Low field combined diffusion-relaxation MRI for mapping placenta structure and function

作者：Paddy J. Slator, Jordina Aviles Verdera, Raphaël Tomi‐Tricot, Joseph V. Hajnal, Daniel C. Alexander, Jana Hutter · 发表于：Placenta · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1016/j.placenta.2025.10.014 · 被引用次数：1 · 研究领域：MRI in cancer diagnosis、Pregnancy and preeclampsia studies、Fetal and Pediatric Neurological Disorders

Introduction Combined diffusion-relaxation MRI shows potential for improved characterisation of pregnancy complications. All existing diffusion-relaxation studies in the placenta are at high field strength, mostly 3T. Here we demonstrate quantitative multi-parametric mapping in the placenta with combined T2*-diffusion MRI at low-field strength (0.55T). Methods We present 56 placental MRI scans performed on a commercially available 0.55T scanner. We acquired the images using a combined T2*-diffusion technique that simultaneously acquires multiple diffusion preparations and echo times. We processed the data to produce quantitative T2* and diffusivity maps using a combined T2*-ADC model. We compared the derived quantitative parameters across gestation in healthy controls and a cohort of clinical cases. Results Quantitative parameter maps show similar spatial patterns, but different absolute values, to previous experiments at high field strength, with similar trends in T2* and ADC against gestational age observed. Discussion Combined T2*-diffusion placental MRI is reliably achievable at 0.55T. The advantages of low-field imaging - such as reduced cost, ease of deployment, improved accessibility, greater patient comfort due to the wider bore, and longer T2* values enabling greater absolute range - can support the broader adoption of quantitative placental MRI techniques, such as combined T2*-diffusion, as a complementary tool to ultrasound during pregnancy.