Nanoprobes for Computed Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Atherosclerosis Research

Atheromatous lesions are characterized by intrusion into the vascular lumen, resulting in morphological changes to the blood compartment and into the vessel wall, resulting in characteristic molecular and cellular signatures in the solid tissue of the intima, tunica media, adventitia and surrounding tissue. Nanoprobes can be easily formulated to provide long blood-pool residence and molecular targeting, facilitating the imaging of atheromatous changes. Detection of nanoprobes can be accomplished by a variety of methods. We focus in this chapter on the use of cross-sectional imaging techniques, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), that facilitate in vivo, noninvasive imaging of the vascular morphology and molecular/cellular signatures of the atheroma. The methods described are suitable for use in animal models, although versions of the probes are being readied for clinical trials, potentially facilitating clinical use in the future.