Type: Heart

Grant holder: Dr Scott Semple, Mr Vesey, Dr Mirsadraee, Miss Richards, Miss McBride, Mr Chalmers, Dr Dweck and Mr Gray; University of Edinburgh

Amount Awarded: £50,722 over two years

Year: 2013 - Finished

Many heart attacks and strokes are caused by the common condition of atherosclerosis – hardening of the arteries. New ways of imaging this disease, using PET and MRI scanning, are being developed to scan patients who have hardening of the neck arteries and are about to have the tissue removed. The research team will compare the scan results with what can be seen under the microscope. The evidence will not only allow them to assess the value of these scans but also provide insights into the causes of the disease and pave the way for the development of new treatments