Normal fetal development of the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine: A postmortem study based on magnetic resonance imaging

Objective Before evaluating spinal pathology, it is essential to have knowledge of the normal spinal development at different gestational ages. This study aims to characterize normal spinal growth in human fetuses during the second and third trimesters. Methods Postmortem 3.0 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed on 55 fetuses at 17–42 gestational weeks by using three‐dimensional T2‐weighted sequences. Morphological changes and quantitative measurements of the fetal spine were assessed. The correlation between centrum ossification center volume (COCV) and gestational age was investigated. Results The cervical, thoracic, and lumbar COCVs showed a positive relationship with gestational age (p