Shear-wave elastography – virtual touch tissue quantification of fetal placentas with a single umbilical artery

AbstractObjective: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the elasticities of fetal placentas with a single umbilical artery using the Virtual Touch Tissue Quantification (VTTQ) technique.Materials and methods: Pregnant women with fetuses with a single umbilical artery (SUA) and pregnant women with fetuses having three vessel cord (3VC) at 18–22 weeks of gestation were enrolled in the research. The placentas were evaluated and divided into three equal parts as the inner 1/3 of the placenta (fetal edge), the outer 1/3 of the placenta (maternal edge) and the central 1/3 of the placenta (central part). Shear-wave velocity (SWV) measurements were used in the elastographic evaluation of placentas by VTTQ.Results: Forty pregnant women were included in the study (n = 20 SUA, n = 20 three vessel cord pregnant women). The placental Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse (VTTQ) of the placenta regarding SWV measurement values of the fetal edge of the placenta in the fetuses with SUA and the control group were 0.876 and 0.95...