Placenta Accreta Spectrum (PAS) Disorder: Ultrasound versus Magnetic Resonance Imaging

• Published in: Diagnostics (Basel) Vol. 12; no. 11; p. 2769
• Main Authors: Faralli, Ida, Del Negro, Valentina, Chinè, Alessandra, Aleksa, Natalia, Ciminello, Enrico, Piccioni, Maria Grazia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 01-11-2022; MDPI
• Subjects: Accuracy; Comparative analysis; Diagnosis; Diagnosis, Ultrasonic; diagnostic ultrasound; Hysterectomy; Localization; magnetic resonance; Magnetic resonance imaging; Placenta; Placenta accreta; placenta accreta spectrum; placental pathology; Pregnancy complications; prenatal diagnosis; Statistical analysis; Ultrasonic imaging; Working groups; Italy; placental pathology; magnetic resonance; placenta accreta spectrum; prenatal diagnosis; diagnostic ultrasound
• ISSN: 2075-4418; 2075-4418
• DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics12112769

PAS is one of the most dangerous conditions associated with pregnancy and remains undiagnosed before delivery in from half to two-thirds of cases. Correct prenatal diagnosis is essential to reduce the burden of maternal and fetal morbidity. The purpose of our study is to evaluate the accuracy of US and MRI in the diagnosis of PAS.
In this retrospective study, 104 patients with suspected placenta accreta were enrolled and had been investigated with US and MRI. They were divided into four groups: no PAS, accreta, increta, and percreta.
Compared to MRI, US results were higher in the diagnosis and in the identification of PAS severity (85% US vs. 80% MRI). For both methods, in the case of posterior placenta, there is greater difficulty in identifying the presence/absence of the disease (67% in both methods) and the severity level (61% US vs. 55% MRI).
US, properly implemented with the application of defined and standardized scores, can be superior to MRI and absolutely sufficient for the diagnosis of PAS, limiting the use of MRI to a few doubtful cases and to cases in which surgical planning is necessary.