FCI Effectiveness in NAFLD Stratification
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Field-Cycling Imaging Effectiveness in Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Stratification (FIELDS)
IRAS ID
320474
Contact name
Ashis Mukhopadhya
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
NHS Grampian
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 5 days
Research summary
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the term for a range of conditions caused by a build-up of fat in the liver, from simple steatosis to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). There is an unmet clinical need to develop an effective non-invasive method to distinguish between different types of NAFLD and to support the initiation and monitoring of treatments.
Field-Cycling Imaging (FCI) is a new imaging technology being developed at the University of Aberdeen. It can image tissues non-invasively over a wide range of magnetic field strengths. Results obtained by our group in previous pilot studies have already shown that FCI provides useful information for diagnosis in a range of diseases. This is particularly promising in the case of NAFLD, because FCI can potentially measure and distinguish protein content from fat. Therefore, FCI may offer new diagnostic information that cannot be readily obtained with current imaging techniques.
The purpose of this pilot study is to explore if FCI can detect characteristics of liver disease, in patients with different degree of NALFD, that could reflect progression of the disease.
REC name
North of Scotland Research Ethics Committee 1
REC reference
23/NS/0002
Date of REC Opinion
28 Jan 2023
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion