In vivo magnetic resonance imaging of atherosclerotic lesions with a newly developed Evans blue-DTPA-gadolinium contrast medium in apolipoprotein-E-deficient mice.
BACKGROUND
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents that specifically detect atherosclerotic plaque may be useful for the noninvasive detection of the plaque. We have recently developed a new contrast agent, Evans blue-DTPA-gadolinium (EB-DTPA-Gd), which selectively accumulates vascular lesions with endothelial removal. In this study, we examined whether EB-DTPA-Gd is also useful for in vivo imaging of atherosclerotic plaques.


METHODS
We used male apolipoprotein-E-deficient (ApoE-/-) mice of different ages (3, 6 and 12 months old) and age-matched male wild-type mice. After a single intravenous administration of EB-DTPA-Gd (160 microM/kg body weight), MRI T(1) signal was obtained in vivo.


RESULTS
Increased signal intensity in the aortic wall was noted within 10-20 min after intravenous injection of EB-DTPA-Gd and was maintained for 30 min. The MRI enhancement in the aorta of ApoE-/- mice was increased in accordance with age, whereas no such enhancement was noted in wild-type mice. Histological examination demonstrated that there was a topological correlation between the site of MRI enhancement and that of atherosclerotic plaque.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that EB-DTPA-Gd is a useful MRI contrast medium for the in vivo detection of atherosclerotic plaques.
Yasuda
Satoshi
S
Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan. syasuda@cardio.med.tohoku.ac.jp
Ikuta
Kenjiro
K
Uwatoku
Toyokazu
T
Oi
Keiji
K
Abe
Kohtaro
K
Hyodo
Fuminori
F
Yoshimitsu
Kengo
K
Sugimura
Kohtaro
K
Utsumi
Hideo
H
Katayama
Yoshiki
Y
Shimokawa
Hiroaki
H
D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004369:Pentetic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D013997:Time Factors
D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D003287:Contrast Media; C527235:Evans blue-DTPA-gadolinium; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004369:Pentetic Acid