返回Google圖書搜尋

Molecular Magnetic Resonance Imagin in Cardiovascular Disease

出版	University of London, 2011
URL	http://books.google.com.hk/books?id=eRkUtwAACAAJ&hl=&source=gbs_api

註釋Cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is primarily used to acquire morphological and functional images of the heart. Extracellular contrast agents have been found useful for tissue characterization and late gadolinium-enhanced MRI has become the gold standard for myocardial infarct visualization. Recently, MRI of molecular targets has been demonstrated and the development of novel target specific contrast agents has become a field of intensive research. One aim of this thesis was to investigate the role of three molecular biomarkers, elastin, fibrin and macrophages during the development of atherosclerosis and in response to therapy. The work includes the application and investigation of an elastin and fibrin specific contrast agent and their characterisation in a mouse model of accelerated atherosclerosis. Pronounced changes in its abundance during different stages of atherosclerotic plaque development could be visualized and quantified by MRI and were confirmed with various histological methods. Furthermore, the role of a citrate coated very small iron oxide particle (VSOP), a marker for macrophages, was investigated in combination with a novel positive contrast MRI method to allow for improved delineation of iron oxide particles by MRI. It was shown that the accumulation of iron oxide particles increases with plaque development and that the use of a positive contrast method allowed for improved delineation and quantification of iron oxide accumulation in plaque. Another direction of this work was the development and investigation of a novel MR perfusion sequence for the assessment of changes in myocardial blood flow in small animals using a first-pass perfusion technique. The acquired data allowed detection and delineation of perfusion defects after myocardial infarction.