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PhD defence: Simon Madsen

Guiding the angina workup using [15O]H2O PET myocardial perfusion imaging: Challenges and future possibilities

Info about event

Time

Friday 6 December 2024,  at 14:00 - 16:00

Location

Auditorium J116-113, entrance J, J110, Aarhus University Hospital

On Friday 6 December at 14.00, Simon Madsen defends his PhD dissertation entitled "Guiding the angina workup using [15O]H2O PET myocardial perfusion imaging: Challenges and future possibilities".

Coronary artery disease is one of the leading causes of disability and death worldwide. Management of the disease often requires life-long treatment and follow-up plans for affected individuals. Effective and accurate diagnostic work-up is necessary for the planning of reasonable treatment strategies at both early and later stages of disease when the patient presents with either debut or worsening of typical symptoms of coronary artery disease - chest pain at effort - also called angina pectoris.

The aim of the PhD project was to investigate the clinical significance of using positron emission tomography (PET) scans with radioactive water ([15O]H2O) - water-PET - to guide the angina workup.

Water-PET of the heart evaluates coronary artery disease by measuring the blood flow of the heart muscle - myocardial blood flow (MBF). Our research shows, that the MBF of patients with ongoing atrial fibrillation and patients with earlier coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) is substantially lower than than the MBF of patients without previous heart disease. Despite this, water-PET is able to identify which patients will undergo coronary revascularization procedures within 3 months of the scan. Furthermore, our research suggests that for patients with previous CABG relief from angina symptoms after a revascularization procedure depends on a preceding low MBF of the coronary artery that is being treated.

But water-PET af the heart allows for estimation of physiology and anatomy other than MBF. Our research shows, that patients with an enlarged left atrium - as measured by water-PET by a novel method - have an increased risk of developing heart failure and atrial fibrillation within just a few years. Our research demonstrates the clinical utility and ongoing development of water-PET.

The summary is written by the PhD student.

The defence is public and takes place in auditorium J116-113, entrance J, J110, Aarhus University Hospital. Please see the press release for more information. 

Contact

PhD student Simon Madsen
Mail: simmas@clin.au.dk  
Phone: +45 20 14 05 96

Read full press release