Abstract: Provided herein are systems and methods for development and use of a perfusion apparatus comprising a biological phantom created from an ex vivo placenta. In some embodiments, a system is provided for perfusing an ex vivo placenta to be imaged using a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device, the system comprising a chamber configured to house the ex vivo placenta therein, the chamber including a first partition separating the chamber into a first portion and a second portion, wherein the ex vivo placenta is housed at least partially in the first portion, and at least one first inlet disposed in the second portion for receiving at least one first tube, the at least one first tube being configured to couple at least one first pump to a fetal compartment of the ex vivo placenta when present in the chamber.

Abstract: A method is provided for generating images using a MRI system. The method includes one or more acts below. First, the MRI system applies a pulse sequence to obtain a first set of blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) MRI images of a pregnant subject during a first time period. The MRI system then applies the pulse sequence to obtain a second set of BOLD MRI images of the pregnant subject during a second time period. The MRI system automatically extracts one or more regions of interest that include a placenta of the pregnant subject in the first and second sets of BOLD MRI images. The MRI system obtains BOLD signal changes in the one or more regions of interest based on the first and second sets of BOLD MRI images. The MRI system generates, based on the BOLD signal changes, a map indicating placental oxygen transport.