Functional placental scintigraphy. A methodologic and clinical investigation

A method to determine the uteroplacental blood flow in the last trimester of pregnancy is presented. After intravenous injection of 37 MBq 113Inm the radiation above the placenta was recorded in 10 s intervals for 240 s by a scintillation camera. The data are presented in a time-activity curve, in which the maximum activity is proportional to the placenta volume, rise time can be defined and the quotient maximum activity/rise time is calculated. This quotient is an index of the uteroplacental blood flow which can be used for comparison of a series of patients.