Vasculature Assessment of Rhesus Macaque Placental Injury using Variable Flip Angle T1-Mapping and Dynamic Contrast Enhanced MRI

Motivation: A combination of DCE and fractional blood volume analysis could enable better evaluation of local placental injury. Goal(s): To generate and assess local placental injury for rhesus macaques using Tisseel (fibrin sealant) injections and co-registered contrast arrival time maps and fractional blood volume maps. Approach: Three rhesus macaques received intraplacental injections of Tisseel to potentially cause tissue ischemia. DCE imaging and variable flip angle T1 mapping were registered and compared qualitatively and quantitatively on a local level. Results: Possible local placental ischemia observed in both the DCE signal and the blood volume maps. Lower circulating blood volume corresponded regionally to longer arrival times. Impact: This study successfully creates local placental ischemia that potentially mimics clinical cases seen with fetal growth restriction. The local ischemia could be better visualized using two co-registered MRI methods, thus helping future clinical diagnosis.