New Heart Imaging Techniques to Evaluate Possible Heart Disease
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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01399385 |
Recruitment Status :
Recruiting
First Posted : July 21, 2011
Last Update Posted : June 28, 2022
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Background:
- Imaging tests, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), can provide information about heart and blood vessels. The tests let doctors can see the amount of blood vessel narrowing and vessel wall thickness. This information may help diagnose and treat heart disease and other conditions that lead to heart attacks. Better MRI methods are needed to improve heart disease diagnosis, especially by avoiding the use of radiation. Researchers are testing new techniques to improve the quality of heart MRI, compared with more complex studies like catheterization or angiography.
Objectives:
- To compare heart MRI techniques with other tests used to diagnose heart disease.
Eligibility:
- People at least 18 years of age who either have or may have heart disease, or are healthy volunteers.
Design:
- Participants will be screened with a physical exam, medical history, and blood tests.
- They will have an angiography to study the inside of blood vessels. This test is an x-ray study of the blood vessels. It will be done either separately or as part of a set of tests to diagnose possible heart disease.
- Participants will have at least one and up to five MRI scans. The scans will involve different methods of studying the heart and blood vessels. Participants may also have a computed tomography scan to confirm the findings of an MRI scan.
- No treatment will be provided as part of this protocol.
Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
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Healthy Obesity Diabetes Healthy Volunteers Atherosclerosis | Device: MR Imaging Techniques - 1 Device: MR Imaging Techniques - 2 Device: MR Imaging Techniques - 3 Device: MR Imaging Techniques - 4 | Not Applicable |
Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Estimated Enrollment : | 4000 participants |
Allocation: | Non-Randomized |
Intervention Model: | Sequential Assignment |
Masking: | None (Open Label) |
Primary Purpose: | Basic Science |
Official Title: | Magnetic Resonance of Body, Arterial Wall, and Angiography Imaging for Non- Invasive Assessment of Arterial Distensibility, Endothelial Dysfunction and Atherosclerotic Disease Using 1.5T and High Field (3T) MRI: A Technical Development Study of Cardiac and Body Imaging |
Actual Study Start Date : | July 6, 2011 |
Estimated Primary Completion Date : | November 6, 2028 |
Estimated Study Completion Date : | November 5, 2030 |

Arm | Intervention/treatment |
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Experimental: Group 1
Group 1 will consist of subjects with a 10-year total CHD risk <10% (low)They will undergo a series of multiple small discovery studies in order to look at the multiple different MR methods of visualizing the coronary arteries
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Device: MR Imaging Techniques - 1
Group 1 will consist of subjects with a 10-year total CHD risk <10% (low)They will undergo a series of multiple small discovery studies in order to look at the multiple different MR methods of visualizing the coronary arteries |
Experimental: Group 2
Group 2 will consist of subjects with a 10-year total CHD risk 10-20% (intermediate)They will undergo a series of multiple small discovery studies in order to look at the multiple different MR methods of visualizing the coronary arteries
|
Device: MR Imaging Techniques - 2
Group 2 will consist of subjects with a 10-year total CHD risk 10-20% (intermediate)They will undergo a series of multiple small discovery studies in order to look at the multiple different MR methods of visualizing the coronary arteries |
Experimental: Group 3
Group 3 will consist of subjects with a 10-year total CHD risk >20% (high)They will undergo a series of multiple small discovery studies in order to look at the multiple different MR methods of visualizing the coronary arteries
|
Device: MR Imaging Techniques - 3
Group 3 will consist of subjects with a 10-year total CHD risk >20% (high)They will undergo a series of multiple small discovery studies in order to look at the multiple different MR methods of visualizing the coronary arteries |
Experimental: Group 4
Group 4 no known risk factors (control subjects)They will undergo a series of multiple small discovery studies in order to look at the multiple different MR methods of visualizing the coronary arteries
|
Device: MR Imaging Techniques - 4
Group 4 no known risk factors (control subjects)They will undergo a series of multiple small discovery studies in order to look at the multiple different MR methods of visualizing the coronary arteries |
- To develop and optimize clinical imaging protocols and techniques for fast high- resolution coronary MRA and wall imaging for the assessment of coronary and other main arteries structural distensibility, and endothelial functional parameters@... [ Time Frame: within one month ]The accelerated High-resolution MRA results will be compared to conventional angiography and/or computerized tomography angiography (CTA). High- resolution lumen dimensions will be compared to black- blood lumen measurements as well. It is expected that the MRA findings from the 3T scanner will demonstrate image quality that is nearly equivalent to the quality of the coronary arteries visualized using CTA and/or conventional coronary catheterization. Three- dimensional arterial dilatation mapping, representing endothelial function status, will be rendered and visualized
- To evaluate early MR imagery signs of arterial structural, distensibility, and endothelial functional disorders associated with atherosclerosis in a cohort of patients with known or suspected coronary atherosclerosis [ Time Frame: within one month ]It is expected that the evaluation of the relationship among these risk factor and imaging variables will find relationships that can be further explored. This study is expected to find information in the data analysis that can be used to generate hypotheses for future testing.
- To develop, implement, and optimize new non-invasive methods for characterization of the micro-environment in the thoracic and abdominal area utilizing specialized techniques [ Time Frame: within one month ]to develop, implement, and optimize new non-invasive methods for characterization of the micro-environment in the thoracic and abdominal area utilizing specialized techniques such as MR Spectroscopy, MR Elastography, and blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) imagingThe MRS, MRE and BOLD and other sequences results will be compared to conventional biopsy. It is expected that these advanced sequences will enable non-invasive evaluation and better understanding of various disease processes.

