Researchers from Imperial College London and UCL have tested a pioneering imaging technique on patients that may enhance the evaluation of cardiac conditions and undiagnosed chest pain. This new non-invasive method achieves sub-millimeter resolution images of micro-vessels in the heart muscle, which traditional imaging cannot capture. Published in Nature Biomedical Engineering, the study provides insights into the role of these vessels in cardiovascular diseases like microvascular coronary disease and cardiomyopathies.
Using advanced ultrasounds and microbubbles, the researchers successfully visualized the microvascular structure and flow dynamics in four patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The study highlights the significance of imaging small vessels, as abnormal blood flow in these areas can lead to tissue injury and heart failure. Co-author Professor Roxy Senior noted that this new imaging method could prevent misdiagnoses by directly visualizing the small vessels associated with chest pain. Future research aims to refine this approach and expand its use in evaluating other diseases.
