Combined non-invasive assessment of endothelial shear stress and molecular imaging of inflammation for the prediction of inflamed plaque in hyperlipidaemic rabbit aortas.

ABSTRACT:

Aims

To evaluate the incremental value of low endothelial shear stress (ESS) combined with high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)- and computed tomography angiography (CTA)-based imaging for the prediction of inflamed plaque.

Methods and results

Twelve hereditary hyperlipidaemic rabbits underwent quantitative analysis of plaque in the thoracic aorta with 256-slice CTA and USPIO-enhanced (ultra-small superparamagnetic nanoparticles, P904) 1.5-T MRI at baseline and at 6-month follow-up. Computational fluid dynamics using CTA-based 3D reconstruction of thoracic aortas identified the ESS patterns in the convex and concave curvature subsegments of interest. Subsegments with low baseline ESS exhibited significant increase in wall thickness and plaque inflammation by MRI,

SUBMITTER: Gitsioudis G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5217740 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature