MRI breakthrough could revolutionise diagnosis of common heart problem: study
Aortic stenosis is a progressive and potentially fatal condition, affecting an estimated 300,000 people in the UK. It affects about five per cent of 65-year-olds in the US, with increasing prevalence in advancing age.
A new study, conducted by researchers from the
University of Sheffield
in partnership with the University of East Anglia, revealed how a four-dimensional flow (4D flow) MRI scan can diagnose aortic stenosis more reliably than current ultrasound techniques.
The superior accuracy of the new test means doctors can better predict when patients will require surgery.
The study, 'Four-dimensional flow provides incremental diagnostic value over
echocardiography
in aortic stenosis', is published in the
Open Heart journal
.
The team examined 30 patients diagnosed with aortic stenosis using both traditional ultrasound scans (echocardiography) and advanced
4D flow MRI
imaging.
By comparing the results, they evaluated which method more accurately identified patients needing timely
heart valve intervention
.
They validated their results by comparing them with actual clinical outcomes over eight months.
The team found that the 4D flow MRI technology offered more accurate and reliable measurements of blood flow through patients' heart valves, compared to traditional echocardiography.
Professor Andy Swift from the University of Sheffield's School of Medicine and Population Health said: "4D flow scanning holds significant promise to improve assessment of how patients are affected by aortic stenosis.
"The enhanced accuracy isn't just a technical advancement: it may allow for earlier and more precise diagnosis," said Swift, who is also an Honorary Consultant Radiologist at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust.
Lead researcher Dr Pankaj Garg, from UEA's Norwich Medical School and a consultant cardiologist at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, said: "Aortic stenosis is a common yet dangerous heart condition.
"4D flow MRI is an advanced heart imaging method that allows us to look at blood flow in three directions over time - the fourth dimension. We wanted to see whether it could provide a more accurate and reliable diagnosis than a traditional ultrasound."
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