Whole cervix imaging of collagen, muscle, and cellularity in term and preterm pregnancy

Wenjie Wu, Zhexian Sun, Hansong Gao, Yuan Nan, Stephanie Pizzella, Haonan Xu, Josephine Lau, Yiqi Lin, Hui Wang, Pamela K. Woodard, Hannah R. Krigman, Qing Wang () and Yong Wang ()
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Wenjie Wu: Washington University
Zhexian Sun: Washington University
Hansong Gao: Washington University School of Medicine
Yuan Nan: Washington University School of Medicine
Stephanie Pizzella: Washington University School of Medicine
Haonan Xu: Washington University School of Medicine
Josephine Lau: Washington University
Yiqi Lin: Washington University School of Medicine
Hui Wang: Washington University
Pamela K. Woodard: Washington University
Hannah R. Krigman: Washington University School of Medicine
Qing Wang: Washington University
Yong Wang: Washington University School of Medicine

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-14

Abstract: Abstract Cervical softening and dilation are critical for the successful term delivery of a fetus, with premature changes associated with preterm birth. Traditional clinical measures like transvaginal ultrasound and Bishop scores fall short in predicting preterm births and elucidating the cervix’s complex microstructural changes. Here, we introduce a magnetic resonance diffusion basis spectrum imaging (DBSI) technique for non-invasive, comprehensive imaging of cervical cellularity, collagen, and muscle fibers. This method is validated through ex vivo DBSI and histological analyses of specimens from total hysterectomies. Subsequently, retrospective in vivo DBSI analysis at 32 weeks of gestation in ten term deliveries and seven preterm deliveries with inflammation-related conditions shows distinct microstructural differences between the groups, alongside significant correlations with delivery timing. These results highlight DBSI’s potential to improve understanding of premature cervical remodeling and aid in the evaluation of therapeutic interventions for at-risk pregnancies. Future studies will further assess DBSI’s clinical applicability.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48680-9

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