New Heart Imaging Techniques to Evaluate Possible Heart Disease

Healthy Clinical Trial

Official title: Magnetic Resonance of Body, Arterial Wall, and Angiography Imaging for Non- Invasive Assessment of Arterial Distensibility, Endothelial Dysfunction and Atherosclerotic Disease Using 1.5T and High Field (3T) MRI: A Technical Development Study of Cardiac and Body Imaging

Status Recruiting

Clinical Trial Summary

Background:

• Imaging tests, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), can provide information about heart and blood vessels. The tests let doctors can see the amount of blood vessel narrowing and vessel wall thickness. This information may help diagnose and treat heart disease and other conditions that lead to heart attacks. Better MRI methods are needed to improve heart disease diagnosis, especially by avoiding the use of radiation. Researchers are testing new techniques to improve the quality of heart MRI, compared with more complex studies like catheterization or angiography.

Objectives:

• To compare heart MRI techniques with other tests used to diagnose heart disease.

Eligibility:

• People at least 18 years of age who either have or may have heart disease, or are healthy volunteers.

Design:

• Participants will be screened with a physical exam, medical history, and blood tests.

• They will have an angiography to study the inside of blood vessels. This test is an x-ray study of the blood vessels. It will be done either separately or as part of a set of tests to diagnose possible heart disease.

• Participants will have at least one and up to five MRI scans. The scans will involve different methods of studying the heart and blood vessels. Participants may also have a computed tomography scan to confirm the findings of an MRI scan.

• No treatment will be provided as part of this protocol.

Clinical Trial Description

Specialized imaging techniques now available allow a unique opportunity to characterize the micro-environment of the human body. Magnetic Resonance (MR) vascular wall imaging and angiography (MRA) are developing techniques that permit non-invasive evaluation of arterial and venous structures without the need for x-ray based catheter angiography. In addition, vessel wall imaging provides unprecedented non-invasive tools to assess vascular endothelial function. While dramatic progress has been made to cardiovascular MR imaging in the last few years, there are still substantial limitations in the resolution, accuracy, and reproducibility of MRA and wall imaging in the comprehensive structural and functional evaluation of coronary artery. The first aim of this study is to develop and optimize clinical imaging protocols and techniques for fast high-resolution coronary MRA and wall imaging for the assessment of coronary and other main arteries structural, distensibility, and endothelial functional parameters. Technique optimization and performance evaluation will be accomplished in normal subjects without known or suspected coronary atherosclerosis. The second aim of this protocol is to evaluate early MR imagery signs of arterial structural, distensibility, and endothelial functional disorders associated with atherosclerosis in a cohort of patients with known or suspected coronary atherosclerosis. Results from accelerated high-resolution MRA will be correlated with corresponding Computerized Tomography Coronary Angiogram (CTA) results. The third aim of this protocol is to develop, implement, and optimize new non-invasive methods for characterization of the micro-environment in the thoracic and abdominal area utilizing specialized techniques such as MR Spectroscopy, MR Elastography, and blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) imaging. The long-term objective of this study and research initiative is to optimize coronary MRA, wall, and body imaging techniques to the point that it can reliably be used for routine prevention and assessment of early atherosclerosis and other diseases. ;

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Atherosclerosis
• Diabetes
• Healthy
• Healthy Volunteers
• Obesity

• NCT number: NCT01399385
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC)
• Contact: Jatin R Matta, P.A.-C
• Phone: (301) 443-8373
• Email: mattaj@mail.nih.gov
• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: July 6, 2011
• Completion date: November 5, 2030