), globe diameter (GD), anteroposterior globe diameter (APGD), globe surface area (GS). The growth model of each biometric against gestational age (GA), aspect ratio of lens and globe (LD/APLD and GD/APGD), and growing relationship between the ratio of lens and globe surface area (LS/GS) were studied by statistical analysis. RESULTS: The growth model of most biometry for gestational age is logarithmic, except for the diameter of the ocular globe (GD and APGD) showing a quadratic growth pattern. Our study showed that the lens was consistently larger in the transverse than the anteroposterior diameters during 21–39 weeks(P < 0.001). Besides, the ratio of surface area (LS/GS) was not significantly changing with GA(P = 0.4908), while the increase of LS was significantly accorded with that of GS(P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The lens shape throughout fetal life may take part in the process, shape changing from vertical ellipsoid, spherical to transversal ellipsoid, based on the logarithmically increased ratio of lens transverse and anteroposterior diameters. In the meanwhile, the aspect ratio of eyeball in late fetal life may imply a gradually spherical shape during gestation. Nomogram data from this study may provide appropriate information about morphological changes in the fetal lens and the synchronous relationship between lens and eyeball.