Displaying items by tag: cardiology

The effects of coronary artery diseases on the macrovasculature of the heart have been extensively studied, in contrast to the limited knowledge of effects seen in the microvasculature. As symtoms in the small vessels are an early warning sign of coronary artery disease, slowing or halting progression of these symptoms through improved diagnosis is the aim of the presented research. Dr. Robert deKemp is adapting PET imaging's stress over rest flow reserve, an established method in evaluating macrovasculature, to study the microvasculature. He presents his lab's translational micro-PET evalutaion of mice to determine effects of various stressors to eventually improve diagnostic procedures in humans and pre-clinically evaluate new therepeutic drugs.

Jean-Claude Tardif MD, FRCPC

Professor, Universite de Montreal

Cardiologist and Director of Research Centre, Montreal Heart Institute

Scientific Director, Montreal Heart Institute Coordinating Centre

Director, Cardiovascular Health Network of Fonds de Recherche en Santé du Québec

Canadian Institutes of Health Research and Pfizer Chair in Atherosclerosis

Research Focus

My research covers the molecular and genomic aspects of atherosclerosis and related diseases and also involves animal models, mechanistic and observational clinical studies as well as large international randomized clinical trials. I have been the international principal investigator or part of the study leadership of several large clinical trials in the field of atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases. My team and I have created the Beaulieu-Saucier Pharmacogenomics Center at the Montreal Heart Institute and have created the Center of Excellence in Personalized Medicine, the latter funded by the Network of Centers of Excellence of Canada and which is also supported by multiple pharmaceutical and biotechnological companies. I am one of the founding members of the Critical Markers of Disease organization, which focuses on the development and better use of biomarkers (CMOD).

Ting-Yim Lee, PhD, FCCPM

Scientist, Robarts Research Institute

Medical Physicist, St. Josephs Health Care

Scientist, Lawson Health Research Institute

Professor, Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Medical Biophysics, Western University

Research Focus

My research interests include:

    Stroke: Accute stroke imaging using CT
    Heart Attack: Measurement of Myocardial blood flow using CT
    Cancer: Hypoxia imaging using CT

Eric Larose DVM, MD, FRCPC, FAHA

Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, Université Laval

Interventional cardiologist, Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de Québec (IUCPQ)

Co-Director, Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance & Computed Tomography, Joint Cardiology and Radiology Advanced Imaging Sector at IUCPQ

Director, Laboratoire d’Imagerie Cardiovasculaire Avancée (LICA), IUCPQ Research Centre

Research Focus

My research program focuses on atherosclerosis and its screening before it progresses to myocardial infarction, stroke or sudden death.

I strive to advance atherosclerosis imaging research; my team and I are interested in the biological determinants of atherosclerosis instability and the heterogeneity of atherosclerotic disease. Over the past 9 years, I have developed novel methodologies to assess characteristics of atherosclerosis vulnerability in patients, and established CT and MRI cardiovascular imaging core laboratories (LICA) which serve both my own research activities and multicenter trials. Member of many national and international expert committees, I also contribute to the development of guidelines in cardiology and imaging.

Benjamin Chow MD, FRCPC, FACC

Staff Cardiologist, Division of Cardiology, University of Ottawa Heart Institute and The Ottawa Hospital

Co-Director, Cardiac Radiology
Director, Cardiac Imaging Postgraduate Training, University of Ottawa Heart Institute

Associate Professor, Department of Medicine University of Ottawa

Associate Staff, Division of Nuclear Medicine
Assistant Staff, Division of Cardiology, The Ottawa Hospital

Research Focus

The establishment of new cardiac imaging modalities and validation of therapeutics using cardiac imaging. My primary research focus is on cardiac CT, and am involved in multicentre and single centre studies that explore the prognostic value and clinical utility of this new modality.

Carotid ultrasound is a valuable tool for measuring and tracking carotid plaque area over time. Dr. Spence outlines how 3D ultrasound methods are used to calculate plaque area, which is an important predictor of stroke, myocardial infarction and death, and to follow plaque progression or regression, which are critical treatment targets. Using this novel approach, Dr. Spence et al. have found that a change in therapeutic strategies, targeting the arteries and not LDL levels, has led to less disease progression in their test population despite a rise in mean patient age.

Using specialized equipment and advanced software, Dr. Fenster et al. have extended 2 dimensional ultrasound images to 3 dimensional acquisition. Through further software development, it has been possible for his team to reconstruct and measure existing carotid plaque in real time, allowing for accurate mapping of plaque regression or progression over time. Looking forward, Dr. Fenster describes current programs attempting to semi-automate plaque tracing on images.

Working within the goal of CAIN2, Dr. Spence outlines the importance and methods towards outlining atherosclerosis patients would would benefit from intervention. It has been determined that those with microemboli and with greater than 3 ulcers benefit and that characteristics of individual plaque predicts outcome. CAIN2 strives to validate imaging methods for detection of vulnerable plaque.

While imaging is recognized as a useful tool to characterize atherosclerosis and its complications, there is a critical need to undertake large population studies to truly understand the natural history of the disease as well as the links between imaging biomarkers and patient outcomes.  This presentation outlines the objectives of CAIN3, which are to compare the extent of atherosclerosis, and rate of atherosclerosis progression in different vascular beds and to determine the correlation between imaging biomarkers and cardiovascular outcomes. 

This presentation focuses on how MRI techniques can be used to examine carotid artery diseases.  Dr. Moody aims to convey how characterisation of vessel walls can be achieved by overlaying various weighted MR sequences to give a full picture of vessel wall disease. Imaging of the end organ effects can also be used to determine biomarkers through local cause, distal effect analysis, local disease disruption and distal end organ effects.