Iodine-125 cholesteryl iopanoate for measuring extent of atherosclerosis in rabbits.

Rabbits rendered atherosclerotic by mechanical aortic de-endothelialization and 6 wk of cholesterol feeding were administered estradiol-17 beta-cypionate, an anti-atherogenic agent in rabbits. These animals were compared to a similar, untreated group and control animals fed a regular non-atherogenic diet. Iodine-125 cholesteryl iopanoate ([125I]Cl), a nonhydrolyzable cholesteryl ester derivative, was administered intravenously at regular intervals throughout the study. Six days after the last dose of [125I]Cl, the animals were scanned with a gamma camera. After animals were killed, tissue distribution of the 125I radioactivity showed a significant decrease of [125I]CI accumulation in the aorta of estrogen-treated as compared to untreated, cholesterol-fed animals. However, the accumulation of [125I]CI in the aortas was insufficient to accurately define the presence of atheroma by gamma camera scintigraphy.