Denise Pugash

FRCPC, BSc, MD

Investigator, BC Children's Hospital

The fetal brain is unique among fetal organs in that it undergoes profound changes throughout pregnancy, some of which are transient in that they appear and disappear as the brain matures.

With ultrasound and fetal MRI, we have a unique opportunity to look at the fetal brain while it is developing. I use special techniques with ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging to look at the fetal brain at different stages of pregnancy. Our technique is a new way to assess brain tissue which allows us to evaluate milestones in normal development.

Understanding the imaging appearance of the normal brain is critical in recognizing abnormal development, whether due to a malformation, genetic defect, an infection in pregnancy, bleeding in the brain, or other signs of brain damage. My research focuses on identifying fetuses at risk for prenatal brain damage, with the goal of understanding why it happens and what we can do to prevent it