PET-detected myocardial inflammation in cardiac sarcoid

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  PET-detected myocardial inflammation is a characteristic of cardiac sarcoid but not of ARVC – a feasibility study

• IRAS ID

  163331

• Contact name

  Paul Broadhurst

• Sponsor organisation

  University of Aberdeen

• Duration of Study in the UK

  1 years, 0 months, 1 days

• Research summary

  Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is a rare condition in which the heart muscle cells especially of the main pumping chamber (the 'ventricle) is replaced by fat and scar tissue. Sarcoidosis is a condition that can affect many organs but when it affects the heart patches of inflammation can result in scarring,
  especially of the ventricles. Both conditions can cause dangerous heart rhythms and sudden death. Sarcoidosis can be treated with inflammation suppressing treatment (steroids), as well as pacemakers and implantable defibrillators which shock the heart
  back to normal rhythm. ARVC is usually treated with implantable defibrillators. The diagnosis of either condition can be difficult and indeed distinguishing the two can be extremely challenging. Increasingly nuclear scans (PET) are used to identify
  inflammation in the heart in patients suspected of having cardiac sarcoid. It is not known whether patients with ARVC have abnormal PET scans.

• REC name

  North of Scotland Research Ethics Committee 2

• REC reference

  15/NS/0010

• Date of REC Opinion

  13 Mar 2015

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion