Zungho Zun1, Ajit Shankaranarayanan2, Nickie Niforatos-Andescavage1, Samantha Bauer1, Diane Lanham1, Dorothy Bulas1, Adre J Du Plessis1, and Catherine Limperopoulos1
1Children’s National Medical Center, Washington, DC, United States, 2GE Healthcare, Menlo Park, CA, United States
Pregnancies complicated by placental insufficiency
such as fetal growth restriction and preeclampsia are characterized by reduced placental
perfusion. Conventional MR perfusion imaging involves the use of
gadolinium-based contrast agents, which are contraindicated in pregnancy. In
this study we demonstrate the utility of non-invasive placental perfusion
imaging using velocity-selective arterial spin labeling and 3D image
acquisition with whole placenta coverage, and present global and regional
placental perfusion in high and low-risk pregnancies. Global placental
perfusion matched ranges of previously reported values. However, perfusion was
heterogeneous and regional placental perfusion measured within the placental
lobules reached levels two-fold higher than the global placental perfusion measurement.
