Combined diffusion‐relaxometry MRI to identify dysfunction in the human placenta

Purpose A combined diffusion‐relaxometry MR acquisition and analysis pipeline for in vivo human placenta, which allows for exploration of coupling between T2* and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) measurements in a sub 10‐minute scan time. Methods We present a novel acquisition combining a diffusion prepared spin echo with subsequent gradient echoes. The placentas of 17 pregnant women were scanned in vivo, including both healthy controls and participants with various pregnancy complications. We estimate the joint T2*‐ADC spectra using an inverse Laplace transform. Results T2*‐ADC spectra demonstrate clear quantitative separation between normal and dysfunctional placentas. Conclusions Combined T2*‐diffusivity MRI is promising for assessing fetal and maternal health during pregnancy. The T2*‐ADC spectrum potentially provides additional information on tissue microstructure, compared to measuring these two contrasts separately. The presented method is immediately applicable to the study of other organs.