Background. Diabetes is a chronic pathology affecting about 10% of the world population. It increases the probability of cardiovascular diseases and accelerates arterial stiffness. The effect of diabetes on the stiffness of the vascular system has been broadly estimated to correspond to 6-15 years of chronological aging. This pathology is mainly characterized by an important level of blood glucose leading to the formation of cross-links within elastin fibers and collagens, resulting in a decrease of arterial wall distensibility. Large arteries such as the aorta contain, in their extracellular matrix, an amorphous elastic hydrophobic polymer named elastin, which is the major component of elastic fibers. Its entropic elasticity and its concentric lamellar organization within the aortic wall allow the aorta to remain in a reversible deformation domain during the cardiac cycle, which alternates phases of overpressure and contraction. Alterations to elastin due to a pathological situation or aging permanently affect the arterial mechanics. Materials & Methods. X-ray microtomography enables imaging of large sample volumes with sub-micrometric resolution associated to millimeter field size [1]. We have developed a method to harvest, with a limited collapse, the aorta from 6-month-old mice for X-ray µ-CT imaging in pathophysiological conditions [2]. We are then able to image large aortic segment with a 0.65 µm/voxel resolution, from the heart to the iliac bifurcation. Results. Our work demonstrates a drastic change in the appearance of elastic structures. The control presents a wavy aspect indicating that this elastic tissue still contains a reserve length such like the coils of a spring. Conversely, the diabetic condition exhibits a smoother aspect suggesting an overstretched structure. We have measured a loss of 30% of the reserve length in diabetic condition. We have previously shown [3] that an inner lattice-like network is present inside the elastic structure. This network supposedly contributes to flexibility and resistance. 6-month-old diabetic mice exhibit a drastic destruction of this network in comparison of normal mice of the same age. Conclusions. Our results show that the reserve length of elastic lamellae is significantly reduced in diabetic mice together with the loss of filaments that support the wall. This suggests that elasticity is correlated to the existence of this lattice-like network that has disappeared from mouse aortic wall after 6 months of diabetes.