Purpose or Case Report: The growing body of evidence linking placental physiology and brain development has led to the emergence of a new field coined “neuroplacentology” Disease processes affecting the placenta can have a major influence on overall fetal circulatory function and specifically blood flow to the CNS. In addition, the placenta also plays an important role as an endocrine and immune protective organ.
The aim of this review is to describe the main abnormal placental phenotypes according to the 2016 Amsterdam pathological classification and the role of abnormal placenta in neurodevelopmental disorders.
The placenta-mediated mechanisms of perinatal brain injury are varied, ranging from poor protection to hypoxia.
Methods & Materials: New imaging MRI techniques such as IVIM (intravoxel incoherent motion) and T2* mapping are being developed to depict these placental diseases in utero.
Pathological correlation will be provided
Clinical outcomes included are fetal growth restriction, acute and cronic HIE, white matter injury, delayed brain sulcation, stroke and fetal demise
Results: The four major patterns of placental injury are maternal vascular malperfusion, acute chorioamnionitis, villitis of unkonwn etiology and fetal vascular malperfusion. TThe prevalence of one pattern or the other varies according to gestational age at delivery (premature to term). We present an overview of these different phenotypes, with radiopathological correlation and fetal and neonatal clinical outcomes.
Conclusions: Monitoring placental health is important in perinatology in different conditions (FGR, CMV, with fetal congenital heart disease, preterm delivery, neonatal encephalopathy) because placental pathology may be an early biomarker for adverse neurodevelopment.