Myopathies & inflammation

Cardiomyopathies are diseases of the heart muscle, which can affect the heart’s size, shape, structure & function. Cardiomyopathies are frequently inherited. Other myopathic changes can alter aortic & other blood vessel wall structure.

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Overview

We use MR to assess heart function as well as key aspects of cardiovascular disease. MR techniques such as T1-mapping allow us to quantify processes such as fibrosis. We have pioneered this work in assessing severity of aortic stenosis, both of the valve itself & throughout the myocardium.

Our group has pioneered the use of novel MR contrast agents to image processes directly, such as inflammation. Using iron-oxide based MR contrast agents (USPIOs), we have directly imaged inflammation within abdominal aortic aneurysms to help predict aneurysm rupture & understand growth patterns within these aneurysms. We have applied this technique to look at macrophage infiltration within the myocardium during heart remodelling following myocardial infarction & in a range of cardiomyopathies.

Finally we can image myocardial inflammation using the PET tracer 18F-fluciclatide to image integrin expression following myocardial infarction post myocardial infarction.

 

Lead myopathies & inflammation researcher 

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Edinburgh Imaging

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Research staff with a myopathies & inflammation focus
Current projects
Completed projects – more info to come.

 

Funding organisations & groups

More info to come.