Clinical Imaging Facilities
- Overview: Our clinical imaging facilities include a clinical MRI centre (Philips 1.5T and 3T) for cardiovascular imaging research, an Advanced Imaging Centre (Siemens Prisma 3T) that supports developmental MRI and access to NHS based imaging equipment including CT, echocardiography and PET/CT.
The Leeds Cardiac MRI Unit was founded in 1999 with the installation of a British Heart Foundation funded 1.5T MRI scanner dedicated to cardiovascular research. Since then, the facility has expanded with support from the British Heart Foundation, the Medical Research Council and the University of Leeds and now comprises three state of the art MRI scanners in a Clinical Imaging Centre and a new Advanced Imaging Centre.
Equipment
Clinical MRI Centre
Lead: Professor John Greenwood
Contact: Dr Laura Jones
The Clinical MRI Centre was created in 1999 with funding from the British Heart Foundation. Since then, the centre has expanded to now include a Philips 1.5T Ingenia and a Philips 3T Achieva MRI scanner. The centre is located in the Clarendon wing of the Leeds General Infirmary. It supports a large NHS cardiovascular MRI service and a wide range of clinical research.
Advanced Imaging Centre (AIC)
Lead: Professor Sven Plein and Professor Jurgen Schneider
Contact: Kathryn Richards
The AIC was created through a £7.4 Medical Research Council Clinical Research Infrastructure grant for a National Centre for Hyperpolarised MRI, in collaboration with Arthritis UK, the British Heart Foundation, the University of York and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. It is located in a refurbished wing of the Gilbert Scott building of the Leeds General Infirmary. The 500m2 centre contains a Siemens Prisma 3T MRI scanner with multinuclear capability, laboratory space, offices and a modern seminar room.
NHS Cardiovascular imaging facilities
We work closely with the NHS and have access to clinical echocardiography, CT, SPECT, and PET facilities. See here for further details.
NHS contact: Dr Dominik Schlosshan
CRF Clinical lead cardiology: John Greenwood
Applications
Research methods
Our clinical imaging facilities support a wide range of clinical translational research including:
- Signal Amplification by Reversible Exchange (SABRE) hyperpolarised MRI. Contact: Jurgen Schneider
- 1H and 31P Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy. Contact: Eylem Levelt, Jurgen Schneider
- Quantitative perfusion imaging. Contact: Sven Plein, John Greenwood
- Diffusion Tensor Imaging. Contact: Irvin Teh
- Parametric mapping and DTI. Contact: Erica Dall’Armellina,
- 4-dimensional flow. Contact: Malenka Bissell, Erica Dall’Armellina, John Greenwood
Research themes
Current research themes in our clinical imaging facilities include:
- Ischaemic heart disease. Contact: John Greenwood
- Cardiovascular disease & Diabetes. Contact: Eylem Levelt
- Cardiomyopathy. Contact: John Greenwood
- Chronic inflammatory disease. Contact: Sven Plein
- Congenital heart disease. Contact: Malenka Bissell
- Heart valve disease. Contact: John Greenwood
- Athletic heart disease. Contact: Peter Swoboda
- Liver disease. Contact: Steven Sourbron
- Renal disease. Contact: Steven Sourbron
- Neurological disease. Contact: David Buckley
Partners and sponsors
Partners and sponsors
British Heart Foundation
Medical Research Council
Arthritis UK
National Institute of Health Research
University of York
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust