Imaging of acute arterial injury with 111In-labeled platelets: a comparison with scanning electron micrographs

The relationship between degree of acute arterial injury, extent of platelet deposition, and ability to visualize arterial injury with Indium 111-labeled platelets was studied in 18 rabbits. An aortic lesion was made with a balloon catheter in each animal immediately after injection of autologously labeled platelets. Three nonlesioned rabbits with 111In-labeled platelets served as controls. An additional control study was performed in 12 lesioned rabbits in which nine were injected with 111In-labeled plasma protein and three with 111In-labeled red blood cells. A postmortem scanning electron microscope study of the aortae was made to determine the degree of injury to the intima and the amount of platelet deposition on the damaged arterial wall. The radionuclide scans and scanning electron micrographs were then compared. Lesions were seen in ten of 18 animals with labeled platelets that had extensive regions of denuded endothelium covered by a contiguous layer of platelets. Lesions consisting of patchy deendothelialization and platelet deposition could not be visualized on the scans. Red blood cells and fibrin were not conspicuous on micrographs of the lesions. No lesions were visualized in animals receiving 111In-labeled plasma protein or red blood cells before arterial injury, despite platelet deposition in the lesions.