PURPOSE: To monitor early- and late-stage arterial remodeling following low-level cholesterol (CH) feeding in rabbits using a standardized MRI protocol. MATERIALS AND METHODS: New Zealand White rabbits were fed a CH diet (0.25% w/w) (n = 15) or normal chow (n = 6) and imaged either at 0, 2, 6, 8, and 11 months ("early-stage") or 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20 months ("late-stage"). T2-weighted fast-spin-echo images ( approximately 200 microm in-plane resolution) of aortic lesions were collected using either a 1.5 or 3.0T MR scanner interfaced with a customized surface RF coil. Luminal (LA), outer vessel wall boundary (OVBA), and vessel wall areas (VWA) were assessed. RESULTS: Among CH-fed animals in the early-stage group, increased VWA associated with decreased OVBA and a more pronounced decrease in LA was first detectable at 8 months. These changes became more evident between 8 and 11 months. In the late-stage group, lesions continued to grow in response to CH-feeding, as VWA significantly increased at regular 2-month intervals. Beyond 16 months, signal intensity differences (reflecting increased lesion complexity) within the vessel wall were noted. CONCLUSION: This often-overlooked rabbit model combined with customized MR technology holds tremendous promise for studying the natural progression, regression, and remodeling of atherosclerotic lesions. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
PURPOSE: To monitor early- and late-stage arterial remodeling following low-level cholesterol (CH) feeding in rabbits using a standardized MRI protocol. MATERIALS AND METHODS: New Zealand White rabbits were fed a CH diet (0.25% w/w) (n = 15) or normal chow (n = 6) and imaged either at 0, 2, 6, 8, and 11 months ("early-stage") or 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20 months ("late-stage"). T2-weighted fast-spin-echo images ( approximately 200 microm in-plane resolution) of aortic lesions were collected using either a 1.5 or 3.0T MR scanner interfaced with a customized surface RF coil. Luminal (LA), outer vessel wall boundary (OVBA), and vessel wall areas (VWA) were assessed. RESULTS: Among CH-fed animals in the early-stage group, increased VWA associated with decreased OVBA and a more pronounced decrease in LA was first detectable at 8 months. These changes became more evident between 8 and 11 months. In the late-stage group, lesions continued to grow in response to CH-feeding, as VWA significantly increased at regular 2-month intervals. Beyond 16 months, signal intensity differences (reflecting increased lesion complexity) within the vessel wall were noted. CONCLUSION: This often-overlooked rabbit model combined with customized MR technology holds tremendous promise for studying the natural progression, regression, and remodeling of atherosclerotic lesions. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Authors: Reshmi Rajendran; John A Ronald; Tao Ye; Ren Minqin; John W Chen; Ralph Weissleder; Brian K Rutt; Barry Halliwell; Frank Watt Journal: Microsc Microanal Date: 2009-08 Impact factor: 4.127
Authors: John A Ronald; John W Chen; Yuanxin Chen; Amanda M Hamilton; Elisenda Rodriguez; Fred Reynolds; Robert A Hegele; Kem A Rogers; Manel Querol; Alexei Bogdanov; Ralph Weissleder; Brian K Rutt Journal: Circulation Date: 2009-08-03 Impact factor: 29.690
Authors: John A Ronald; Yuanxin Chen; Andre J-L Belisle; Amanda M Hamilton; Kem A Rogers; Robert A Hegele; Bernd Misselwitz; Brian K Rutt Journal: Circ Cardiovasc Imaging Date: 2009-03-24 Impact factor: 7.792
Authors: Reshmi Rajendran; Ren Minqin; John A Ronald; Brian K Rutt; Barry Halliwell; Frank Watt Journal: Free Radic Biol Med Date: 2012-08-17 Impact factor: 7.376
Authors: Tamara N Fitzgerald; Akihito Muto; Tiffany T Fancher; Peter B Brown; Karen A Martin; Bart E Muhs; Douglas L Rothman; R Todd Constable; Smita Sampath; Alan Dardik Journal: Ann Vasc Surg Date: 2009-12-29 Impact factor: 1.466
Authors: John A Ronald; Yuanxin Chen; Lisa Bernas; Hagen H Kitzler; Kem A Rogers; Robert A Hegele; Brian K Rutt Journal: Brain Date: 2009-03-17 Impact factor: 13.501