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Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA) for the Diagnosis of Atherosclerosis
This study has been completed.
Sponsored by: National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC)
Information provided by: National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC)
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00001841
  Purpose

Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA) is a method used to evaluate arteries and veins without the use of invasive catheters or x-rays (radiation). MRA technique has been continuously improving and has become more accurate at diagnosing problems of narrowing in blood vessels. However, MRA has a difficult time detecting narrowing in small blood vessels, limiting its use to large arteries.

The purpose of this study is to recruit patients diagnosed with or suspected of having, atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) to participate in a series of new state-of-the-art diagnostic tests using MRA.

This study is a combined effort between the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS), and General Electric Medical Services and is supported a Cooperative Research Agreement is to (CRADA).

The goal of this study is to improve MRA to the point that it can reliably replace diagnostic x-ray catheter angiography in the evaluation of patients with atherosclerosis.


Condition
Atherosclerosis

U.S. FDA Resources
Study Type: Observational
Official Title: Contrast Enhanced Resonance Angiography (MRA) in the Diagnosis of Atherosclerotic Disease: A Pilot Technical Development Study

Further study details as provided by National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC):

Estimated Enrollment: 100
Study Start Date: March 1999
Estimated Study Completion Date: December 2004
Detailed Description:

Contrast Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA) is a developing technology that permits the non-invasive evaluation of arterial and venous structures without the need for x-ray based catheter angiography. While dramatic progress has been made in the last few years, there are still substantial limitations in the accuracy of MRA in judging stenoses and detecting small accessory vessels. The purpose of this study is to recruit patients with suspected or documented atherosclerotic disease for evaluation with state-of-the-art MRA using new surface coils, new pulse sequence designs, novel contrast administration strategies, and advanced image processing algorithms. This work represents a collaboration between NIH, USUHS and General Electric Medical Systems and is supported by a Cooperative Research Agreement (CRADA). The goal of this pilot study is to improve MRA to the point that it can reliably replace diagnostic x-ray catheter angiography in the evaluation of patients with atherosclerotic disease.

  Eligibility

Genders Eligible for Study:   Both
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:   No
Criteria

INCLUSION CRITERIA:

Patients must live in the Metropolitan Washington Area.

Patients must have suspected atherosclerotic disease based on clinical findings or documented by angiography or doppler ultrasound performed within 3 months of the MRA.

Patients must be willing to participate in the protocol.

Patients must be referred by a physician who is caring for the patient and to whom the results will be provided.

Patients must be clinically stable and be judged by their physician able to come to the Clinical Center to participate in the study.

Patients must have serum Creatinine value less than 3.0 mg/dl.

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

Any contraindication for MRI including:

(a) pacemaker or other implanted electronic device; (b) cochlear implants; (c) metal in the eye; (d) embedded shrapnel fragments; (e) cerebral aneurysm clips; or (f) medical infusion pumps.

Allergy to Gadolinium based contrast media.

Unsatisfactory performance status as judged by the referring physician such that the patient could not tolerate an MRI scan. Examples of medical conditions that would not be accepted would include angina, dyspnea at rest, congestive heart failure, severe claudication (less than 1 flight of steps).

Intercurrent illness that requires treatment that would be jeopardized by the MRA scan.

Subjects requiring sedation for MRI studies.

Pregnant female.

Patients with severe back-pain who will be unable to tolerate supine positioning within the MRI scanner for the duration of the examination.

  Contacts and Locations
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00001841

Locations
United States, Maryland
Warren G. Magnuson Clinical Center (CC)
Bethesda, Maryland, United States, 20892
Sponsors and Collaborators
  More Information

Publications:
Study ID Numbers: 990061, 99-CC-0061
Study First Received: November 3, 1999
Last Updated: March 3, 2008
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00001841  
Health Authority: United States: Federal Government

Keywords provided by National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC):
Arteriosclerosis
Imaging
MRA
Narrowing of Vessels
Hardening of Arteries

Study placed in the following topic categories:
Arterial Occlusive Diseases
Atherosclerosis
Vascular Diseases
Arteriosclerosis

Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Cardiovascular Diseases

ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on January 15, 2009