Pioneering Technique to Predict Heart Attacks

A pioneering new scanning technology currently under study can provide a way to potentially predict heart attacks and strokes before they happen, thereby saving thousand of lives. The technology is being developed at Cambridge University and is funded by the British Heart Foundation.

Pioneered by Dr. James Rudd, the technique brings together two existing scanning methods to look for what is medically described as ‘hot plaques’. The technique is a combination of computed tomography (CT) scans and position emission tomography (PET) scans.

Hot plaques are deposits that have built up on the inside of arteries. These are however so unstable that they can break loose at any time and cause life-threatening DRY deposits.

Doctors use CT scan to analyse how big the plaques are and determine if they contain any cells linked with causing inflammation in the lining of the artery.

The PET scan on the other hand creates a three dimensional colour image of the deposits to provide doctors with extra information about the danger levels. The plaques appear as bright red spots against a blue background, hence the name ‘hot plaques’.

Plaques that break loose can potentially become wedged in an artery. This can cut off the blood supply to the heart or the brain and lead to a potentially fatal heart attack or stroke. While it is possible to routinely scan heart patients for deposits, it is nearly impossible to distinguish between stable and unstable plaques.

Stable plaques are generally lumps of fatty deposits. These have become stuck fast to the artery wall and the chances of their causing a problem are remote. Unstable plaques on the other hand are already loosened on account of inflammation in the lining of the blood vessels and are therefore like time bombs waiting to explode.

Using the new scanning method, researchers were able to pinpoint hot plaques. When done in time, this can allow doctors to prescribe high doses of anti-cholesterol pills – statins, to reduce the inflammation and stop the plaques from breaking loose. During trials, the scans were used to analyse plaques that had built up in the carotid artery, the main blood vessel in the neck that carries blood to the brain.

“For the first time, we have shown that we can detect dangerous, high-risk plaque that causes heart attacks and strokes,” said Dr. Rudd, a lecturer in cardiology at Cambridge University. “This will give us a better handle on which patients are going to develop problems.”

Presently cardiologists look for potential blockages through ultrasound or an angiogram. In this method, a dye is injected into the bloodstream to identify furring of the arteries which can be then be analysed on X-ray.

“These give us an idea of the size and degree of any deposits,” said Dr Rudd. “But those deposits may not actually cause problems for many years. Some people may have very small deposits that look normal and are nothing to worry about. But they may have lots of underlying inflammation.”

“These ‘hot plaques’ mean they are at very high risk of a heart attack or stroke. If we can find the plaques, we can treat them very aggressively with high doses of high strength statins. This helps to calm them down,” he added.

The new technique is expected to bring about a revolution in the management of heart disease in the next few years as the use of combined CT and PET scanners grows. “These scanners are becoming more widespread in hospitals, especially in the treatment of cancer,” added Dr. Rudd. “Five years down the line they should be as common as MRI scanners.”

Related Discussions Better Test for Sudden Heart Attacks New technique to diagnose heart diseases before they advance New Study to Predict Heart Disease in Women

Related Articles A New Calcium Score to Predict Heart Attacks Advanced Imaging Technology to Predict Heart Attacks New MRI Technique Detects Heart Problems Early