Has the time arrived to image placental perfusion?
Taillieu et al have shown that it is possible to noninvasively measure the placental blood flow, fractional volume of the maternal vascular placental compartment, and rate of transfer of contrast material between the maternal and fetal circulation in gravid mice through the use of dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging. Clearly, much work lies ahead before functional evaluation of the placenta becomes a clinical reality, but contrast-enhanced imaging shows promise for functional evaluation of placental disease.
Yeh
Benjamin M
BM
Department of Radiology, University of California, San Francisco, 521 Parnassus Ave, Rm C-324C, Box 0628, San Francisco, CA 94143-0628, USA. Ben.yeh@radiology.ucsf.edu
D000818:Animals; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D005260:Female; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008536:Meglumine / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D010920:Placenta / Q000098:blood supply*; D011247:Pregnancy
D003287:Contrast Media; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D008536:Meglumine; C072417:gadoterate meglumine