Research Report 2010 - MDC

Structure of the GroupJeanette Schulz-MengerGroup LeaderProf. Dr. Jeanette Schulz-MengerScientistsDr. Steffen BohlDr. Philipp BoyeDipl.-ing Matthias DieringerDr. Florian v. Knobelsdorff-BrenkenhoffCardiovascular MagneticResonanceThe CMR group at the Franz-Volhard-Klinik has focused its research on the in vivoassessment of functional and structural myocardial abnormalities related toinflammatory diseases and coronary heart disease. We perform clinical research using a1.5 clinical MRI-scanner with dedicated cardiac software. We developed new approaches forthe differentiation of tissue changes in myocardial diseases. The application as researchtools and the translation into a clinical setting are the main interests of the group. Thesuccessful work led to the introduction of the University Professorship in Cardiology forNoninvasive Imaging focused on Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR).In 2009 the Ultra-High-Field Facility was opened giving us the possibility to extend ourresearch field by developing translational research tools applying advanced imagingmodalities.Myocardial InjuryThe diagnosis of myocardial inflammation in differentdiseases and the assessment of myocardial tissuechanges during follow-up is a challenging task in cardiovascularresearch and clinical cardiology. Clinicalpresentation of patients with myocarditis or myocardialinvolvement in systemic disorders often mimicsother disorders and may vary from flu-like symptomsor subclinical disease to acute heart failure and suddencardiac death. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance(CMR) has the capability to differentiate between thevarious forms of myocardial injuries (e.g. edema,hyperemia and fibrosis). In the late 90s we developedan approach for the noninvasive detection of acutemyocarditis by CMR. In 2008/09 we published thenoninvasive detection of myocardial edema and thecapability of a multi-sequential approach for followup.(1)Myocardial inflammation also has a high prognosticimpact in different systemic diseases. Howeverearly assessment is difficult. We used CMR technologyin patients with systemic lupus erythematosus andChurg Strauss syndrome and were able to detectmyocardial involvement in those patients with preservedleft-ventricular function. (2) It is well known,that that development of fibrosis is of potential prognosticimpact in hypertrophy. Using contrastenhanced CMR we were able do differentiate the patternin various non-ischemic disease (3) and visualizefibrotic tissue in hypertrophy caused by different diseases(4) Furthermore we tried to get insight the gender-relatedremodeling process in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.(5)Coronary Artery Disease and ArteriosclerosisThe detection of coronary artery stenosis is a growingfield in CMR. Quantitative analysis of perfusion is acrucial step for evaluation of significant ischemia anddevelopment of new therapeutic strategies. In 2009we could show that the lipid-apheresis has an impacton myocardial perfusion in young patients with elevatedLPa. In 2009 we published, that the quantitativedual bolus perfusion is of higher accuracy having thepotential to reduce the sample size. The field is ourstep into Ultra-High-Field research. In collaboration212 The Experimental and Clinical Research Center