title: Placental function assessed visually using half-Fourier acquisition single-shot turbo spin-echo (HASTE) magnetic resonance imaging.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To investigate a simple visual assessment method of placental function using half-Fourier acquisition single-shot turbo spin-echo (HASTE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
  
  
  METHODS
  The institutional review board approved this retrospective study of fetal MRI in 48 singleton pregnant women for whom placentas had undergone clinical pathological examinations. Two readers independently assessed the placentas using the HASTE scoring system, particularly emphasizing the visualization of the regular two-tone pattern inside and signal intensity (SI) of placental parenchyma referring to SI of the fetal kidney and liver. After categorization using the HASTE scoring system, the associations between the scores and the presence of pathologically proven placental insufficiency or of low birth weight less than the tenth percentile were examined using chi-square tests. The associations between the HASTE scores and the MRI findings previously reported to suggest placental insufficiency, such as placental thickness and placenta to amniotic fluid SI ratio, were also examined using Student t-tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The HASTE scores were associated significantly with the presence of pathologically proven placental insufficiency (P = .003 for reader 1; P = .04 reader 2) and birth weight less than the tenth percentile (P = .005 for reader 1; P = .003 for reader 2). The HASTE scores were associated significantly with the placenta thickness (P < .0001 for both readers) and the placenta to the amniotic fluid SI ratio (P < .0001 for both readers).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The HASTE scoring system is feasible for use in clinical assessment of placental function and for diagnosing placental insufficiency.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Himoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan. Electronic address: akikido@kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Aki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kido
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Haruta
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mogami
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Yusaku
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Moribata
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Sachiko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Minamiguchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Fuki
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shitano
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Kayo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kiguchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuhisa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kurata
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Ikuo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Konishi
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Kaori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Togashi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology; D005583:Fourier Analysis; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D007668:Kidney / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D010920:Placenta / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: HASTE; MRI; Placental insufficiency; Visual assessment