TY - JOUR
T1 - High resolution placental maps using MRI and Amira TM visualization software
AU - Bobek, Gabriele
AU - Stait-Gardner, Tim
AU - Price, William
AU - Hennessy, Annemarie
PY - 2015
Y1 - 2015
N2 - Objectives: Structural changes in both human and mouse placenta have previously been assessed using conventional stereological techniques. Such techniques use unbiased sampling and estimation tools to estimate parameters of 3D structures from 2D histological sections. This study aims to investigate the feasibility of measuring and comparing structural features of the placenta by creating complete 3D reconstructions using high resolution MRI images of fixed whole placenta. Methods: Gestational day 17 mice placenta were fixed in 10% formalin, equilibrated with the contrast agent dimeglumine gadopentetate (MagnevistTM) and imaged using a Bruker Avance 11.74 Tesla wide-bore spectrometer. A Gradient Echo (GEFI) sequence protocol was used to obtain a series of contiguous images across the complete fixed placenta using the following parameters; echo time 8 ms, repetition time 40 ms, excitation pulse angle 58.4 degrees, 16 averages with 3D 50 mm isotropic voxels, a field of view (FOV) of 11 mm x 11 mm x 20 mm and an MTX of 220 x 220 x 400. Scans typically took 16 h. MRI image sets from each placenta were imported into the Amira 3D Analysis software (FEI Visualization Sciences Group, Merignac Cedex, France), segmented into regions and 3D models were reconstructed. Results: High resolution 2D images which identified many of the structural features of the placenta were obtained (Fig 1). Segmentation into regions and reconstruction of 3D models enabled quantitative assessment of structural features such as labyrinth, junctional zone decidua and vasculature (Fig 2). Preliminary data suggests there may be measurable changes in the junctional zone of experimental model animals, but this remains to be validated with increased numbers. Conclusion: This innovative technique has the potential to visualize and quantify placental structural change in experimental models of perturbed pregnancies and could prove to be a powerful tool in examining placental morphology.
AB - Objectives: Structural changes in both human and mouse placenta have previously been assessed using conventional stereological techniques. Such techniques use unbiased sampling and estimation tools to estimate parameters of 3D structures from 2D histological sections. This study aims to investigate the feasibility of measuring and comparing structural features of the placenta by creating complete 3D reconstructions using high resolution MRI images of fixed whole placenta. Methods: Gestational day 17 mice placenta were fixed in 10% formalin, equilibrated with the contrast agent dimeglumine gadopentetate (MagnevistTM) and imaged using a Bruker Avance 11.74 Tesla wide-bore spectrometer. A Gradient Echo (GEFI) sequence protocol was used to obtain a series of contiguous images across the complete fixed placenta using the following parameters; echo time 8 ms, repetition time 40 ms, excitation pulse angle 58.4 degrees, 16 averages with 3D 50 mm isotropic voxels, a field of view (FOV) of 11 mm x 11 mm x 20 mm and an MTX of 220 x 220 x 400. Scans typically took 16 h. MRI image sets from each placenta were imported into the Amira 3D Analysis software (FEI Visualization Sciences Group, Merignac Cedex, France), segmented into regions and 3D models were reconstructed. Results: High resolution 2D images which identified many of the structural features of the placenta were obtained (Fig 1). Segmentation into regions and reconstruction of 3D models enabled quantitative assessment of structural features such as labyrinth, junctional zone decidua and vasculature (Fig 2). Preliminary data suggests there may be measurable changes in the junctional zone of experimental model animals, but this remains to be validated with increased numbers. Conclusion: This innovative technique has the potential to visualize and quantify placental structural change in experimental models of perturbed pregnancies and could prove to be a powerful tool in examining placental morphology.
UR - https://hdl.handle.net/1959.7/uws:60223
U2 - 10.1016/j.placenta.2015.07.231
DO - 10.1016/j.placenta.2015.07.231
M3 - Article
SN - 0143-4004
VL - 36
SP - A16-A16
JO - Placenta
JF - Placenta
IS - 9
ER -