Figure 1
From: In vivo characterization of abdominal aortic aneurysms using an elastin specific molecular MR probe
A: Aortic angiogram of an ApoE-/- mouse 1 week after of Ang-II infusion without luminal dilatation or irregularities (A1). On pre-contrast (A2) and Gd-DTPA (A3) enhanced images only minor wall enhancement was observed. On ESMA-MRI the rupture of elastic laminae was clearly visualized in vivo (A4, A5), which was confirmed in corresponding histological sections (A6, A7). B: Aortic angiogram (B1) and fusion with ESMA scan (B2) 3 weeks after Ang-II. A significant increase in luminal diameter was observed resulting from the rupture of elastic laminae (B7, B8). We observed a strong increase in elastin formation at the site of the hematoma (B8, red arrows). Newly formed elastic fibers bridged the area in-between dissected elastic laminae (B8). This repair process was visualized by a strong enhancement on ESMA-MRI (B5, B6). On pre-contrast (B3) and Gd-DTPA (B4) images only minor enhancement was observed. The undisrupted wall showed only a moderate enhancement (*). aA: abdominal aorta, rRA: right renal artery.