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News — Today, results from the first-in-man trial of a self-contained magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) catheter designed to evaluate the composition of plaque found in the heart were presented at the Cardiovascular Research Foundation's (CRF) Annual Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) scientific symposium, in Washington, D.C. Early detection of plaque that is prone to rupture and cause heart attack or even death could save lives with early preventative treatment.

Some coronary artery plaque, or so-called vulnerable plaque, presents a particularly high risk of rupture and subsequent heart attack or stroke. Recent advances in intravascular imaging have significantly improved the ability to detect high-risk or vulnerable plaque based on lipid composition and other factors, enabling early interventions that can potentially prevent acute coronary syndromes or sudden cardiac death in patients.

"There is a definite need for diagnostic techniques for vulnerable plaque detection," according to Evelyn Regar, M.D., Thoraxcenter, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. "MRI has recently been shown to be effective in detecting plaques that could potentially rupture, and this self-contained MRI catheter may prove to be an important diagnostic tool in determining the presence of lesions that could signal an increased risk of heart attack, or even death."

A total of 29 patients referred to diagnostic or therapeutic catheterization procedures from four centers were included in this prospective, multi-center, open label study designed to assess the feasibility and safety of intracoronary imaging of mild-to-intermediate coronary lesions, or blockages, in patients. Nineteen of the 29 patients were able to have their plaques analyzed by the MR imaging probe.

Based on previous data obtained from an ex vivo model in human aortas, the miniature MRI probe, which is threaded on a catheter into the coronary arteries, was able to correctly identify plaque composition. In 12 stable angina patients, two were identified as having predominantly fibrous plaques, seven had plaques with fatty streaks, and three had lipid-rich plaques. The MRI probe identified lipid-rich plaques in all three unstable angina patients, while three of four asymptomatic patients showed a range of fibrous, fatty, and lipid-rich plaques. Researchers hope that by correctly identifying the composition of coronary plaques, they can predict which ones are the most likely to rupture. The MR imaging procedure was well tolerated and no device-related adverse events occurred.

"The results of this study showed that plaque compositions assessed using intracoronary MRI is safe and effective, but additional studies are needed to determining the full potential of intracoronary MRI," said Dr. Regar.

About Self-contained Intracoronary MRIMagnetic resonance imaging is an invasive technology that uses magnetism, radio waves, and a computer to produce images of body structures. During the process, radio waves are emitted that spin protons of the body, which creates a faint signal detectable by the scanner. This signal is then translated to create images of living tissue.

The self-contained intracoronary MRI technology platform enables MRI to be conducted without external magnets for the first time. A miniature, portable imaging probe, containing all the magnetic field sources, enables high-resolution local MRI to be conducted without the bulkiness of conventional MRIs and at much lower cost.

About CRF and TCTThe Cardiovascular Research Foundation is dedicated to research and education in the broad subspecialty of interventional cardiology and endovascular medicine. By establishing the safe use of new technologies and pharmacologic agents, CRF has played a major role in the remarkable advances in survival and quality of life for patients with cardiovascular disease. CRF is the sponsor of the 17th Annual Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) scientific symposium, one of the largest interventional vascular medicine meetings in the world. For more information, please visit .