Novel technologies improving clinical services for women after loss of pregnancy: ‘Virtual’ foetal autopsy by high-field MR, photon-counting & micro-focused CT, as well as synchrotron-based imaging.
| Reference number | |
| Coordinator | Lunds universitet - Lunds universitet Inst f kliniska vetenskaper |
| Funding from Vinnova | SEK 1 150 000 |
| Project duration | August 2025 - December 2026 |
| Status | Ongoing |
| Venture | Medtech4Health innovators |
| Call | Medtech4Health: Implementation of medical technology in healthcare in 2025 |
Purpose and goal
Aim: Improve women´s care after miscarriage or abort using new imaging technologies through ´virtual´ foetal autopsy. Objective: Ex vivo foetal examination after miscarriage or abort before gestational week 22 in case of suspicion of complex congenital heart disease in the foetus with establishment of a clinically usable imaging protocol in the future. This should lead to the implementation of new care routines for women after the project.
Expected effects and result
Development of a structured imaging protocol for assessment of foetal cases after miscarriage or abort (so-called ex vivo imaging). We will illuminate the anatomical, three-dimensional complexity of human development to improve our scientific understanding by: o Imaging of early foetal development stages in congenital heart diseases o Imaging of the micro-anatomy of the foetal heart and pulmonary circulation
Planned approach and implementation
The aim is to scan foetuses after miscarriage or abort, i.e. the project involves the examination of non-living foetal tissue, so-called ex vivo examination. All examinations are prepared by the responsible research team at Lund´s University in collaboration with those concerned at Skåne University Hospital. Foetal imaging examinations will be conducted in connection with this research project and data analyses of image material will be carried out by the responsible research team on-site.