Characterizing placental stiffness using ultrasound shear-wave elastography in healthy and preeclamptic pregnancies

Abstract

Purpose-To measure the stiffness of the placenta in healthy and preeclamptic patients in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy using ultrasound shear-wave elastography (SWE). We also aimed to evaluate the effect of age, gestational age, gravidity, parity and body mass index (BMI) on placental stiffness and a possible correlation of stiffness with perinatal outcomes.Methods-In a case-control study, we recruited a total of 47 singleton pregnancies in the second and third trimesters of which 24 were healthy and 23 were diagnosed with preeclampsia. In vivo placental stiffness was measured once at the time of recruitment for each patient. Pregnancies with posterior placentas, multiple gestation, gestational hypertension, chronic hypertension, diabetes, autoimmune disease, fetal growth restriction and congenital anomalies were excluded.

Evaluation of the relationship between placental stiffness measured by shear wave elastography and perinatal outcomes in women with gestational diabetes mellitus

“…In a recent study, Spiliopoulos et al (27) found that the mean placental stiffness was significantly higher in preeclamptic pregnancies compared to controls in the third trimester. In particular, the SWE technique seems useful in clinical practice for investigating the associations between placental stiffness and adverse pregnancy outcomes in highrisk pregnancies.…”

Systematic review and meta-analysis: gray-scale ultrasound and shear wave elastography in the diagnosis of primipara pregnancy and delivery

“…It showed that the elastic modulus of the perineal body, the SWE of the anterior lip and the SWE of the posterior lip were significantly changed for primipara after pregnancy and delivery. The results of Spiliopoulos et al pointed out that the average Young's modulus of the perineum in the non-fertile group was greater than that of the cesarean section, and the average Young's modulus of the perineum in the cesarean section was greater than that of the vaginal delivery group (P<0.05), suggesting that the damage of the perineal body is more obvious in the vaginal delivery group (47). In cesarean section, due to the influence of pregnancy uterus weight and hormone levels, the muscle strength of the perineal body is impaired and the elasticity value is reduced (48).…”

Point shear wave velocity(pSWV) evaluation of the placenta of pregnant women who had recovered from COVID-19: A prospective cohort study from a tertiary pandemic center

“…Impairment of perfusion in tissues results in hypoxia, and collagen and fibrin deposition increases in the environment. These situation lead to fibrosis and tissue stiffness increases [ 22 ]. In the presence of gestational hypertension and/or intrauterine growth retardation, pathological findings showing infarction, ischemic changes, and fibrosis are frequently detected in the placenta [ [23] , [24] , [25] ].…”