October 10, 2012
New research centre unveiled
The
University of Oxford is unveiling a new, state-of-the-art
heart research centre, thanks in part to your donations. We helped
fund the centre by contributing more than £400,000 towards building
costs and vital new research equipment.
The facility at the John Radcliffe Hospital
will lead us to a better understanding of what happens to the heart
during a heart attack. Patients admitted
to the facility, called the Acute Vascular Imaging Centre - AVIC
for short - will have pictures taken of their hearts using a modern
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
scanner, before researchers analyse the results.
After being admitted to AVIC, patients who
have had a heart attack will have the blockage cleared from their
arteries and receive tests and medication to minimise the damage.
They will then move straight into the MRI scanner. This means that
the doctors will be able to see what’s happening in the heart
straight after a heart attack, before the heart
begins to scar.
Our Associate Medical Director Professor
Jeremy Pearson said:
"We are delighted to be supporting this truly
world-leading facility, which is already breaking new ground in the
fight against heart disease. Thanks to the donations of our
supporters, these scientists are pushing the boundaries of
what's possible in heart research.
These scientists are pushing the boundaries of what's possible in heart research
"Doctors at the centre
will use state-of-the-art scanners to take detailed heart images in
that
crucial window just after a heart attack.
This will give us new clues about how to improve future care, and
help us all in our efforts to find new and better ways to diagnose
and treat heart disease."
The centre will also enable imaging of the
brains of patients who have had a stroke. Many strokes are caused
by the same furring-up of blood vessels that leads to heart
attacks.
We rely on your donations to continue our
life-saving work. Donate today and help
us continue our groundbreaking research to fight heart disease.