Vascular Imaging Core Laboratory

血管成像核心(核心单位B)将主要负责血管的表型。 代谢综合征患者体内的结构。 血管成像核心实验室的主要职能是： 1)执行和分析所有血管测试，包括血管结构测试(通过使用超声波， 多层螺旋CT[MDCT]和/或磁共振成像[MRI])和24小时血压 监控、 2)收集、处理和储存所有心血管和炎性血清标志物的血液样本 基因分析， 3)提供项目范围的心血管表型数据库，以及 4)促进数据的比较和关联，包括心血管试验与临床的相关性 表型和基因分型。 除了执行上述血管结构的临床验证测试外，我们还建议 开发和测试基于分子成像和靶向的基于图像的新的表型方法 使用纳米粒子进行治疗，可使代谢性疾病患者更早诊断和治疗 综合症。因此，我们将寻求多种互补的诊断方法，以确定最佳 敏感和特异的方法来表征血管疾病的最早表现 代谢综合征，尤指脆弱和不稳定的斑块。我们将开发独特的治疗方法 可通过局部或全身给药针对不稳定或脆弱斑块的局部靶向制剂。我们 将使用我们实验室开发的一类新的纳米技术作为分子造影剂 鉴于超声波和磁共振成像作为筛查工具的广泛可用性和威力。 纳米技术还可以作为药物载体，可以将大量亲脂性试剂沉积到 这种细胞质直接通过一种名为“接触促进药物传递”的过程进行，目前正在申请专利。 我们的实验室。 将临床验证的血管测试与不断发展的纳米技术方法相结合具有潜在的 通过开发新的药物释放来改变对代谢综合征患者的护理 和血管表型技术。

The Vascular Imaging Core (Core Unit B) will be primarily responsible for the phenotyping of vascular structure in humans with metabolic syndrome. The principal functions of the Vascular Imaging Core Laboratory are to: 1) perform and analyze all vascular tests, including tests of vascular structure (by use of ultrasound, multidetector CT [MDCT] and/or magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]), and 24-hour blood pressure monitoring, 2) collect, process and store blood samples for all cardiovascular and inflammatory serum markers and genetic analyses, 3) provide a project-wide cardiovascular phenotype database, and 4) facilitate comparison and correlation of data, including the correlation of cardiovascular tests with clinical phenotypes and genotypes. In addition to performing the clinically-validated tests of vascular structure mentioned above, we propose to develop and test novel image-based phenotyping methods based on molecular imaging and targeted therapeutics with nanoparticles that could lead to earlier diagnosis and treatment for patients with metabolic syndrome. Accordingly, we will pursue multiple complementary diagnostic approaches to define optimally sensitive and specific methods for characterizing the very earliest manifestations of vascular disease in metabolic syndrome, particularly the vulnerable and unstable plaque. We will develop unique therapeutic formulations that can be site-targeted to unstable or vulnerable plaques with local or systemic delivery. We will employ a new class of nanotechnologies developed in our laboratory as molecular contrast agents for ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging in view of their wide availability and power as screening tools. The nanotechnologies also serve as drug carriers that can deposit large quantities of lipophilic agents into the cell cytoplasm directly through a process called "contact facilitated drug delivery" now patent-pending in our laboratory. Interfacing clinically-validated vascular tests with evolving nanotechnology approaches has the potential to transform the care of people with the metabolic syndrome through the development of novel drug delivery and vascular phenotyping techniques.