Preliminary study on serial observation of rabbit carotid arteriosclerosis model before and after carotid endarterectomy with high resolution MRI / 解放军医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To serially observe carotid arteriosclerosis in rabbit model before and after CEA using high-resolution MRI. Methods Using New Zealand rabbits, lesions were created by air-drying an isolated segment of common carotid artery (120ml/min for 15min) and feeding the rabbits with a diet of 2% cholesterol, 6% peanut oil mixed with normal diet for 2 months. High-resolution MRI examinations were performed for 1 normal rabbit, 4 rabbits with replicated arteriosclerosis before CEA, and 2 rabbits with arteriosclerosis 10 days after CEA, and the results were compared with pathological findings. Results High-resolution MRI revealed the contour and shape of the type II to type IV lesions of rabbit carotid arteriosclerosis model. The MRI images of the lesions corresponded well with the pathological findings. The fibrous plaques were showed as low signals on TOF film, gray images on T 1, T 2, and PDW film, and were obviously enhanced by Gd-DTPA. The MRI images obtained 10 days after CEA also corresponded well with the neo-intima. Conclusion High-resolution MRI can be used as an effective non-invasive method to serially observe the arteriosclerosis lesion of rabbit carotid artery before and after CEA.