Chief Investigator
|
Institution
|
Dates
|
Funding Stream
|
Amount
|
| Dr Chiara Bucciarelli-Ducci & Dr Estefania de
Garate |
University of Bristol |
Nov 2017 to Oct 2019
|
A&B Autumn 2016
|
£8,160 |
Summary
The best cardiac operation to correct an aortic valve problem in
young adults is not clarified.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is an advanced, radiation-free
imaging technique that can assess the cardiovascular system in
details. Standard MRI images are routinely used to guide patients'
surgical procedures and assess the results of the operations.
Recently, there has been a dramatic technological improvement in
the type of images that can be acquired with MRI with the
introduction of the 4D technique (3D anatomy + function of
time).
Promising research data from other groups have shown that this
novel sequence can visualise the blood stream and flow vortices in
the cardiac structures in a way that is unprecedented.
The aim of this proposal is to offer young adults with aortic
valve disease the opportunity to be imaged with this novel
technology to investigate the anatomy of the blood vortices
generated in different conditions and its implication in the
haemodynamics of the diseased aortic valve and adjacent segments of
the vessel aorta before and after a cardiac operation.
The clinical role of these novel images have not been
investigated yet, as this piece of software is currently not
commercially available. However, Dr Bucciarelli-Ducci has recently
secured this sequence as part of a research agreement with Siemens
to develop her experience and investigate the clinical use of this
novel sequence in patients with valvular heart disease. Bristol is
one of the very few centres in the UK to have this sequence been
made available to them.
