The invasive nature of intravascular ultrasound and other approaches used to screen for atherosclerosis has prompted Marcus Makowski and his colleagues to look for a more noninvasive means of assessing plaque burden. Their new elastin–specific, gadolinium-based MR contrast takes advantage of changes in elastin content that occur during plaque development. Use of the new contrast agent is shown in an Apoe transgenic mouse model of accelerated atherosclerosis.
- Marcus R Makowski
- Andrea J Wiethoff
- René M Botnar
