Machine-learning tool gives doctors a more detailed 3D picture of fetal health
MIT CSAIL researchers developed a tool that can model the shape and movements of fetuses in 3D, potentially assisting doctors in finding abnormalities and making diagnoses. Originally published by Alex Shipps | MIT CSAIL in MT News, on September 15, 2025 Fetal SMPL was trained on 20,000 MRI volumes to predict the location and size of a fetus and create sculpture-like 3D representations. The approach could enable doctors to precisely measure things like the size of a baby’s head and compare these metrics with healthy fetuses at the same age. Credits: Image: Alex Shipps and Yingcheng Liu/MIT CSAIL For pregnant women, ultrasounds are an informative (and sometimes necessary) procedure . They typically produce two-dimensional black-and-white scans of fetuses that can reveal key insights , including biological sex, approximate size, and abnormalities like heart issues or cleft lip. If your doctor wants a closer look , they may use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) , which us...