Ex Vivo Delineation of the Human Placental Vasculature via Three-Dimensional Computed Tomography Angiography of Placental Villous Trees

Objective: Placental villous trees were three-dimensionally (3D) reconstructed using a computed tomography (CT) approach to accurately delineate the human placental vasculature. Methods: Healthy placentas (n = 30) were obtained from women with full-term delivered singleton or twin pregnancies. Red or blue colored solution c with different idensity of Iopromide were injected into the umbilical arteries and veins of the placentas. Sixty-four- slice spiral CT angiography (CTA) and Vital Images Vitrea((R)) medical imaging software were employed to reconstruct the 3D placental villous trees in different optical densities and colors. Results: The placental arteries and veins could be clearly distinguished, and the images clearly displayed the villous trees to the fourth to sixth branch level in the arteries and the veins. Conclusions: The 3D reconstruction model successfully delineated the ex vivo human placental vasculature and contributed to a better understanding of the human placental vasculature.