(Circulation. 1999;99:1054-1061.)
© 1999 American Heart Association, Inc.
Basic Science Reports |
High-Resolution Intravascular Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Monitoring of Plaque Formation in Heritable Hyperlipidemic Rabbits
From the Departments of Radiology (G.G.Z.-P., H.H.Q., G.K.v.S., J.F.D.) and Pathology (P.V.), University Hospital Zürich (Switzerland), and Hoffmann La Roche Ltd, Preclinical Cardiovascular Research Division (D.K.), Basel, Switzerland.
Correspondence to Dr Gesine Zimmermann-Paul, MD, Institute of Diagnostic Radiology, University Hospital Freiburg, Hugstetter Str 55, 79106 Freiburg, FRG. E-mail PAUL{at}mrs1.ukl.uni-freiburg.de
Background—The individual makeup of atherosclerotic plaque has been identified as a dominant prognostic factor. With the use of an intravascular magnetic resonance (MR) catheter coil, we evaluated the effectiveness of high-resolution MR in the study of the development of atherosclerotic lesions in heritable hyperlipidemic rabbits.
Methods and Results—Sixteen hyperlipidemic rabbits were investigated at the ages of 6, 12, 24, and 36 months. The aorta was studied with digital subtraction angiography and high-resolution MR with the use of a surface coil and an intravascular coil that consisted of a single-loop copper wire integrated in a 5F balloon catheter. Images were correlated with histological sections regarding wall thickness, plaque area, and plaque components. Digital subtraction angiography revealed no abnormalities in the 6- and 12-month-old rabbits and only mild stenoses in the 24- and 36-month-old rabbits. High-resolution imaging with surface coils resulted in an in-plane resolution of 234x468 µm. Delineation of the vessel wall was not possible in younger rabbits and correlated only poorly with microscopic measurements in the 36-month-old rabbits. Intravascular images achieved an in-plane resolution of 117x156 µm. Increasing thickness of the aortic wall and plaque area was observed with increasing age. In the 24- and 36-month-old animals, calcification could be differentiated from fibrous and fatty tissue on the basis of the T2-fast spin echo images, as confirmed by histological correlation.
Conclusions—Atherosclerotic evolution of hyperlipidemic rabbits can be monitored with high-resolution intravascular MR imaging. Image quality is sufficient to determine wall thickness and plaque area and to differentiate plaque components.
Key Words: atherosclerosis • magnetic resonance imaging • balloon • catheters • imaging
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