Charlottesville, Va.-based UVA Health scientists have developed a new MRI technique to assess the composition of adipose tissue surrounding the heart, according to a study published Sept. 25 in Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
The technique allows technicians to get clear images of the adipose tissue despite the constant motion of the heart and lungs, a Jan. 23 news release from UVA Health said.
Analyzing the tissue can help physicians identify which patients are at risk for coronary artery disease, atrial fibrillation and heart failure.
"We hope to show that we can convert the unhealthy fat which surrounds the heart to a more healthy type of fat with either diet and exercise or through the use of medications," Amit Patel, MD, a cardiologist and imaging expert from UVA Health and the University of Virginia School of Medicine, said in the release. "We believe that by doing so, we will be able to reduce some of the complications associated with heart disease."