Led by Professor Peter Jezzard
This sub-theme is exploring how new imaging technology can be adopted by NHS clinicians to improve diagnosis and treatment for patients. But it is also concerned with improving existing processes by automating or standardising existing clinical practices.
In the previous BRC, Professor Charalambos Antoniades led the way in identifying radio-transcriptomic biomarkers to detect cardiovascular, atrial fibrillation, stroke and diabetes risk, taken from routine computed tomography (CT) scans. Working with our Cardiovascular Theme, we are using 100,000 CT coronary angiograms (CTCAs) from 13 UK sites, linked with life-long outcomes [PR(O2] through national registries, such as the ORFAN-study.[PR(O3] CTCAs are heart imaging tests that help determine not only if a build-up of plaque has narrowed the coronary arteries, but also if plaques in the coronary artery wall are at risk of rupture, hence leading to an acute heart attack.
Professor Jezzard and Professor Heidi Johansen-Berg are developing protocols and software tools to translate neuroimaging research to the clinic, allowing clinicians to deliver quicker diagnoses and more targeted treatment for patients with brain disorders, including neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
Professors Aris Papageorghiou and Alison Noble are applying machine learning to obstetric ultrasound and bringing it to the NHS Fetal Anomaly Screening Programme (FASP), with a view to improving detection of – and allowing pregnant women to benefit from earlier recognition of – fetal congenital abnormalities.