Lower limb perfusion MRI to assess angioplasty outcomes
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Quantification of Skeletal Muscle Perfusion using Velocity Selective Arterial Spin Labelling in Patients with Peripheral Arterial Disease before and after Percutaneous Transluminal Angioplasty: A prospective cohort study.
IRAS ID
98567
Contact name
Raman Uberoi
Contact email
Research summary
Single-center, two phase prospective pilot study. Phase 1 is a cohort study, in which velocity selective arterial spin labeling (VSASL) (a novel magnetic resonance imaging technique) will be used to measure calf skeletal muscle blood flow (perfusion) in patients with furring of the arteries of the lower limbs (peripheral arterial disease (PAD)) before and after percutaneous transulminal angioplasty (PTA); PTA is the use of very small (around 5-7mm diameter) balloons blown up in the arteries of the lower limbs, to expand narrowings (stenoses). The primary research question is “Can VSASL quantify calf muscle perfusion before and after angioplasty in patients with PAD?“. Specifically we are interested in assessing the potential for VSASL imaging to monitor clinical outcome following treatment for PAD. Perfusion measured from the VSASL MRI scan will be compared to validated clinical outcome measures such as the distance a patient can walk without symptoms (6-minute walk test), and quality of life questionnaires. In addition to the MRI scans, blood samples will be taken during the angioplasty procedure from a vein in the groin (femoral vein), and analysed for markers of reduced blood flow (ischemia) to determine whether changes in the perfusion of the limb can be detected biochemically. Phase II is a prospective matched case-control study in which perfusion measured using VSASL in calf skeletal muscle of symptomatic patients with PAD will be compared with age and sex matched controls without PAD (patients attending radiology for outpatient CT colonography). This will test the usefulness of VSASL in detecting perfusion abnormalities with a diseased population.
REC name
North of Scotland Research Ethics Committee 1
REC reference
13/NS/0085
Date of REC Opinion
11 Jul 2013
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion