Novel diagnostic strategies for cardiac amyloidosis

Dr Matthew Burrage, The University of Queensland

Year 2023 Postdoctoral Fellowship

Years funded: 2024 - 2026

Cardiac amyloidosis is an increasingly common, yet life-threatening disease caused by abnormal protein build-up within the heart. Newly available treatments for cardiac amyloidosis have emphasised the importance of early diagnosis and management.

Current non-invasive diagnostic tests (e.g., bone scans, MRI) are poorly suited for disease screening and monitoring as they are time-consuming and require radiation, radioactive tracers, or contrast agents (often not recommended in many patients).

This research aims to further develop a “virtual contrast” artificial-intelligence-based MRI technology called Virtual Native Enhancement (VNE) as a fast, safe, cheap, radiation- and contrast-free tool for the diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis.

Analysis of heart biopsy samples and novel blood biomarkers, including immune cell signalling, aims to provide a tool to differentiate between the types of amyloidosis that can affect the heart.