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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Indian J Radiol Imaging 2026; 36(02): 216-223
DOI: 10.1055/s-0045-1809683
Original Article

2D Shear Wave Elastography: An Evolving Technique for Comparison of Placental Elasticity in Normal and Preeclamptic Pregnancy

Authors

  • Ritika Sihmar

    1   Department of Radiodiagnosis, Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences and Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, New Delhi, India

  • Shahina Bano

    1   Department of Radiodiagnosis, Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences and Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, New Delhi, India

  • Renuka Malik

    2   Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences and Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, New Delhi, India
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Abstract

Objective

This article evaluates differences in placental elasticity between normal and preeclamptic pregnancies using shear wave elastography and assesses the potential of the placental elasticity values in predicting preeclampsia.

Materials and Methods

The study included 60 pregnant women, 30 diagnosed with preeclampsia and 30 with normal pregnancies, in their second and third trimesters. Shear wave elastography was performed to assess placental elasticity. Both mean (average) and maximum elasticity values were recorded and cutoff values were determined using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to evaluate their potential in predicting preeclampsia.

Results

Placental elasticity values were significantly higher in preeclamptic women (group A) compared with healthy pregnant women (group B). The mean elasticity in group A was 15.74 ± 3.51 kPa, with a maximum elasticity of 27.4 ± 4.66 kPa; whereas in group B, the corresponding values were 4.42 ± 1.93 and 7.13 ± 3.05 kPa, respectively (p < 0.0001). In preeclampsia cases, the shear wave modulus was higher in the central region of the placenta than at the edges. ROC curve analysis evaluated a mean elasticity cutoff value of 8.1 kPa, with a sensitivity of 100%, specificity of 96.67%, positive predictive value of 96.8%, negative predictive value of 100%, and a diagnostic accuracy of 98.33%.

Conclusion

The study revealed significant differences in placental elasticity between preeclamptic and healthy pregnancies, highlighting the potential of shear wave elastography as a valuable tool for early prediction of preeclampsia. Early prediction using this method could significantly reduce maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity, especially in developing countries, by identifying cases before the onset of clinical symptoms.

Keywords

2D-shear wave elastography (2D-SWE) - kilopascals (kPa) - point shear wave elastography (p-SWE) - preeclampsia (PE) - acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI)


Publication History

Article published online:
19 June 2025

© 2025. Indian Radiological Association. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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