MRI can predict heart failure risk in the general population
MRI scans could replace invasive heart tests, as new research led by the University of East Anglia (UEA) and Queen Mary University of London shows MRIs can reliably estimate pressures inside the heart to predict if a patient will develop heart failure.
A heart MRI is a type of scan that uses powerful magnets and radio waves to create detailed images of the heart, without the use of harmful radiation. Previous research from UEA has shown that heart MRI techniques can estimate pressure in the heart and are linked to symptoms and signs of heart failure; however, to date it remained unknown if MRI-derived pressures could predict heart failure risk in a general population.
In this latest work, the researchers analysed heart MRI data from 39,000 UK Biobank participants using artificial intelligence techniques and estimated the pressure inside the heart. They then evaluated each individual’s risk factors and their chance of developing heart failure in the future over a six-year follow-up period. Their results, published in the journal ESC Heart Failure, confirmed that MRI-detected pressure changes can reliably predict if an individual will develop heart failure.
“Participants with higher heart pressure measured by MRI had a fivefold increased risk of developing heart failure over six years,” said co-lead author Dr Pankaj Garg, from UEA’s Norwich Medical School.
“This breakthrough suggests that heart MRI could potentially replace invasive diagnostic tests.”
Additionally, the researchers identified several key risk factors for developing high heart pressure: age over 70, high blood pressure, obesity, alcohol consumption and male gender.
“By combining these factors, we developed a model to predict individual heart failure risk,” said co-lead author Dr Nay Aung, from the William Harvey Research Institute at Queen Mary University of London. “This advancement enables prevention, early detection and treatment of heart failure, which could save many lives.”
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