title: Three-dimensional digital reconstruction of human placental villus architecture in normal and complicated pregnancies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to examine the use of digital technology in the three-dimensional reconstruction of human placentas.
  
  
  METHODS
  Placentas obtained at term elective caesarean section were sampled, formalin-fixed and embedded in paraffin. Two hundred 5 μm consecutive sections were cut from each specimen and the resultant slides stained with haematoxylin and eosin. Slides were then scanned and the digitised images reconstructed using customised software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three-dimensional reconstructions were successfully achieved in placentas from normal pregnancies and those complicated by pre-eclampsia, growth restriction, and gestational diabetes. Marked morphological differences were readily identifiable, most clearly in the stem villus architecture.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This method is an emerging research tool for examining placental histoarchitecture at high resolution and gaining clinically relevant insight into the placental pathology allied to pregnancy complications such as PET, IUGR and GD.
authors.affiliation: Women's Health Research Group, Department of Pathology & Cancer Biology, St James's University Hospital, Beckett Street, Leeds LS9 7TF, UK.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: McCarthy
authors.affiliation: Women's Health Research Group, Department of Pathology & Cancer Biology, St James's University Hospital, Beckett Street, Leeds LS9 7TF, UK; Department of Histopathology, Bexley Wing, St James's University Hospital, Leeds LS9 7TF, UK.
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Orsi
authors.affiliation: Women's Health Research Group, Department of Pathology & Cancer Biology, St James's University Hospital, Beckett Street, Leeds LS9 7TF, UK; Department of Histopathology, Bexley Wing, St James's University Hospital, Leeds LS9 7TF, UK.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Treanor
authors.affiliation: Women's Health Research Group, Department of Pathology & Cancer Biology, St James's University Hospital, Beckett Street, Leeds LS9 7TF, UK.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Moran
authors.affiliation: Women's Health Research Group, Department of Pathology & Cancer Biology, St James's University Hospital, Beckett Street, Leeds LS9 7TF, UK.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vernooij
authors.affiliation: School of Computing, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK.
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Magee
authors.affiliation: Women's Health Research Group, Department of Pathology & Cancer Biology, St James's University Hospital, Beckett Street, Leeds LS9 7TF, UK.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.affiliation: Department of Histopathology, Bexley Wing, St James's University Hospital, Leeds LS9 7TF, UK.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stahlschmidt
authors.affiliation: Women's Health Research Group, Department of Pathology & Cancer Biology, St James's University Hospital, Beckett Street, Leeds LS9 7TF, UK. Electronic address: n.a.b.simpson@leeds.ac.uk.
authors.forename: N A B
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Simpson
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002585:Cesarean Section; D002824:Chorionic Villi / Q000473:pathology*; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010920:Placenta / Q000473:pathology; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000473:pathology*; D011247:Pregnancy
keywords: 3D reconstruction; Intrauterine growth restriction; Placenta; Pre-eclampsia; Stem villi