Imaging carotid plaque inflammation using GE180-PET/MRI
Research type
Research Study
Full title
In vivo characterization of the inflammatory component of carotid plaques using PET/CT and PET/MR in order to develop non-invasive prognostic imaging markers for stroke
IRAS ID
188905
Contact name
Ian Bruce
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
The University of Manchester
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 2 months, 2 days
Research summary
Stroke occurs approximately 152,000 times a year, often with devastating consequences. In 10-20% of cases, stroke is caused by a build-up of plaque in the artery wall. These plaques can rupture causing blood clots which leads to stroke. A key feature of plaques that are likely to rupture is how inflamed they are. Currently the decision to treat strokes with surgery or medicine is largely based on the degree of artery narrowing, caused by the plaque. The ability to measure how inflamed a plaque is would allow better treatment decisions but there is currently no established way to do this.
However advances in imaging technology could now make this possible. Positron emission tomography (PET) is a low dose radiation scan which, using the tracer GE180, may be an effective way of measuring plaque inflammation. GE180-PET scans have been used to measure brain inflammation and may be an effective way of measuring arterial inflammation. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be used to assess detailed features of plaques including cholesterol content which is important for predicting strokes. New scanners allow PET and MRI scans to be performed simultaneously. A combination arterial scan with GE180-PET and MRI has never been done but could provide a better way of identifying high-risk plaques. We aim to scan patients with plaques to test whether this combined scan is an accurate way of assessing plaque inflammation. Some patients will have surgery to remove the plaques in order to treat stroke and we will to compare what we seen on the scans to findings in plaque under the microscope.
As a result of this study we hope to develop a better method of identifying plaques which are high risk of causing stroke in order to improve treatment decisions and minimise risk of recurrent stroke.REC name
North West - Greater Manchester Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/NW/0593
Date of REC Opinion
19 Sep 2016
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion