Transabdominal power Doppler sonography of the normal early placenta

Objective:To evaluate how well transabdominal power Doppler sonography, a n ew method of colour Doppler sonography, visualizes the vasculature of the e arly placenta. Methods: Evaluation of intrachorionic/intraplacental vascula ture in 15 normal, singleton gestations of 8 to 18 weeks. Results: Intracho rionic/intraplacental vessels were identified in all gestations, except the earliest (8 weeks). The number of vessels detected increased with increasi ng gestational age. Intrachorionic/intraplacental Doppler waveforms of mate rnal arterial origin were identified in gestations of 8.5, 9.5, and 11.5 we eks. Conclusions: Transabdominal power Doppler sonography detects intrachor ionic/intraplacental vasculature at least as early as 8.5 weeks. Intervillo us arterial now of maternal origin is present in the first trimester, confi rming the results of a recent transvaginal colour Doppler sonographic study , and contradicting earlier studies suggesting that such flow is not presen t in the first trimester.