Imaging and assessment of placental function

Abstract

The placenta is the vital support organ for the developing fetus. This article reviews current ultrasound (US) methods of assessing placental function. The ability of ultrasound to detect placental pathology is discussed. Doppler technology to investigate the fetal, placental, and maternal circulations in both high‐risk and uncomplicated pregnancies is discussed and the current literature on the value of three‐dimensional power Doppler studies to assess placental volume and vascularization is also evaluated. The article highlights the need for further research into three‐dimensional ultrasound and alternative methods of placental evaluation if progress is to be made in optimizing placental function assessment. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound, 2011

Advanced MR imaging of the placenta: Exploring the in utero placenta–brain connection

“…US features of the placenta and cord have been well described; while the placenta may be visualized as early 10 weeks gestation, it is most consistently visualized after 15 weeks (34). As the healthy placenta matures throughout gestation, there are accompanying changes detectable by US.…”

“…As the healthy placenta matures throughout gestation, there are accompanying changes detectable by US. These changes include progressive increases in thickness and length, as well as qualitative changes in echogenicity and shape (34). Using such US techniques, anomalies of placental length or thickness have been associated with increased risk of stillbirth (35).…”

Placental volume, vasculature and calcification in pregnancies complicated by pre-eclampsia and intra-uterine growth restriction

“…268 It is vital to optimise the information which can be gained from 269 an ultrasound scan to improve our prediction of high-risk 270 pregnancies [24]. The findings in this study suggest that there 271 may be a role for 3DPD placental assessment of volume, 272 vascularisation and blood flow and computer analysis of placental 273 calcification in the prediction of PET and IUGR pregnancy.…”

Functional imaging of the human placenta with magnetic resonance

“…Ultrasound examination provides accurate information on the location, size, and anatomy of the placenta. 5 Although ultrasound examination can been used to identify growth-restricted fetuses at a higher risk of perinatal complications, based on umbilical artery Doppler, 6,7 ultrasound examination is limited for the assessment of placental function, which usually is suspected to be abnormal only late in pregnancy, when related complications such as preeclampsia and/or intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) have already developed.…”