Of the twelve WHHL rabbits, ten were divided into two equal groups, and injected with D-or DM-USPIO at three different doses: 0.08 (dose 1) (n = 1), 0.4 (dose 2) (n = 1), or 0.8 (dose 3) (n = 3) mmol Fe/kg. Two were untreated and served as controls. The animals were euthanized 5 days post-injection, and MRI scans of resected aortic specimens were obtained.