Efficacy of using cardiac geometry in detection of CTEPH and CTED

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    Efficacy of cardiac geometry, using cardiac MRI, in detection of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension and chronic thromboembolic disease.

  • IRAS ID

    285108

  • Contact name

    Alistair Church

  • Contact email

    colinchurch@nhs.net

  • Sponsor organisation

    NHS Golden Jubilee

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    1 years, 0 months, 11 days

  • Research summary

    At present, there is no reliable way of measuring pressure in the heart with a cardiac MRI (CMR) scan. As such, patients require an invasive right heart catheterisation (passing a wire through the neck and into the heart) in order to measure pressure in the heart and blood vessels of the lung if they are suspected as having pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure in the lung), which is a condition associated with exercise limitation and a poor prognosis. There is a curable form of pulmonary hypertension, however, called chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), which is correctable with surgery.

    We plan to retrospectively assess the efficacy of some measurements (Eccentricity index, distensibility of the pulmonary artery and the blood flow across the pulmonary valve) of the heart and main blood vessel to the lung, which can be done with CMR, in detecting the presence of pulmonary hypertension. We will compare these measurements with the results from the right heart cathetersation and echocardiogram, which were done around the same time to look for correlations, which will give us an idea in how useful these measurements are in detecting pulmonary hypertension.

    We will also compare the measures with functional limitation when patients performed an exercise bike test (cardiopulmonary exercise test). This can quantify limitation by measuring heart, lung and muscle function.

  • REC name

    East of England - Cambridge Central Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    20/EE/0195

  • Date of REC Opinion

    27 Jul 2020

  • REC opinion

    Favourable Opinion