title: A Novel Strategy to Reveal the Latent Abnormalities in Human Embryonic Stages from a Large Embryo Collection.
abstract: The cause of spontaneous abortion of normal conceptuses remains unknown in most cases. The study was aimed to reveal the latent abnormalities by using a large collection of embryo images from a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) database and novel phase-contrast radiographic computed tomography (PXCT). MRI from 1,156 embryos between Carnegie stage (CS) 14 and CS23 from the Kyoto Collection were screened by using the volume of the liver as the target organ. Embryos with liver volumes ≥2 SD above or below the mean for the stage of development were screened and examined precisely on MRI. Embryos with potentially abnormal livers were further analyzed by using PXCT. Liver abnormality was detected in all 7 embryos in the extra-small liver group and in 2 of 8 embryos in the extra-large liver group. The abnormalities in the extra-small liver group consisted of hepatic agenesis (2 embryos), hepatic hypogenesis (4), and liver lobe defect (1). Among the 7 extra-small liver group, 2 had only liver abnormalities and 5 exhibited complications in other organs. Of the 2 embryos in the extra-large liver group, one had only a single liver abnormality and the other had a morphologically abnormal liver with complications in other organs. Most of such liver abnormality cases are not survive, as liver function becomes essential. The prevalence of liver malformations in CS18 and CS21 in the intrauterine population of externally normal embryos is approximately 1.7%. The present study is the first step toward the elucidation of the latent abnormalities resulting in spontaneous abortion in externally normal embryos.
authors.affiliation: Human Health Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8507, 2606-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Tohoru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kanahashi
authors.affiliation: Human Health Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8507, 2606-8501, Japan.|Congenital Anomaly Research Center, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8507, 606-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Shigehito
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.affiliation: Human Health Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8507, 2606-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Mire
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.affiliation: Human Health Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8507, 2606-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Ayumi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hirose
authors.affiliation: Congenital Anomaly Research Center, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8507, 606-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Chigako
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Uwabe
authors.affiliation: Institute of Applied Physics, University of Tsukuba, Ibaragi, 305-8573, Japan.
authors.forename: Katsumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kose
authors.affiliation: Allied Health Sciences, Kitasato University, Kanagawa, 252-0373, Japan.
authors.forename: Akio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yoneyama
authors.affiliation: Allied Health Sciences, Kitasato University, Kanagawa, 252-0373, Japan.
authors.forename: Tohoru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takeda
authors.affiliation: Human Health Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8507, 2606-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takakuwa
mesh_terms: D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000002:abnormalities*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D008099:Liver / Q000196:embryology* / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008858:Microscopy, Phase-Contrast; D009024:Morphogenesis; D011247:Pregnancy; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods
keywords: human development; magnetic resonance imaging; phase-contrast radiographic computed tomography; spontaneous abortion