Imaging the human placental microcirculation with micro-focus computed tomography: Optimisation of tissue preparation and image acquisition

Rosalind Pratt; J Ciaran Hutchinson; Andrew Melbourne; Maria A Zuluaga; Alex Virasami; Tom Vercauteren; Sebastien Ourselin; Neil J Sebire; Owen J Arthurs; Anna L David

doi:10.1016/j.placenta.2017.09.013

Imaging the human placental microcirculation with micro-focus computed tomography: Optimisation of tissue preparation and image acquisition

Placenta. 2017 Dec:60:36-39. doi: 10.1016/j.placenta.2017.09.013. Epub 2017 Oct 3.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Translational Imaging Group, Dept. Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, Malet Place Engineering Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK; Institute for Women's Health, University College London, 86-96 Chenies Mews, London WC1E 6HX, UK. Electronic address: Rosalind.pratt@ucl.ac.uk.
² University College London Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK; Department of Histopathology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust, Great Ormond Street, London, WC1N 3JH London, UK.
³ Translational Imaging Group, Dept. Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, Malet Place Engineering Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
⁴ Department of Histopathology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust, Great Ormond Street, London, WC1N 3JH London, UK.
⁵ Translational Imaging Group, Dept. Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, Malet Place Engineering Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK; Wellcome / EPSRC Centre for Surgical and Interventional Sciences, University College London, London, UK.
⁶ University College London Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK; Paediatric Radiology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust, Great Ormond Street, London, WC1N 3JH London, UK.
⁷ Institute for Women's Health, University College London, 86-96 Chenies Mews, London WC1E 6HX, UK; Wellcome / EPSRC Centre for Surgical and Interventional Sciences, University College London, London, UK.

Abstract

Micro-CT provides 3D volume imaging with spatial resolution at the micrometre scale. We investigated the optimal human placenta tissue preparation (contrast agent, perfusion pressure, perfusion location and perfusion vessel) and imaging (energy, target material, exposure time and frames) parameters. Microfil (Flow Tech, Carver, MA) produced better fill than Barium sulphate (84.1%(±11.5%)vs70.4%(±18.02%) p = 0.01). Perfusion via umbilical artery produced better fill than via chorionic vessels (83.8%(±17.7%)vs78.0%(±21.9%), p < 0.05), or via umbilical vein (83.8%(±16.4%)vs69.8%(±20.3%), p < 0.01). Imaging at 50 keV with a molybdenum target produced the best contrast to noise ratio. We propose this method to enable quantification and comparison of the human fetoplacental vascular tree.

Keywords: Contrast; Micro-CT; Optimisation; Perfusion.

MeSH terms

Barium Sulfate
Female
Humans
Microcirculation
Perfusion
Placenta / blood supply
Placenta / diagnostic imaging*
Pregnancy
Silicone Elastomers
X-Ray Microtomography / methods*

Substances

Silicone Elastomers
Barium Sulfate

Grants and funding

NIHR-CS-012-002/DH_/Department of Health/United Kingdom