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MRI Technique Could Predict Heart Attack Risk
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Page: << Prev | 1 | 2 "We target the inflammatory cells, macrophages," Fayad explained. By doing so, "we get a sense of macrophage density in plaque and can come up with a risk assessment," he said.
The researchers now are planning similar tests in larger animals such as rabbits. Some tinkering with the HDL molecules used in the mouse studies will be necessary, Cormode said.
The ultimate goal, of course, is a human test. Success would mean much better information about the exact degree of cardiovascular risk faced by an individual patient, Fayad said.
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"We want to try to detect things much earlier than now and predict which patients require critical treatment," he said. "I'm not saying we would screen the whole population, but people at risk because of family history, age (age is very important), high blood pressure and other risk factors."
"For patients with a heavy plaque burden, we can start aggressive treatment to lower low-density lipoproteins and then do a repeat scan to see if the plaque is regressing," Fisher, who is professor of cardiovascular medicine at NYU, said in a statement.
The technique could also be used to used to follow patients who have heart attacks or strokes to see how well they respond to therapy, the researchers said. According to Fayad, if all goes well, the technique could be ready for use in humans in five years.
More information
Find out more on cholesterol at the American Heart Association.
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Copyright © 2007 ScoutNews, LLC. All rights reserved.
Last updated 3/28/2007
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SOURCES: Zahi A. Fayad, M.D., professor, medicine and radiology, and David Cormode, Ph.D., postdoctoral researcher, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York; March 27, 2007, presentation, meeting, American Chemical Society, Chicago
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