Introduction: Understanding regarding the whole placental vascular network structure is limited. Our aim was to quantitatively characterize the human placental vascular tree ex-vivo using high-resolution MRI.
Methods: 34 normal placentas were rinsed and injected with a solution of gelatin and contrast agent through the umbilical vessels. A sample of six placentas taken from pregnancies with intrauterine-growth-restriction (IUGR) was used to demonstrate the potential application to cases with placental insufficiency. Structural ex-vivo MR scans of the placenta were performed using high resolution T weighted images. A semi-automatic method was developed to segment and characterize the placental vascular architecture: placental volume and cord insertion location; number of bifurcations, generations and vessels diameters.
Results: Different vascular patterns were found in placentas with central versus marginal cord-insertion. Based on the placental volume and number of bifurcations we were able to predict birth weight. Furthermore, preliminary results on IUGR sample demonstrated the potential of this method to differentiate between small newborns with suspected IUGR from small normal newborns who reached their full growth potential. Results obtained using the automatic method were validated against manual values demonstrating no significant differences or bias. Histopathology supported the imaging findings.
Discussion: This is the first study to quantitatively characterize the human placental vascular architecture using high resolution ex-vivo MRI. Different patterns of vascular architecture may be related to different functioning of the placenta and affect fetal development. This method is simple, relatively fast, provides detailed information of the placental vascular architecture, and may have important clinical applications.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.placenta.2020.08.001 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Imaging of the Placenta.
Clin Obstet Gynecol
March 2025
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland.
Placental imaging is crucial in prenatal care, offering insights into both normal and abnormal pregnancies. Traditional methods like grayscale ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging evaluate placental anatomy, whereas Doppler ultrasound is used for functional assessment. Recent advancements include functional magnetic resonance imaging and advanced Doppler software for demonstrating placental density and visualizing spiral arteries.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPlacental Hypoxia-Induced Ferroptosis Drives Vascular Damage in Preeclampsia.
Circ Res
January 2025
Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health System, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (C.P., S.A., J.W.A., R.L., F.N., J.S., I.C.).
Background: Iron is an essential micronutrient for cell survival and growth; however, excess of this metal drives ferroptosis. Although maternal iron imbalance and placental hypoxia are independent contributors to the pathogenesis of preeclampsia, a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy, the mechanisms by which their interaction impinge on maternal and placental health remain elusive.
Methods: We used placentae from normotensive and preeclampsia pregnancy cohorts, human H9 embryonic stem cells differentiated into cytotrophoblast-like cells, and placenta-specific preeclamptic mice.
Molecular and cellular morphology of placenta unveils new mechanisms of reproductive immunology.
J Adv Res
January 2025
Jinxin Research Institute for Reproductive Medicine and Genetics, Sichuan Jinxin Xi'nan Women's and Children's Hospital, Chengdu, China; Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Pathology and Personalized Medicine, Center of Collaborative and Creative Center, Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China. Electronic address:
Introduction: Despite of numerous studies of the placenta, some molecular and cellular characteristics, particularly the relationship among different cell types, have not been well understood. We aim to investigate the basic and intricate details of cellular and molecular elements in early and late phase placentas to gain better understanding of the immune regulation of human reproductive process.
Methods: A novel combination of techniques of spatial transcriptomics(ST), multiple immunohistochemistry, and a dual labeling combining immunohistochemistry and (fluorescence in situ hybridization) FISH on normal and ectopic pregnancy and animal models was employed to investigate the placenta at tissue, cell, protein and molecular levels and to trace the fetal and maternal origin of every cell in early and late placentas.
Sphingosine-1-Phosphate, a Marker of Endothelial Injury and Disease Severity in Preeclampsia.
Hypertension
January 2025
Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Sweden. (C.E., F.P., L.E., S.R.H.).
Background: Preeclampsia is a hypertensive pregnancy disorder marked by endothelial damage. Healthy endothelium is covered by a protective glycocalyx layer, which, when degraded, releases detectable products into the blood. Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is a cardiovascular biomarker involved in glycocalyx preservation, linked to placentation and preeclampsia development.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHigh performance of the diffusion magnetic resonance imaging biomarker diffusion-derived 'vessel density' (DDVD) for separating placentas associated with pre-eclampsia from placentas in normal pregnancy.
Quant Imaging Med Surg
January 2025
Department of Imaging and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Background: Diffusion-derived 'vessel density' (DDVD) is a surrogate of the area of micro-vessels per unit tissue. DDVD is calculated according to: DDVD (b0b50) = Sb0/ROIarea0 - Sb50/ROIarea50, where Sb0 and Sb50 refer to the tissue signal when is 0 or 50 s/mm. Due to the complexity of pre-eclampsia (PE), even a combination of risk factors and available tests cannot accurately diagnose or predict PE.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!