Multi-modal MRI reveals changes in placental function following preterm premature rupture of membranes

Preterm premature rupture of membranes complicates up to 40% of premature deliveries. Fetal infection may occur in the absence of maternal symptoms, delaying diagnosis and increasing morbidity and mortality. A noninvasive antenatal assessment of early signs of placental inflammation is therefore urgently required.

Sixteen women with preterm premature rupture of membranes < 34 weeks gestation and 60 women with uncomplicated pregnancies were prospectively recruited. A modified diffusion-weighted spin-echo single shot EPI sequence with a diffusion preparation acquiring 264 unique parameter combinations in < 9 min was obtained on a clinical 3 Tesla MRI scanner. The data was fitted to a 2-compartment $$ -intravoxel incoherent motion model comprising fast and slowly circulating fluid pools to obtain quantitative information on perfusion, density, and tissue composition. Z values were calculated, and correlation with time from between the rupture of membranes and the scan, gestational age at delivery, and time between scan and delivery assessed.

Placental $$ was significantly reduced in preterm premature rupture of membranes, and the 2-compartmental model demonstrated that this decline is mainly linked to the perfusion component observed in the placental parenchyma. Multi-modal MRI measurement of placental function is linked to gestational age at delivery and time from membrane rupture.

More complex models and data acquisition can potentially improve fitting of the underlying etiology of preterm birth compared with individual single-contrast models and contribute to additional insights in the future. This will need validation in larger cohorts. A multi-modal MRI acquisition between rupture of the membranes and delivery can be used to measure placental function and is linked to gestational age at delivery.