A,
Ex vivo photograph of an excised left carotid artery.
B-C, A T2w image shows the plaque in the internal carotid
artery (B) and a corresponding T1 map shows the baseline relaxation values (C).
D, A repeated T1 mapping experiment after soaking the specimen
in Gd-TESMA shows a reduction of the T1 values. E, Quantification
of the changes shows a significant uptake of Gd-TESMA in human carotid plaques.
F-G, Corresponding histology shows the lesion (F-G) and the
deposition of tropoelastin (dark purple staining) (H).