Precision imaging in PAD

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Precision Metabolic Imaging in Peripheral Arterial Disease

• IRAS ID

  293092

• Contact name

  Shane Macsweeney

• Contact email

  shane.macsweeney@nottingham.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  University of Nottingham

• Duration of Study in the UK

  0 years, 11 months, 30 days

• Research summary

  Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is where the arteries in the legs become narrowed or blocked and cause pain in the muscles when walking (called Intermittent Claudication). It affects 5-10% of the population (over 230 million worldwide), can seriously affect quality of life and is a major public health burden.
  Treatment is limited to the most severe cases and involves a procedure or operation. However, there are few treatments for those with mild/moderate disease and therefore further research is needed to develop treatments that could improve the quality of life for millions of patients worldwide.

  One of the obstacles, is being able to accurately measure the biochemical processes in the muscles that produce the energy for movement. We have developed a non-invasive method that uses MRI scans to detect these processes and is done by getting the patient to exercise using a stepper whilst in the MRI scanner. The scan involves injection of a fluid that has been labelled, which means the addition of a non-radioactive version to track the processes in the body. We have successfully used this technique in healthy volunteers and now would like to see if this technique works well in patients with PAD and problems walking.

  This feasibility study will recruit 10 male patients (>50 years old) with PAD affecting one leg from vascular clinics at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust.
  The participants will attend the University of Nottingham for three study visits, of around 2-3 hours each. The 1st visit will involve a body fat scan and leg muscle strength exercises whilst lying on a bed. The 2nd visit will involve an MRI scan with an injection of the labelled fluid. The 3rd visit will involve an MRI scan with no injection. Each participant will be in the study for less than 12 weeks.

• REC name

  London - Central Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  23/LO/0567

• Date of REC Opinion

  3 Aug 2023

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion