{"doi":"10.1101/2022.07.12.499572","title":"Visualization of Retroplacental Clear Space Disruption in a Mouse Model of Placental Accreta","abstract":"Abstract Introduction Prior preclinical studies established the utility of liposomal nanoparticle blood-pool contrast agents in visualizing the retroplacental clear space (RPCS), a marker of normal placentation, while sparing fetuses from exposure because the agent does not cross the placental barrier. In this work we characterized RPCS disruption in a mouse model of placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) using these agents. Methods Contrast-enhanced MRI (CE-MRI) and computed tomography (CE-CT) using liposomal nanoparticles bearing gadolinium (liposomal-Gd) and iodine were performed in pregnant Gab3 -/- and wild type (WT) mice at day 16 of gestation. CE-MRI was performed on a 1T scanner using a 2D T1-weighted sequence (100×100×600 µm 3 voxels) and CE-CT was performed at a higher resolution (70×70×70 µm 3 voxels). Animals were euthanized post-imaging and feto-placental units (FPUs) were harvested for histological examination. RPCS conspicuity was scored through blinded assessment of images. Results Pregnant Gab3 -/- mice show elevated rates of complicated pregnancy. Contrast-enhanced imaging demonstrated frank infiltration of the RPCS of Gab3 -/- FPUs. RPCS in Gab3 -/- FPUs was smaller in volume, demonstrated a heterogeneous signal profile, and received lower conspicuity scores than WT FPUs. Histology confirmed in vivo findings and demonstrated staining consistent with a thinner RPCS in Gab3 -/- FPUs. Discussion Imaging of the Gab3 -/- mouse model at late gestation with liposomal contrast agents enabled in vivo characterization of morphological differences in the RPCS that could cause the observed pregnancy complications. An MRI-based method for visualizing the RPCS would be valuable for early detection of invasive placentation.","journal":"bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)","year":2022,"id":309867,"datarank":0.0,"base_score":0.0,"endowment":0.0,"self_citation_contribution":0.0,"citation_network_contribution":0.0,"self_endowment_contribution":0.0,"citer_contribution":0.0,"corpus_percentile":null,"corpus_rank":null,"citation_count":0,"citer_count":0,"citers_with_citation_signal":0,"citers_with_endowment":0,"datacite_reuse_total":0,"is_dataset":false,"is_dataset_confidence":0.9601,"is_data_producer":false,"deposit_databanks":null,"is_oa":true,"file_count":0,"downloads":0,"has_version_chain":false,"published_date":"2022-01-01","fair_score":null,"fair_percentile":null,"algorithm_id":"datarank_citation_only_1hop_v6","ranking_scope":"data_only","authors":[{"id":372605,"name":"Prajwal Bhandari","orcid":null,"position":1,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":370851,"name":"Laxman Devkota","orcid":"0000-0002-0311-1959","position":2,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":314288,"name":"Mayank Srivastava","orcid":"0000-0002-0479-8385","position":3,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":370852,"name":"Eric A. Tanifum","orcid":"0000-0001-8803-5643","position":4,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":964079,"name":"Verghese George","orcid":"0000-0002-5487-311X","position":5,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":666835,"name":"Karin A. Fox","orcid":"0000-0002-8405-772X","position":6,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":388639,"name":"Chandra Yallampalli","orcid":"0000-0003-4873-8314","position":7,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":370853,"name":"Ananth Annapragada","orcid":"0000-0002-3156-9617","position":8,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":370854,"name":"Ketan B. Ghaghada","orcid":"0000-0003-1012-8668","position":9,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":370850,"name":"Andrew Badachhape","orcid":"0000-0002-5857-9495","position":0,"is_corresponding":true}],"reference_count":27,"raw_metadata":null,"created_at":"2026-07-19T00:33:15.860993Z","pmid":null,"pmcid":null,"fwci":null,"citation_percentile":null,"influential_citations":0,"oa_status":null,"license":null,"views":0,"total_file_size_bytes":0,"version_count":0,"fair_f":null,"fair_a":null,"fair_i":null,"fair_r":null,"fair_zscore":null,"fair_rationale":null,"fair_model":null,"fair_agent_version":null,"fair_fulltext_source":null,"fair_has_llm":null,"fair_computed_at":null,"clinical_trials":[],"software_tools":[],"db_accessions":[],"linked_datasets":[],"topics":[]}