Magnetic Resonance Imaging Visualization of Vulnerable…核磁共振成像的可视化.pdfVIP

RESEARCH ARTICLE Magnetic Resonance Imaging Visualization of Vulnerable Atherosclerotic Plaques at the Brachiocephalic Artery of Apolipoprotein E Knockout Mice by the Blood-Pool Contrast Agent B22956/1 Cinzia Parolini, Marco Busnelli, Giulia S. Ganzetti, Federica Dellera, Stefano Manzini, Eugenio Scanziani, Jason L. Johnson, Cesare R. Sirtori, and Giulia Chiesa Abstract The aim of this study was to identify, by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the ability of the blood-pool contrast agent B22956/1 to detect atherosclerotic plaques developing at the brachiocephalic artery of apolipoprotein E knockout (apoE-KO) mice and to possibly identify vulnerable atherosclerotic lesions. After high-fat feeding for 8 or 12 weeks, MRIs of brachiocephalic arteries were acquired before and after B22956/1 administration; then vessels were removed and analyzed by histology. B22956/1 injection caused a rapid increase in plaque signal enhancement and plaque to muscle contrast values, which remained stable up to 70 minutes. A linear correlation between signal enhancement and macrophage content was found 10 minutes after B22956/1 injection (p , .01). Signal enhancement and plaque to muscle contrast values correlated with macrophage content 40 minutes after contrast agent administration (p , .01). Finally, 70 minutes after B22956/1 infusion, plaque to muscle contrast significantly correlated with the percentage of stenosis (p , .005). B22956/1 administration to high fat–fed apoE-KO mice resulted in a rapid enhancement of atherosclerotic plaques and in a great ability to rapidly visualize vulnerable plaques, characterized by a high macrophage content. These results suggest that B22956/1 could represent an interesting tool for the identification of atherosclerotic plaques potentially leading to acute cardiovascular events. A THEROSCLEROSIS is the underlying pathology of the