Aortic aneurysms in a rat model: in vivo MR imaging of endovascular cell therapy.

PURPOSE: To prospectively evaluate in rats whether magnetic cell labeling can be used to noninvasively assess the technical success of endovascular cell therapy for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs).
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was approved by an institutional animal care and use committee. Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) labeled with iron oxide nanoparticles were seeded endovascularly in already formed AAAs. T2*-weighted gradient-echo and T2-weighted spin-echo magnetic resonance (MR) imaging was performed in vivo at 1.5 T before and 30 minutes after the injection of iron-loaded VSMCs (14 rats), nonlabeled VSMCs (three rats), or iron-free particles (three rats). Ten rats were euthanized shortly after the injection (day 0). Of the 10 remaining rats, which were seeded with iron-loaded cells, three were imaged on day 7 after cell delivery; three, on day 14; and four, on day 28; then they were euthanized. Ex vivo high-field-strength MR imaging of two AAAs was performed 28 days after cell delivery. Histologic examination of cross sections of all AAAs was performed. Statistical evaluations were performed with a nonparametric Wilcoxon correlation test.
RESULTS: Magnetic cell labeling did not alter the capability of VSMCs to stabilize the diameter of the aneurysms. T2*-weighted gradient-echo images showed areas of hypointense signal within the aortic wall immediately and up to 1 month after cell therapy. The mean signal intensity decreased significantly after cell delivery (from 2362 +/- 244 [standard deviation] before to 434 +/- 275 after delivery, P < .001). Areas of hypointense signal and iron-loaded VSMCs were colocalized in the area of aortic wall reconstruction at both high-field-strength MR imaging and histologic analysis.
CONCLUSION: MR imaging with magnetic cell labeling can be used to document endovascular cell delivery in already formed AAAs in rats. RSNA, 2007