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Updated: Dec 28, 2025
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High Frequency Ultrasound for the Analysis of Fetal and Placental Development In Vivo
Published on: November 8, 2018
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Placental ARFI elastography and biometry evaluation in bitches
Ana Paula Rodrigues Simões1, Marjury Cristina Maronezi2, Ricardo Andres Ramirez Uscategui3
1Department of Animal Reproduction, Faculty of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, Univ. Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho", Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil.
Animal Reproduction Science
|February 24, 2020
Summary
Placental rigidity and thickness in pregnant dogs were assessed using advanced ultrasound techniques. These methods reveal changes in placental structure throughout gestation, offering potential for veterinary obstetrics.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary ultrasonography
- Reproductive biology
- Canine obstetrics
Background:
- Placental biometry and mechanical properties are crucial for monitoring pregnancy.
- Non-invasive methods are needed to evaluate placental health during gestation.
- Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse (ARFI) elastography offers a novel approach to assess tissue stiffness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate placental rigidity and biometry in pregnant bitches using B-mode and ARFI ultrasonography.
- To correlate placental measurements with gestational day.
- To explore the potential of ARFI ultrasonography in canine obstetrics.
Main Methods:
- B-mode and ARFI ultrasonography were performed daily from day 15 of gestation until parturition in twelve pregnant bitches.
- Specific software (Virtual Touch Tissue Quantification® VTTQ and Virtual Touch Tissue Imaging Quantification® VTTIQ) was used to measure shear wave velocity (SWV).
- Regression models were used to analyze the relationship between placental variables and gestational day.
Main Results:
- Maternal-fetal placental thickness increased significantly until day 63 of gestation.
- Maternal placental thickness increased until day 40, while fetal placental thickness increased until day 50.
- Shear wave velocity varied across placental regions, with dorsal areas generally exhibiting greater stiffness. SWV showed dynamic changes throughout gestation, with distinct patterns for dorsal, lateral, and ventral areas depending on the software used.
Conclusions:
- Placental thickness and rigidity undergo significant changes during canine gestation.
- ARFI ultrasonography provides valuable insights into placental structural and biochemical adaptations.
- These ultrasound techniques show promise as diagnostic tools in veterinary obstetrics.
