Development of a Neutron Activation Analysis Method for Studying the Elemental Composition of Atherosclerotic Plaques

Atherosclerosis is one of the most important problems of modern medicine. It involves changes in the structure and inner lining of the arteries. Studying chemical elements directly in vascular tissues allows us to understand the mechanisms of development of cardiovascular diseases, in particular, atherosclerosis. The purpose of this study is to develop a neutron activation technique for the analysis of atherosclerotic plaques formed at various stages of the atherosclerosis and to study their composition. The content of 13 elements in lipid, fibrous, ulcerated, and calcific plaques was determined using the developed method. It has been established that, as atherosclerosis progresses, the content of a number of essential elements changes, the content of calcium, strontium, selenium, zinc and iron increases, and the bromine content decreases. Also, it has been suggested that iron plays a role in the progression of atherosclerotic vascular lesions.