scholarly journals Three-dimensional Power Doppler Ultrasound Study of the Placenta

Author(s):  
Toshiyuki Hata ◽  
Sarah Cajusay-Velasco

ABSTRACT Advanced ultrasound technology has been a valuable tool in the assessment of placental anatomy and physiology. Conventional two-dimensional (2D) sonography reveals placental morphological characteristics, 2D color Doppler can assess blood flow in the placenta, 2D power Doppler can evaluate placental vascular trees, and three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound gives more detailed information on the surface anatomy. Recent advances, such as 3D power Doppler with virtual organ computer aided-analysis (VOCAL) and histogram analysis can measure the placental volume, and assess uteroplacental and fetoplacental perfusions. In particular, ‘placental vascular sonobiopsy’ can specifically evaluate the second- and thirdtrimester placental blood flow and vascularity by obtaining several spherical samples from the placenta that will represent the entire placenta. This article presents normal placental development and pathological findings of the placenta using 3D power Doppler ultrasound, and discusses 3D power Doppler assessments of placental perfusion in high-risk pregnancies, such as fetal growth restriction, pregnancy-induced hypertension and preeclampsia, and, from this basis, re-establishes the importance of 3D power Doppler ultrasound as a screening, diagnostic, and surveillance tool in normal and abnormal pregnancies. How to cite this article Tanaka H, Cajusay-Velasco S, Noguchi J, Hata T. Three-dimensional Power Doppler Ultrasound Study of the Placenta. Donald School J Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2014;8(4):400-409.

2009 ◽  
Vol 29 (9) ◽  
pp. 1609-1618 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jose L Bartha ◽  
Eva M Moya ◽  
Blas Hervías-Vivancos

The objective of the present study was to evaluate fetal cerebral circulation by using three-dimensional (3D) power Doppler ultrasound in normal and growth-restricted fetuses. A total of 100 normal grown fetuses were compared with other 25 with growth restriction (FGR). Three-dimensional power Doppler ultrasound was used to assess fetal cerebral 3D vascular indices: vascularization index, flow index (FI), and vascularization flow index (VFI). Both FI and VFI correlated positively with gestational age. On average, all the 3D vascular indices were increased in fetuses with FGR. The proportion of fetuses detected as having hemodynamic redistribution was higher when using 3D power Doppler indices than by means of the middle cerebral artery pulsatility index (52% versus 20%, P = 0.002). In conclusion, two of the three indices increased during gestation. All the fetal cerebral 3D vascular indices are increased in fetuses with FGR. In these fetuses, there were more cases suggesting hemodynamic redistribution than expected by conventional Doppler studies.


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