• How MRI could revolutionize heart failur

    From ScienceDaily@1:317/3 to All on Thu May 5 22:30:38 2022
    How MRI could revolutionize heart failure diagnosis

    Date:
    May 5, 2022
    Source:
    University of East Anglia
    Summary:
    Until now, the best way of diagnosing heart failure has been an
    invasive assessment, but it carries risks for patients. Non-invasive
    echocardiogram, which is based on ultrasound, are usually used
    instead, but they are wrong in up to 50 per cent of cases. The new
    study shows how magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is superior to
    echocardiography for diagnosing heart failure, as well as being
    a powerful tool to predict patient outcomes, including death.



    FULL STORY ========================================================================== Using MRI scans to detect heart failure could revolutionise how the
    condition is diagnosed, thanks to new research from the University of
    East Anglia and the University of Sheffield.


    ========================================================================== Until now, the best way of diagnosing heart failure has been an
    invasive assessment, but it carries risks for patients. Non-invasive echocardiogram, which is based on ultrasound, are usually used instead,
    but they are wrong in up to 50 per cent of cases.

    A new study published today shows how magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
    is superior to Echocardiography for diagnosing heart failure, as well
    as being a powerful tool to predict patient outcomes, including death.

    Lead researcher Dr Pankaj Garg, from UEA's Norwich Medical School, said:
    "Heart failure is a dreadful condition resulting from rising pressures
    inside the heart. The best method to diagnose heart failure is by invasive assessment, which is not preferred as it has risks.

    "An echocardiogram, which is an ultrasound of the heart, is usually used
    to predict the pressure in the heart. However, it is not very accurate.

    "We wanted to find out if MRI scans might offer a better alternative."
    The research team studied 835 patients who received an invasive assessment
    and a heart MRI on the same day from the ASPIRE registry -- a database
    of patients assessed at the Sheffield Pulmonary Vascular Disease Unit.



    ==========================================================================
    Dr Garg said: "We investigated if heart MRI can predict invasively
    measured left ventricular filling pressure.

    "Once we had identified the key parameters -- left atrial volume and left ventricular mass -- we created an equation to non-invasively derive the pressure in the heart.

    "This simple equation can be applied in any centre around the world
    which does heart MRI.

    "We also tested the equation in a separate group of patients and
    demonstrated its reliability.

    "We showed that heart MRI is superior to Echocardiography in predicting pressure inside the heart. Almost 71 per cent of patients who had wrongly measured pressures by Echocardiography had correct pressures by heart MRI.



    ========================================================================== "These findings will reduce the need for invasive assessment. This is
    not only cost-effective but also reduces risks to patients, as a heart
    MRI scan is a completely non-invasive test.

    "We also showed that the results from heart MRIs were powerful tools to
    predict whether a patient would live or die.

    "This research was not possible without technical expertise at Norwich and Sheffield and also the rich haemodynamic data from the ASPIRE registry,"
    added Dr Garg.

    The study was funded by research grants from the Wellcome Trust and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the research
    partner of the NHS, public health and social care.

    Senior author Dr Andy Swift, the from University of Sheffield and a
    Consultant Radiologist, said: "This simple diagnostic equation is very clinically useful and will help doctors predict the pressure in the
    heart and diagnose heart failure." "Testing the use of the equation at
    other hospitals is the next step to assess the benefit to patients and
    the reduced need for invasive tests.'

    ========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_East_Anglia. Note:
    Content may be edited for style and length.


    ========================================================================== Journal Reference:
    1. Pankaj Garg, Rebecca Gosling, Peter Swoboda, Rachel Jones, Alexander
    Rothman, Jim M Wild, David G Kiely, Robin Condliffe, Samer Alabed,
    Andrew J Swift. Cardiac magnetic resonance identifies raised left
    ventricular filling pressure: prognostic implications. European
    Heart Journal, 2022 DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehac207 ==========================================================================

    Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/05/220505085633.htm

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