Diagnostic study for predictive abnormal invasive placenta using high frequency ultrasound probe and maternal serum markers

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K09240
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 56040:Obstetrics and gynecology-related
• Research Institution: St. Marianna University School of Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Hasegawa Junichi 聖マリアンナ医科大学, 医学研究科, 教授 (80365775)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 三浦 彩子 聖マリアンナ医科大学, 医学部, 助教 (80725979)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 癒着胎盤 / 超音波診断 / 妊産婦死亡 / 周産期死亡 / 胎盤異常

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Antenatal accurate diagnosis of utero-placental abnormalities including placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) which occasionally involve life of mother and infant were evaluated using high frequency wide band ultrasound probe and superb micro-vascular Doppler imaging. In PAS, findings of myometrial thinning, lack of decidual layer, narrow inter-villous space, congestion of villi were directly obtained antenatally, instead of indirect findings depicted in previous ultrasound. Further, ectopic pregnancy, placental abruption, chorioangioma, placental infarction and placental dysfunction involved by pre-eclampsia are also able to diagnose clearly using such new ultrasound imaging. Since maternal deaths due to obstetric hemorrhage induced by utero-placental abnormalities are frequent, these new ultrasound methods should better be widely accepted for obstetric caregivers.

Free Research Field

周産期医学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

母児に重篤な影響を与える、子宮－胎盤異常についての新しい超音波診断法を開発した。これらの手法で、より正確な診断ができれば、母児ともに周産期予後が改善すると考えられる。特に産科出血に関連する母体死亡例や、胎盤機能不全に関連した児の予後不良例の減少に繋げられると考える。今後、これらの新しい手法がわが国の周産期医療を提供する医療関係者に広く知られるように研究成果の発表、さらなる研究を続ける。