title: Quantitative nonlinear optical assessment of atherosclerosis progression in rabbits.
abstract: Quantification of atherosclerosis has been a challenging task owing to its complex pathology. In this study, we validated a quantitative approach for assessing atherosclerosis progression in a rabbit model using a numerical matrix, optical index for plaque burden, derived directly from the nonlinear optical microscopic images captured on the atherosclerosis-affected blood vessel. A positive correlation between this optical index and the severity of atherosclerotic lesions, represented by the age of the rabbits, was established based on data collected from 21 myocardial infarction-prone Watanabe heritable hyperlipidemic rabbits with age ranging between new-born and 27 months old. The same optical index also accurately identified high-risk locations for atherosclerotic plaque formation along the entire aorta, which was validated by immunohistochemical fluorescence imaging.
authors.affiliation: National Research Council Canada , Medical Devices Portfolio, 435 Ellice Avenue, Winnipeg, MB, Canada R3B 1Y6.
authors.forename: Leila B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Mostaço-Guidolin
authors.forename: Elicia K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Kohlenberg
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hewko
authors.forename: Arkady
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Major
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Sowa
authors.forename: Alex C-T
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Ko
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018450:Disease Progression; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000150:complications; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000209:etiology; D017711:Nonlinear Dynamics; D061848:Optical Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D011817:Rabbits