SMI for imaging of placental infarction.

Since superb Micro-vascular Imaging (SMI) is a new blood flow imaging technique that employs a unique algorithm to minimize motion artifacts, it can visualize low-velocity blood flow in small vessels. We demonstrate SMI imaging of the placental infarction in a case with fetal growth restriction, comparing a normal placenta on the same gestation. While SMI image in normal placenta clearly shows structures from the branching vessels to the peripheral villous trees in the cotyledons, they could not be seen in the case of fetal growth restriction. We think that the clinical value and future potential of SMI in placental evaluation have been clearly demonstrated.