Placental Imaging

Examination and imaging of the placenta is an important component of antenatal care. In all pregnant women, the placenta should be examined by ultrasound and results should be documented. Differentiated examination of the placenta should assess shape, size and thickness, structure and maturity, localization, and umbilical cord insertion. The standard examination method for imaging the placenta is still sonographic assessment using 2D/3D techniques and Doppler sonography. At higher weeks of gestation and in cases of limited examination conditions (obesity, oligo−/anhydramnios, unfavorable fetal position or posterior placenta), sonographic assessment of the placenta may be limited and MRI examination may be helpful, especially for specific questions. Suspected placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) is currently the main indication for fetal MRI with assessment of placental morphology. A disturbance of placental function (including a disturbance of utero- or fetoplacental perfusion) can lead to complications with the consequence of increased maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. The gold standard for evaluation of the utero- and fetoplacental circulation is Doppler sonography.