title: Quantification of utero-placental vascularization in a rabbit model of IUGR with three-dimensional power Doppler angiography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our objective was to evaluate the 3D power Doppler angiography (PDA) in terms of feasibility and ability to detect placental hypo-perfusion in an experimental rabbit model of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR).
  
  
  METHODS
  14 pregnant females were treated with NG-nitro-L-arginine methylester (L-NAME), a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, from day 24 to day 28 of gestation, to induce an IUGR. Concomitantly, 8 pregnant rabbits were used as controls. On day 28, 3D power Doppler indices were quantified in each utero-placental unit. Morphological examination of the placentas for the control group (n = 4) and the L-NAME group (500 mg/day, n = 4) were performed with immunohistochemical staining to discriminate the fetal capillaries in the labyrinthine area.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 180 live fetuses were obtained, 108 from the L-NAME group and 72 from the control group. G28 fetal weight was significantly lower in the L-NAME group than in the control group (27.40 ± 0.55 g vs 33.14 ± 0.62 g, p < 0.0001). In the L-NAME group the vascularization index (VI), flow index (FI) and vascularization flow index (VFI) were significantly lower than in the control group (2.6 [1.4; 6.0] vs 7.6 [3.5; 12.6], p < 0.05; 28.7 [26.5; 31.3] vs 32.9 [28.3; 38.1], p < 0.05; 0.8 [0.4; 1.8] vs 2.5 [1.1; 4.1], p < 0.05, for VI, FI and VFI, respectively). Morphological examinations revealed a substantial disorganization of the placental vascular architecture in the L-NAME group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This experimental study demonstrates that quantitative 3D PDA indices are sensitive enough to detect placental vascular insufficiency in an experimental rabbit model of IUGR.
authors: INRA, UMR 1198 Biologie du Développement et Reproduction, F-78350 Jouy en Josas, France.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Lecarpentier
authors: O
authors: O
authors: Morel
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Tarrade
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Dahirel
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Bonneau
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Gayat
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Evain-Brion
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Chavatte-Palmer
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Tsatsaris
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester; D010920:Placenta / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects; D021041:Placental Circulation / Q000187:drug effects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011817:Rabbits; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester