24th World Congress on Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology Short oral presentation abstracts

fitting algorithm. The linear correlation between T2* measurementsand gestational age was estimated by Pearsons correlation coefficient.Results: In normal pregnancies the mean T2* was 81.3 ± 28.1 msand a negative linear correlation between T2* and gestational agewas found (R2 = 0.68, p < 0.001) with a decline of 4.8 ms per week.In the FGR cases T2* was 29.6 ms and 27.0 ms respectively (Fig. 1).Conclusions: In normal pregnancies T2* decreases with gestationalage. This finding reflects a combination of: (1) A morphologicalmaturation of the developing placenta as previously demonstratedby placental T2 measurements; and (2) A decrease in placentaloxygenation as pregnancy advances. In the FGR cases the T2* wasreduced suggesting abnormal placental morphology and reducedplacental oxygenation. Placental T2* measurement has the potentialto become a non-invasive test of placental morphology andoxygenation in FGR pregnancy.

Supporting information can be found in the onlineversion of this abstract

OP22.10Value of virtual touch tissue imaging in the diagnosis ofbreast tumors

J. Quan

Ultrasound, Pudong, Shanghai, China

Objectives: To explore the clinical value of virtual touch tissueimaging VTI for breast tumors, and compared with pathology.Methods: 128 patients with breast tumors underwent conventionalultrasound and VTI. The characteristics of conventional ultrasound,VTI score and pathological results of all cases were retrospectivelyanalyzed.Results: On VTI: score of 1 to 3 were found in 86.7% benignlesions. Scores 4 to 5 were found in 82.4% malignant lesions. Therewere statistically difference in the scores of VTI between benign andmalignant tumors (P < 0.01). With the scores of VTI 1 to 3 judged tobenign and 4 to 5 judged to malignant, the sensitivity and specificityof VTI were 82.4% and 86.7%, respectively.Conclusions: VTI had positive significance in differentiating benignand malignant tumors. This new method had a high specificity andpositive predictive value.

OP22.11Assessement of placental perfusion in the pre-eclampsiaL-NAME rat model with high-field DCE MRI

M. Lemery-Magnin2, V. Fitoussi2, N. Siauve2, L. Pidial2,G. Autret2, D. Balvay2, C. Cuenod2, O. Clement2,L.J. Salomon1,2

1Maternite, Hopital Necker Enfants Malades, AP-HP,Universite Paris Descartes, Paris, France; 2Imagerie del’Angiogenese, PARCC-HEGP, INSERM UMR 970, Paris,France

Objectives: To evaluate placental function and perfusion in a ratmodel of pre-eclampsia, infused with L-Nitro arginine methyl ester(L-NAME) by Dynamic Contrast Enhanced (DCE) MRI usinggadolinium chelates.Methods: Pregnant female Sprague-Dawley rats were fitted onE16 with subcutaneous osmotic minipumps loaded to deliver,continuously, L-NAME (50 mg/day per rat; case group) or salinesolution (control group). DCE MRI was performed on E19 usinggadolinium chelates and a 4.7T MRI apparatus for small animals.Quantitative analysis was performed using an image softwareprogram: placental blood flow (perfusion in mL/min/100 mL of

placenta), and fractional volume of the maternal vascular placentalcompartment (ratio between the placental blood volume and theplacental volume, Vb in %) were calculated by compartmentalanalysis.Results: 176 placentas (27 rats) were analyzed by DCE MRI(97 cases and 79 controls). The model was effective, inducingintra-uterine growth retardation, as there was a significant differencebetween the two groups for placental weights (p < 0.01), fetalweights (p = 0.019) and fetal lengths (p < 0.01). There was nosignificant difference between placental perfusions in the placentasin L-NAME and control groups (140.1+/−74.1 vs. 148.9+/−97.4,respectively; p = 0.496). There was a significant difference betweenthe L-NAME and control groups for Vb (53+/−12.9% vs46.7+/−9%, respectively; p < 0.01).Conclusions: In the L-NAME pre-eclampsia model, placentalperfusion is normal and the fractional blood volume is increased,suggesting that pre-eclampsia is not always expressed as a result ofdecreased placental perfusion and highlights the usefulness of MRIfor investigating the physiopathology of pre-eclampsia.

OP23: NEW IMAGING TECHNOLOGIES:ULTRASOUND

OP23.01Shear wave speeds for evaluating cervical ripening in pregnantwomen at term

S.T. Romero1, L. Carlsen2, M. Palmeri4, A. Munoz del Rio3,S.T. Esplin1, T.J. Hall2, H. Feltovich1,2

1Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Intermountain Healthcare, Provo,UT, USA; 2Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin,Madison, WI, USA; 3Biostatistics, University of Wisconsin,Madison, WI, USA; 4Biomedical Engineering, DukeUniversity, Durham, NC, USA

Objectives: The cervix undergoes softening in pregnancy. Timingerrors may lead to pre- or post-term birth. Currently there is noobjective, quantitative method to assess softness. Shear wave speed(SWS) estimation is a noninvasive quantitative measure relatedto softness (slower SWS occur in softer tissue). Our study ofSWS in non-pregnant cervix hysterectomy specimens demonstratedbiological variability within and between cervices and suggestedthe optimal location for reproducible measurements. Our aim wasto determine feasibility of detecting cervical softening in pregnantwomen undergoing ripening for labour induction.Methods: Women scheduled for cervical ripening prior to inductionat term were recruited (n = 20). Exams (Bishop score, TVUS CL,SWS estimates) were performed by the same clinician prior tomisoprostol (25 mcg) and 4 hours later. 10 replicate SWS estimateswere performed with a Siemens ACUSON2000 ultrasound systemand prototype transducer secured to the clinician’s fingertip (topromote accurate location and minimal pressure) and placed onthe mid-anterior cervix. Subjects were divided into 2 groups: Notin Labour (requiring more misoprostol) and Marked Progression(contractions <3 m apart and/or <1 cm cervical length). A linearmixed model was used for statistical analysis.Results: A ∼30% reduction was observed in SWS 4 hoursafter misoprostol in the Not in Labour group. Change in SWSwas correlated with change in softness (r = 0.76, p = 0.01) andprogression of Bishop score (r = -0.58, p = 0.077). Significantdifferences were found in pre vs post-ripening SWS (p < 0.0001),and softness (isolated from Bishop) was highly correlated with SWS(p < 0.0001). Strong covariance was found between groups (Not inLabour; Marked Progression) and SWS (pre/post), (p < 0.0001).Conclusions: SWS estimation detected differences in pre- vs.post-ripened cervix in pregnant women. Current investigation aims

134 Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology 2014; 44 (Suppl. 1): 62–180.