Imaging artery disease in people with cocaine use
Atherosclerosis in cocaine addiction: imaging risk with PET/MR
This project uses PET/MR scans with a glucose tracer to find early artery inflammation and plaque in people who use or used cocaine.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11304519 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have used cocaine, this program uses a combined PET and MRI scan to look inside your carotid arteries for inflammation and plaque before symptoms appear. The PET scan uses a small amount of 18F-FDG (a sugar tracer) to highlight inflamed vessel walls while the MRI provides detailed 3D images of plaque and vessel structure. Scans are performed simultaneously on a hybrid PET/MR machine so clinicians can match inflammation to specific plaque features. Detecting disease early could help guide preventive care for aging people who used cocaine and often also used tobacco or alcohol.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults with current or past cocaine use—especially long-term users and older individuals at higher vascular risk.
Not a fit: People without a history of cocaine exposure or those who already have advanced, symptomatic arterial disease are unlikely to benefit from this early-detection imaging.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could allow earlier detection of artery disease in people with cocaine exposure and help prevent strokes.
How similar studies have performed: PET/MR with 18F-FDG has detected vessel inflammation in other at-risk groups, but applying this combined approach to people with cocaine use is novel.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Alia-Klein, Nelly — Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Study coordinator: Alia-Klein, Nelly
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.