Single vs. multi-slice assessments of in vivo placental T2∗ measurements

Morteza Pishghadam, Developing Brain Institute, Division of Diagnostic Imaging and Radiology, Children's National Hospital, Washington DC, USA. Electronic address: mpishghada@childrensnational.org.
Julius S. Ngwa, Developing Brain Institute, Division of Diagnostic Imaging and Radiology, Children's National Hospital, Washington DC, USA. Electronic address: jngwa@childrensnational.org.
Yao Wu, Developing Brain Institute, Division of Diagnostic Imaging and Radiology, Children's National Hospital, Washington DC, USA. Electronic address: ywu@childrensnational.org.
Kushal Kapse, Developing Brain Institute, Division of Diagnostic Imaging and Radiology, Children's National Hospital, Washington DC, USA. Electronic address: kjkapse@childrensnational.org.
Lylach Haizler-Cohen, Developing Brain Institute, Division of Diagnostic Imaging and Radiology, Children's National Hospital, Washington DC, USA; Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC, USA. Electronic address: lhaizlerco@childrensnational.org.
Dorothy Bulas, Developing Brain Institute, Division of Diagnostic Imaging and Radiology, Children's National Hospital, Washington DC, USA; Department of Radiology, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington DC, USA; Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington DC, USA. Electronic address: dbulas@childrensnational.org.
Catherine Limperopoulos, Developing Brain Institute, Division of Diagnostic Imaging and Radiology, Children's National Hospital, Washington DC, USA; Department of Radiology, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington DC, USA; Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington DC, USA. Electronic address: climpero@childrensnational.org.
Nickie Niforatos Andescavage, Developing Brain Institute, Division of Diagnostic Imaging and Radiology, Children's National Hospital, Washington DC, USA; Division of Neonatology, Children's National Hospital, Washington DC, USA. Electronic address: nniforat@childrensnational.org.

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

9-10-2024

Journal

Placenta

Volume

156

DOI

10.1016/j.placenta.2024.09.006

Keywords

Magnetic resonance imaging; Placenta; Pregnancy; T2∗ imaging

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Placental health is vital for maternal and fetal well-being, and placental T2∗ has been suggested to identify in vivo placental dysfunction prior to delivery. However, ideal regions of interest to best inform functional assessments of the placenta remain unknown. The aim of this study is to compare global and slice-wise measures of in-vivo placental T2∗ assessments. METHODS: This prospective study recruited pregnant people with singleton pregnancies between December 2017 and February 2022.3D multi-echo RF-spoiled gradient echo sequences were acquired, and placental T2∗ values were derived from global and slice-wise approaches. Statistical analyses included Pearson correlation coefficients, concordance correlation coefficients (CCC), intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), and Bland-Altman analyses. RESULTS: Of 115 participants (mean gestational age, 29.25 ± 5.05 weeks), 68 were healthy controls, and 47 were high-risk pregnancies. Global and slice-wise placental T2∗ assessments for the entire cohort showed no significant difference nor for individual subgroups (healthy controls or high-risk). Pearson correlation values ranged between 0.88 and 0.99 for mean global and slice-wise placental T2∗. CCC analyses ranged from 0.88 to 0.99 for mean T2∗, and ICC analyses ranged between 0.88 and 0.99 for mean T2∗, showing a strong agreement between measurements. Bland-Altman analyses depicted T2∗ differences across coverage methods, and groups resided within the 95 % limits of agreement. DISCUSSION: Single-slice placental assessments offer robust, comparable T2∗ values to global assessments, with the added benefit of reducing post-processing time and SAR exposure. This supports slice-wise approaches as valid alternatives for assessing placental health in various pregnancies.

Department

Pediatrics

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