Holistic MRI Acquisition in Preeclamptic Pregnancies: A New Avenue for Clinical Investigations?

In this issue of Hypertension, Hall et al1 developed and implemented multiorgan imaging to investigate maternal cardiac, placental, and fetal brain changes in preeclamptic pregnancies. They reported on a prospective cohort study applying a comprehensive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocol that is safe and acceptable to pregnant women. This study revealed that placental T2* was lower in the preeclamptic placenta, reflecting reduced placental oxygenation. Preeclampsia was also associated with lower fetal brain T2* and reduced fetal brain volume. Women with preeclampsia demonstrated cardiac remodeling affecting the left ventricular outflow tract with an eccentricity pattern.