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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2019 Aug 1.
Published in final edited form as: Circ Cardiovasc Imaging. 2018 Aug 20;11(8):e007303. doi: 10.1161/CIRCIMAGING.117.007303

Figure 4. Molecular in vivo MRI of tropoelastin in atherosclerotic mice.

Figure 4

A1-E1 & A2-E2 & A3-E3, DE-MRI images and R1 relaxation rate maps after injection of Gd-TESMA show progressive enhancement of the brachiocephalic artery and vessel wall relaxation rate with disease progression compared with control and statin-treated mice. F1-F3, DE-MRI and R1 maps after injecting the scrambled peptide (DOTA-GAESAPLVSSVQSPD) shows less vessel wall enhancement and relaxation rate. A4-E4, Van Gieson elastin staining shows the development of atherosclerotic lesions. A5-E5, A6-E6 and A7-E7, Immunohistochemistry shows accumulation of tropoelastin molecules (dark purple staining) in the lesion (n=10 per group). DE-MRI: delayed-enhanced MRI, TESMA: tropoelastin-specific MR contrast agent, HFD: high-fat diet.