Placental elasticity evaluation using virtual touch tissue quantification during pregnancy

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Medical Imaging
• Biophysics

Background:

• Virtual Touch Tissue Quantification (VTTQ) assesses tissue elasticity.
• Previous research indicated increased placental elasticity in fetal growth restriction (FGR).
• This study investigates placental elasticity changes throughout pregnancy, including complicated cases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate changes in placental elasticity during pregnancy using VTTQ.
• To compare placental elasticity across different pregnancy complication groups.
• To explore the association between placental elasticity and collagen fiber expression.

Main Methods:

• 199 pregnant women were categorized into five groups: normal, FGR, pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH), diabetes mellitus, and collagen disease.
• Placental shear wave velocity (SWV) was measured using VTTQ.
• A cross-sectional study of 143 normal cases established reference ranges.
• Correlation between SWV and placental collagen fiber expression was analyzed.

Main Results:

• SWV measurements were safely obtained for all participants.
• No significant correlation was found between SWV and gestational weeks.
• Placentas in FGR and PIH groups exhibited significantly higher SWV compared to the normal group.
• A significant correlation was observed between SWV and collagen fiber expression.

Conclusions:

• Increased placental SWV in PIH and FGR pregnancies is associated with placental fibrosis.
• Factors like infarction, ischemia, and inflammation may contribute to elevated SWV.
• Placental SWV measurement shows potential for evaluating placental condition during pregnancy.