A new scanning method to monitor whether an aneurysm is likely to rupture

18F-Sodium Fluoride Positron Emission Tomography in patients with acute aortic syndrome (Mr Maaz Syed)

Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) are caused by a swelling in the main blood vessel in the body, the aorta. If left to grow, the swelling can become life-threatening but there is currently no way to predict whether someone’s aneurysm will cause serious problems. This fellowship will investigate a type of scan called positron emission tomography (PET) which tracks the fate of radioactive molecules in the body. Professor Newby’s lab has previously shown that a radioactively-labelled molecule called 18F-sodium fluoride (18F-NaF) can show changes in blood vessel walls. They also found that, in patients with aortic aneurysms, more of this molecule was taken up in the section of the aorta that was swollen, compared to healthy tissue and to people without an aneurysm. They now want to study this new imaging molecule in people with acute aortic syndrome, which is unpredictable and can be life-threatening. They will investigate how 18F-NaF is absorbed in the aorta and whether this is linked to changes in the aorta’s shape, and to the progression of aortic syndrome over time. If successful, the technique will identify areas of the aorta that are vulnerable, which may help doctors better assess a person’s risk, monitor their aneurysm progression, and save more lives in future.