Gabriele Masselli MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Roberto Brunelli, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Emanuele Casciani, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Elisabetta Polettini MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Maurizio Anceschi, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Gian Franco Gualdi MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

The purpose of this study was to compare the value of pelvic ultrasound with color Doppler and MRI in the detection of Placental Abruption.

60 pts in the third trimester of pregnancy (mean age 31 years; range 22-36 years) with vaginal bleeding and pain underwent to pelvic at transvaginal color Doppler US and MRI, performed the same day. Multiplanar HASTE, True Fisp, 3D T1 GRE and sagittal DWI sequences were acquired at 1.5 T scanner. The study protocol was approved by our institutional review board. Written informed consent was obtained from all patients. Images were interpreted prospectively by two radiologists, who were blinded to results of US. Interobserver agreement was assessed using k-statistics. The results determined by US-doppler and MRI were evaluated for the presence and the topographic level of the marginal, retroplacental end preplacental abruption and were correlated with the surgical results and clinical follow up (gold standard).  

Placenta abruption were found in 11 patients that underwent to caesarean section. US ruled out correctly the diagnosis of placental abruption in 4/11 (36%) cases. MRI ruled out and correctly identified the diagnosis of in all 11/11 (100%) cases. DWI, 3D T1 GRE, HASTE and True Fisp sequences were able to visualize the placental abruption in 11/11 (100%), 10/11 (91%), 8/11 (72%), 9/11 (81%) cases respectively. An almost-perfect interobserver agreement of MRI examinations was found (weighted k statistic value of 0.92). A highly significant difference (P<.001) between MRI and US-doppler in detecting the presence of Placental Abruption was found.  

MRI is an accurate and reproducible method in evaluating placental abruption. Our results point out that MRI is superior in comparison with color Doppler US in detecting placental abruption. In particular DWI sequence was the more accurate in the visualization of placental abruption.

MR is an accurate and reproducible method in evaluating placental abruption.

Masselli, G, Brunelli, R, Casciani, E, Polettini, E, Anceschi, M, Gualdi, G, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in the Evaluation of Placental Abruption: Correlation with Color Doppler Ultrasound.  Radiological Society of North America 2009 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 29 - December 4, 2009 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2009/8015404.html