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Use of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging Angiography to Follow-Up Arterial Remodeling in an Animal Model

Medical Department I, Klinikum Grof3hadern, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich, Germany.

Serap Esin, MD

Medical Department I, Klinikum Grof3hadern, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich, Germany.

Stephan Nekolla, PhD

Nuclear Medicine, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technical University, Munich, Germany.

Tanya Y. Huehns, MRCP

Medical Department I, Klinikum Grof3hadern, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich, Germany.

Johannes Schirmer, MD

Medical Department I, Klinikum Grof3hadern, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich, Germany.

Markus Schwaiger, MD

Nuclear Medicine, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technical University, Munich, Germany.

Berthold Höfling, MD

Medical Department I, Klinikum Grof3hadern, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich, Germany.

Appropriately sized arteries in small animals may be possible models for studying the remodeling process as occurs after arterial balloon injury in humans. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is able to noninvasively image tissue in vivo. To date, small animal angiog raphy models have mostly used research-dedicated instruments and resolution, which are not universally available.

Experiments were carried out on a rat aorta model of remodeling in vivo (n=40). Arteries were injured by oversized balloon dilation; control arteries were uninjured. Angiography imaging was performed immediately before sacrifice with an unmodified clinical MRI unit, a 1.5 Tesla MR tomograph with a 20-cm-diameter coil. Longitudinal MRI pictures of the aorta and morphometry of tissue sections to measure luminal and arterial wall areas were analyzed with use of computer-assisted techniques.

Comparison of dimensions demonstrated correlation between MRI and histology measurements of the lumen. MRI and morphometry showed a gradual increase in mean luminal area over 6 weeks following injury. The lumen increase correlated with total arterial area and thickness.

In this rat aorta model, remodeling documented at histology was followed-up in vivo. The use of such clinical MRI scanners has potential to reduce animal numbers needed to follow-up the remodeling process after therapeutic intervention.

Angiology, Vol. 49, No. 4, 251-258 (1998)
DOI: 10.1177/000331979804900402


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