Placental MRI

Placental function is of fundamental importance for normal fetal growth and development. The movement of blood within the placenta ensures adequate transfer of nutrients and waste products across the feto-maternal barrier. The placenta is a relatively easy organ to study with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as it has a very high blood volume. MRI can be used to assess both the growth and function of the normal placenta and can distinguish differences from normal in placentas from pregnancies compromised by fetal growth restriction and pre-eclampsia.