Objectives:The aim of our study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of fetal cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using Doppler ultrasound (DUS) gating in comparison fetal echocardiography in the five axial views.Methods: Our study included 29 fetuses (median age 34.4 weeks of gestation; range, 28-38) of which 16 (57%) had postnatally confirmed congenital heart defect.Qualitative and quantative assessments were performed according national and international guidelines.MRI image quality was assessed using a 4-point scale (1=low to 4=high quality).Image evaluation and measurements of each modality were performed by two operators blinded to each other.Postnatal echocardiography was performed to validate prenatal findings.Results: 28 (96.5%)fetuses could be evaluated by MRI.One fetus was excluded due to fetal motion artefacts in MRI.Qualitative analysis showed no difference in the assessment of cardiac structures when comparing MRI to fetal echocardiography.17 fetuses had pathological findings that were detected by MRI in 15 cases (Sens.88.2%, Spec.100%) and by echocardiography in 17 cases (Sens.100%, Spec.100%).There was no difference for quantitative measurements by fetal cardiac MRI in comparison to fetal echocardiography in fetuses with or without CHD (all p < 0.05).Conclusions: Fetal cardiac MRI using DUS gating was successfully applied for the evaluation of the five axial planes.Cardiac structures can be assessed by fetal cardiac MRI as on fetal echocardiography, allowing detection of pathologies.Fetal cardiac MRI using DUS gating might be a valuable adjunct technique in the prenatal evaluation of CHD.