Myocardial structure and function in health
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Myocardial structure and function in health
IRAS ID
354146
Contact name
Brian Halliday
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Imperial College London
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging is widely used to diagnose and monitor patients with a variety of cardiac conditions. A range of different CMR based techniques are used to study the structure and function of the heart. An example of one such technique may be 31 phosphorus cardiac magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P MRS) which is used to study how energy is produced and handled by the heart muscle. We know that in heart failure and in particular, dilated cardiomyopathy, patients have an impaired ability to handle energy, and this has been shown to predict future complications. Heart failure affects many other organs. For example, we also observe effects in the skeletal muscle. These can mirror changes in the heart muscle. We would like to study the structure and function of heart muscle and skeletal muscle in healthy volunteers using a variety of MRI based techniques.
In this study, there is an additional optional element where we invite participants to have a small sample taken from the muscle in their thigh. We know that cardiac muscle and skeletal muscle are similar in nature and it is much easier to take a sample of skeletal muscle from the leg than the heart. In disease, changes are seen across skeletal muscle and heart muscle so we would like to take samples from health individuals so that we can make comparisons against our patients with heart disease.
REC name
South Central - Hampshire A Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/SC/0333
Date of REC Opinion
13 Nov 2025
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion