Jennifer Margaret Jane Richards1, Scott I.
Semple2, Calum Gray2, William Wallace3,
Roderick TA Chalmers4, Olivier James Garden5, Graham
McKillop6, David E. Newby1
1Centre of Cardiovascular Science,
University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom; 2Clinical
Research Imaging Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom; 3Department
of Pathology, NHS Lothian, Edinburgh, United Kingdom; 4Vascular
Surgical Service, NHS Lothian, Edinburgh, United Kingdom; 5Clinical
and Surgical Sciences (Surgery), University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United
Kingdom; 6Department of Radiology, NHS Lothian, Edinburgh, United
Kingdom
The
ability to evaluate the biological processes affecting the vessel wall in
abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) would be beneficial in addition to vessel
diameter when evaluating the risk of aneurysm rupture. This is a clinical
study (n=9) of the use of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and ultrasmall superparamagnetic particles of
iron oxide (USPIO, Sinerem, Guerbet) to detect focal areas of inflammation in
the wall of AAA. A reduction in T2* value was observed on T2* weighted
imaging before and 24hrs after intravenous administration of 2.6mg/kg
Sinerem. Histological examination of operative tissue samples confirmed the
presence of iron in the aortic wall.