Lucia Manganaro MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Francesca Fierro MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Alessandra Tomei, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Anna Lara Perrone MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Sara Savelli MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Laura Ballesio MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

To investigate the placental ageing, evaluating the changes of signal intensity and the measurement of placental tissue ADC value of normal placenta in relation to various gestational ages.

61 pregnant women (Age range 18-44, mean 29 years) with 63 fetuses (Gestational Age Range 19-40, Mean 25 weeks) underwent MRI for suspected disorders in several organs. A multiplanar study of the fetuses was obtained by using T2-weighted sequences and echo planar imaging (EPI); notwithstanding the diagnostic question, in every study also the placenta was included. Diffusion weighted images and ADC maps were evaluated and placental tissue ADC value was calculated for all fetuses divided in three groups by gestational age (I group: from 20 to 26 week of gestation; II group: 27-33; III group: 34-40). Patients with suspected utero-placental insufficiency or placental anomalies were excluded.  

In the quantitative evaluation of the normal placenta MRI showed an inverse correlation between ADC values on ADC maps and gestational age (GA). ADC values had a range from 800 to 2500 μm2/s and showed a decrease in the first group, a stationary phase in the second group and a new decrease in the third one. Moreover a qualitative evaluation of diffusion weighted images demonstrated that the signal intensity of the normal placenta appeared more hypointense in relation with the placental ageing.

DWI with ADC mapping can be useful for the evaluation of normal placenta and may become a tool of assessing normal placental development by means of measurement of placental tissue ADC values.

Using DWI with ADC maps MRI has proved to be a feasible tool to evaluate both qualitatively and quantitatively the developing normal placenta.

Manganaro, L, Fierro, F, Tomei, A, Perrone, A, Savelli, S, Ballesio, L, MRI with Diffusion-weighted Imaging (DWI) and Apparent Diffusion Coefficient (ADC) Assessment in the Evaluation of Placental Changes during Gestation.  Radiological Society of North America 2008 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, February 18 - February 20, 2008 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2008/6020854.html