Abstract
High energy phosphate metabolism of the human placenta has been studied in vivo using a localised 10-chemical shift imaging magnetic resonance scectroscopy (MRS) technique. The position of the fetus and placenta were determined accurately by fast-scan magnetic resonance imaging (FS-MRI).
A General Electric “Signa” 1.5 Tesla system was used. Twelve third trimester pregnancies were studied. Seven of 12 normal pregnancies (gestation range: 33-3cw) were suitable for analysis. In the remainder excess fat in the abdominal wall placed the placenta too far from the surface coil. Resonances due to inorganic phosphate (Pi) and nucleotide triphosphates (NTP, mostly ATP) were clearly distinguished. Large phosphomonoester(PME) and phosphodiester (PDE) signals were seen. Based on a total phosphorus content of 30 mmol/kg (Documenta Geigy 1: 220), a low estimate for ATP was 3.45 mmol/kg.
The size of each peak from 6 subjects was calculated as a fraction of the total phosphorus content and a normal range was established. The seventh subject had a twin pregnancy: one twin had died a few days previously and the PME and PDE signals fell outside the 95% confidence intervals.
In-vivo 31P spectra from the human placenta have not been previously reported. The ability to detect large resonances due to Pi and the products of phospholipid synthesis (PME) and catabolism (PDE) offers the opportunity of following placental maturation and its disorders.
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Weindling, A., Griffiths, R., Garden, A. et al. 97 Phosphorus metabolites in the human placenta estimated in-vivo by ragnetic resonance spectroscopy. Pediatr Res 28, 293 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199009000-00121
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199009000-00121
