The aim of this study was to investigate the functional characteristics of the human placenta ex-vivo using a novel MR compatible perfusion system. Fifteen normal human placentas were scanned ex-vivo; bolus arrival time (BAT) and flow were extracted from TWIST data. Higher BAT and lower flow values were found in placentas with peripheral cord insertion. Significant correlations were obtained between BAT and the linear distance of the blood vessel from cord insertion location. This is the first work that studied the perfusion of human placentas with MRI and provides information regarding the relation between placental structure and function.
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