Fig. 3

T2 relaxation MRI scan imaging of Hsp-70 Lf-PEG-ZF nanocomplex contrast agent injected P. obesus aortae and hearts. a Six (n = 5) and 16 months old (n = 5) rats were injected with Hsp-70 Lf-PEG-ZF nanocomplex contrast agent. Eighteen month old rats (n = 5) were maintained as control. Representative images were presented in transverse, sagittal and coronal orientation respectively. Red, yellow and white dotted lines outline the aorta, kidney and heart respectively. The spinal cord has also been pointed in white. The red arrows represent the atherosclerotic plaque site at the aortic arch region. b Shortlisted and magnified fat saturated T2 relaxation sagittal images showed high intensity site-specific MRI contrast that was attributed primarily due to disrupted aortic intimal structure possibly due to atherosclerotic pathological conditions like endothelial denudation, macrophages and foam cell entrapment, necrosis and calcification. High MRI contrast regions are indicated with red arrows