17 May, 2011

Our scientists shed new light on killer disease

Scientists have developed a new technique that could be used to diagnose which patients are most at risk of death from balloon-like swellings in the aorta, the body’s main artery.

The swellings are called aortic aneurysms. If left untreated, they can rupture, causing internal bleeding and sudden death.

Aortic aneurysms account for around 7,000 deaths in the UK every year and affect more men than women.

Abdominal aortic aneurysms can be treated with surgery, but this carries risks. When faced with an aortic aneurysm, doctors have to weigh up the risks of surgery against the risks of a rupture if surgery is put off. Doctors use the size of the swelling to make their judgement but this research could improve their ability to choose which patients require surgery.

The scientists injected tiny particles of magnetic iron into the bloodstream of a group of patients with aortic aneurysms. They then took pictures of the aorta using a powerful magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner, funded by us. The iron showed them what is going on inside the tissues. Depending on where and how much of the iron there was, the researchers could tell how vulnerable the aneurysm was to further swelling and eventually rupturing.

The MRI results revealed which patients were most at risk from their aneurysm.

Our Medical Director, Professor Peter Weissberg said:

By developing the procedure we hope to work out who to prioritise for urgent treatment

"By developing the procedure we hope to work out who to prioritise for urgent treatment. We can also spare people at lower risk from a lot of anxiety and worry, as well as the effects of a major operation."

The research was led by Dr Jenny Richards and Professor Dave Newby at our Centre of Research Excellence at the University of Edinburgh.

The findings were published in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Imaging.