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contacts provided below. For general information, Learn About Clinical Studies.
Ages Eligible for Study: | 18 Years and older (Adult, Older Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | Yes |
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INCLUSION:
- Subjects with or without history of cardiovascular diseases and with various degrees of cardiovascular risk factor. Subjects with known or suspected atherosclerotic disease based on clinical findings or documented by angiography (conventional, CTA or MRA), or Doppler ultrasound. And, healthy volunteers and subjects with known or suspected diseases affecting the thoracic organs, abdominal organs, and other organs affected by metabolic diseases such as body fat and muscles. Subjects at risk for atherosclerosis including: smoking, obesity, hyperlipidemia, low levels of high density lipoproteins (<50 mg/dl for women and <40 mg/dl for men), hypertension, family history (early onset atherosclerosis <55 year old in male and < 65 year old in female who is first degree relative), and diabetes mellitus or metabolic syndrome.
- Subject must be willing to participate in the protocol.
- Subject age greater than 18 years old.
- Subject must be able to provide informed consent.
- Subject must be clinically stable and be able to come to the Clinical Center to participate in the study.
EXCLUSION CRITERIA:
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Subjects with contraindication to MRI scanning. These contraindications include but are not limited to the following devices or conditions:
- Implanted cardiac pacemaker or defibrillator
- Cochlear Implants
- Ocular foreign body (e.g. metal shavings)
- Embedded shrapnel fragments
- Central nervous system aneurysm clips
- Implanted neural stimulator
- Medical infusion pumps
- Any implanted device that is incompatible with MRI.
- Unsatisfactory performance status as judged by the referring physician such that the subject could not tolerate an MRI scan. Examples of medical conditions that would not be accepted would include unstable angina and dyspnea at rest.
- Subjects requiring sedation for MRI studies.
- Subjects with a condition precluding entry into the scanner (e.g. morbid obesity, claustrophobia, etc.).
- Pregnant or lactating women.
- Subjects with severe back-pain or motion disorders who will be unable to tolerate supine positioning within the MRI scanner and hold still for the duration of the examination.
- Subjects who are unable to undergo a CTA within 2 months of the MRA part of this study, or are unable to undergo or be scheduled for a cardiac catheterization within 2 months of the MRA.
EXCLUSION CRITERIA - FOR GADOLINIUM BASED MRI STUDIES ONLY:
- History of allergic reaction to gadolinium contrast agents despite the use of premeditation with an anti-histaminic and cortisone.
- eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73m^2
EXCLUSION CRITERIA - FOR CORONARY CTA:
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Contraindication to the use of CTA contrast agents:
- Creatinine value > 1.4 mg/dl
- History of multiple myeloma
- Use of metformin-containing products less than 24 hrs prior to contrast administration
- History of allergic reaction to CTA contrast agents despite the use of pre- medication with an anti-histaminic and cortisone.
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Subjects with contraindication precluding the use of beta blockers necessary to perform the coronary CTA. These include:
- Asthma
- Active bronchospasm
- Moderate or severe COPD
- 2nd or 3rd degree AV block
- Decompensated cardiac failure
- Allergy to beta blockers
- Systolic blood pressure < 100 mm Hg
- Pregnancy or nursing
EXCLUSION CRITERIA - FOR NITROGLYCERIN USE:
Subjects reporting a history of the following conditions will be excluded:
- Severe aortic stenosis
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
- Inferior myocardial infarction with right ventricular involvement
- Cardiac tamponade
- Constrictive pericarditis
- Severe hypotension (systolic BP <90 mmHg)
- Uncorrected hypovolemia
- Raised intracranial pressure
- Glaucoma
- Severe anemia
- Concomitant use of phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (sildenafil-Viagra, tadalifil-Cialis, verdenafil-Levitra)
- History of hypersensitivity to nitroglycerin

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT01399385
Contact: Jatin R Matta, P.A.-C | (301) 443-8373 | mattaj@mail.nih.gov | |
Contact: Ahmed M Gharib, M.D. | (301) 402-5744 | agharib@mail.nih.gov |
United States, Maryland | |
National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, 9000 Rockville Pike | Recruiting |
Bethesda, Maryland, United States, 20892 | |
Contact: For more information at the NIH Clinical Center contact Office of Patient Recruitment (OPR) 800-411-1222 ext TTY8664111010 prpl@cc.nih.gov |
Principal Investigator: | Ahmed M Gharib, M.D. | National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) |
Publications:
Publications automatically indexed to this study by ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT Number):
Responsible Party: | National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT01399385 |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
110168 11-DK-0168 |
First Posted: | July 21, 2011 Key Record Dates |
Last Update Posted: | June 28, 2022 |
Last Verified: | January 13, 2022 |
Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement: | |
Plan to Share IPD: | No |
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product: | No |
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product: | No |
Distensibility Imaging Arteriosclerosis, Narrowing of Vessels Endothelial Dysfunction Hardening of the arteries Non-Invasive Plaque Imaging |
Cardiovascular Disease Heart Disease Arteriosclerosis Healthy Volunteer HV |
Atherosclerosis Cardiovascular Diseases Arteriosclerosis Arterial Occlusive Diseases Vascular Diseases |