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Feasibility of diffusion‐weighted MRI for defining placental invasion
Author(s) -
Morita Satoru,
Ueno Eiko,
Fujimura Mikihiko,
Muraoka Mitsue,
Takagi Koichiro,
Fujibayashi Mariko
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of magnetic resonance imaging
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.563
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1522-2586
pISSN - 1053-1807
DOI - 10.1002/jmri.21875
Subject(s) - myometrium , placenta , magnetic resonance imaging , diffusion mri , medicine , radiology , fetus , pregnancy , uterus , biology , genetics
The purpose of this clinical note is to describe the feasibility of using diffusion‐weighted imaging for diagnosing placental invasion with a case of placenta increta and six cases without it. Diffusion‐weighted imaging (DWI) at a b‐value of 1000 sec/mm 2 can clearly define the border between the placenta and myometrium because only the placenta shows very high signal intensity. The corresponding image at a b‐value of 0 sec/mm 2 shows the myometrium with high signal intensity compared with the surrounding fat. Therefore, fusion of the two images can be used additionally to visualize thickness of the myometrium. As a result, DWI can be used to visualize the focal thinning of the myometrium caused by placenta increta, which has been difficult to diagnose on conventional magnetic resonance imaging sequences without contrast enhancement. However, the use of DWI for placental invasion should be determined following careful consideration of its risks and benefits, as fetus safety has not been established. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2009;30:666–671. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.