Cardiologists at UVA Health in Virginia have found a new approach to monitor peripheral artery disease (PAD). This dangerous ailment affects more than 200 million individuals globally and is characterized by atherosclerosis in the arteries of the legs.

By the end of the experiment, the UVA researchers could distinguish PAD patients from healthy volunteers and comprehend the condition′s impact on the calves of patients with the disease. They employed a chemical exchange saturation transfer, or CEST, which produced outcomes comparable to the current gold standard but did not produce an image. They found that CEST offered further advantages without requiring the highly specialized technology many hospitals and researchers lack.

Researchers stated that the advantage of CEST is that it produces an image of the energy storage in the muscle that can be compared to images of blood flow and, as a result, offers a unique perspective on how atherosclerosis in the leg arteries contributes to muscle difficulties later on.

To further comprehend the impacts of PAD, researchers can combine CEST with other magnetic resonance imaging techniques that evaluate blood flows in the calf.

(Source: https://health.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/industry/new-method-of-tracking-peripheral-artery-disease-aids-in-search-for-better-treatment/94469524)