title: Self-gated CINE MRI for combined contrast-enhanced imaging and wall-stiffness measurements of murine aortic atherosclerotic lesions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  High-resolution contrast-enhanced imaging of the murine atherosclerotic vessel wall is difficult due to unpredictable flow artifacts, motion of the thin artery wall and problems with flow suppression in the presence of a circulating contrast agent.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We applied a 2D-FLASH retrospective-gated CINE MRI method at 9.4T to characterize atherosclerotic plaques and vessel wall distensibility in the aortic arch of aged ApoE(-/-) mice after injection of a contrast agent. The method enabled detection of contrast enhancement in atherosclerotic plaques in the aortic arch after I.V. injection of micelles and iron oxides resulting in reproducible plaque enhancement. Both contrast agents were taken up in the plaque, which was confirmed by histology. Additionally, the retrospective-gated CINE method provided images of the aortic wall throughout the cardiac cycle, from which the vessel wall distensibility could be calculated. Reduction in plaque size by statin treatment resulted in lower contrast enhancement and reduced wall stiffness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The retrospective-gated CINE MRI provides a robust and simple way to detect and quantify contrast enhancement in atherosclerotic plaques in the aortic wall of ApoE(-/-) mice. From the same scan, plaque-related changes in stiffness of the aortic wall can be determined. In this mouse model, a correlation between vessel wall stiffness and atherosclerotic lesions was found.
authors.affiliation: Anatomy & Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands. b.den_adel@lumc.nl
authors.forename: Brigit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: den Adel
authors.forename: Linda M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: van der Graaf
authors.forename: Gustav J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Strijkers
authors.forename: Hildo J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lamb
authors.forename: Robert E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Poelmann
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: van der Weerd
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000473:pathology*; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics; D016477:Artifacts; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D019028:Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008823:Micelles; D009038:Motion; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D003287:Contrast Media; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D008823:Micelles