Maintenance of blood supply to the placenta is believed to be dependent on the geometric and hemodynamic properties of the uteroplacental vasculature. In this study we present an MRI method for measuring pulse wave velocity in the uterine arteries. In 6 healthy pregnant subjects, we measured path length and time-to-peak of the velocity waveforms in the uterine arteries and external iliac arteries. The uterine arteries have lower pulse wave velocity than the external iliac arteries (5.5±2.5 vs. 12.9±4.6 m/s, p=3x10-5), indicating possible biomechanically greater compliance.
This abstract and the presentation materials are available to members only; a login is required.