Type:
Educational Exhibit
Keywords:
Obstetrics, Imaging sequences, MR, Pelvis, Genital / Reproductive system female
Authors:
N. M. Saloum1, S. A. M. Ibrahim2, A. Kambal2, M. Abdelhafeez2; 1Doha, Doha/QA, 2Doha/QA
DOI:
10.1594/ecr2018/C-0827
Background
Morbidly adherent placenta is a serious condition which can be life threatening and a potential cause of maternal morbidity and mortality with increasing incidence over the past years (1).
The two most important risk factors are previous caesarian scar and placenta previa (2).
The spectrum is thought to occur when there is a defect at the maternal portion of the placenta; the decidua,
allowing abnormal adherence of the placenta directly onto the myometrium; placenta accreta,
extension into the myometrium; placenta increta,
or invasion beyond the myometrium through the uterine serosa; placenta percreta (3).
Both ultrasonography and MRI are preferred modalities when investigating placental pathology.
While US is considered the mainstay imaging modality for placental assessment during the antenatal period,
MRI plays a key role in determining extent of disease and guiding management decisions accordingly owing to its high spatial resolution and soft tissue contrast and large field of view (4,
5).