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Figure 6 CMR Enhancement With β₃-Targeted Nanoparticles Correlates to the Density of Angiogenic Microvessels

Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) molecular imaging of angiogenesis with β₃-targeted paramagnetic nanoparticles and histological measurement of microvessel density was performed on a separate cohort of atherosclerotic rabbits. Aortic sections were stained for β₃-integrin (LM-609) and platelet/endothelial cell adhesion molecule (PECAM), a general vascular marker. The number of microvessels expressing both _vβ₃-integrin and PECAM were counted in 3 independent full-transverse sections per animal. The number of angiogenic microvessels per high-powered field was correlated in a logarithmic fashion (R² = 0.84) to the CMR signal enhancement observed after injection of β₃-targeted particles.