A new imaging technique that mixes a cocktail of three contrast agents to produce multi-coloured images of the cardiovascular system and disease progression has been pioneered at the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute.
The new research project, led by the Baker Institute's Professor Xiaowei Wang, has received an NHMRC Ideas Grant of more than $1.5 million to progress the innovation.
Current diagnostic imaging techniques can only detect one contrast agent at a time — like black and white television — but this all-in-one diagnostic cocktail allows for the detection of multiple contrast agents — like colour TV — meaning varying stages of disease can be identified by its colour, all in the one image.
"This new imaging technology can pinpoint three special biomarkers and their respective locations in a single scan, which allows for disease profiling, provides an understanding of how disease develops, and enables tailored treatment for individual patients," Prof Wang said.
"In the case of atherosclerosis, for example, where you have a build-up of plaque in the arteries, there are different stages of the disease leading to heart attacks and strokes. So, in the early-stage disease, imaging with our cocktail will simply show an accumulation of cells, and that shows up red; and in mid-progression, a blend of red and blue contrast will be seen for large plaques. Finally, in the late-stage disease when the plaque is unstable and prone to rupture, we will visualise a combination red, blue and purple.
"By delivering a cocktail of contrasts, where you have different biomarkers that show up in different colours, you can then match which stage of disease the patient is in. And if you then give a treatment, and you do this imaging again, you can then map out whether the treatment has worked or if the disease has progressed and we need to treat it in another way."
This technique could be adapted for any biomarkers and disease type, and while it is still in the early stages of development, it offers a long sought-after diagnostic advance.
This exciting research project is one of two NHMRC Ideas Grants that Prof Wang has received in this latest funding round.
She has received more than $1.75 million to develop three innovative mRNA therapies, each of which targets a different stage of cardiovascular disease.
Cardiovascular diseases are often caused by atherosclerosis and thrombosis (clots that form in blood vessels or the heart, blocking blood flow).
The first of Prof Wang's three mRNA therapies will deliver a code to the site of disease to reduce inflammation and prevent atherosclerosis progression; the second will code to generate an antibody that blocks clot formation and reduces heart attack risk in the event of atherosclerotic plaque rupture; and the third therapy would code a protein that blocks T-cells and reduces the inflammatory response in the event of heart attack, resulting in cardioprotection.
"This research has the potential to revolutionise treatment for cardiovascular diseases, offering personalised and effective solutions that could significantly improve outcomes for those at risk," Prof Wang said.
"By targetting the fundamental causes of heart attacks and strokes, such as inflammation and thrombosis, these mRNA therapeutics could greatly reduce the impact of these deadly conditions, especially in populations most vulnerable to cardiovascular diseases."
