Fibrosis in chronic and delayed myocardial injury

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    Fibrosis in chronic and delayed myocardial injury

  • IRAS ID

    300754

  • Contact name

    Marc Dweck

  • Contact email

    marc.dweck@ed.ac.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    The Queen's Medical Research Institute

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    2 years, 0 months, 1 days

  • Research summary

    We aim to examine the role that scarring plays in heart conditions such as aortic stenosis (narrowing of the aortic valve), heart injury due to chemotherapy and carcinoid syndrome (a rare cancer that causes secretion of hormones into the bloodstream). Scarring, also known as fibrosis, is a common final result following any injury to the heart muscle and we here, aim to identify this process early and in its active state. This will be examined by using a radioactive dye (radiotracer), specifically 68Ga-FAPI or 18F-AlF-FAPI, and performing a specialised MRI and CT scans called, PET-MR, or PET-CT of the heart.

    These tracers have been safely used in humans so far, demonstrate acceptable radiation doses and have given very good results in demonstrating active scarring in the body. They have been extensively used in cancer patients but we will be specifically looking at the heart.

    In this study we will explore whether the active scarring is increased in patients with narrowing of the aortic valve (aortic stenosis), heart injury due to previous chemotherapy (chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity) and hormone-secreting tumours (carcinoid syndrome) is increased compared to healthy volunteers with normal hearts.

  • REC name

    South East Scotland REC 01

  • REC reference

    22/SS/0003

  • Date of REC Opinion

    14 Feb 2022

  • REC opinion

    Further Information Favourable Opinion