MRI while you exercise to find causes of HFpEF symptoms
Cardiopulmonary Exercise MRI in Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction
Using MRI taken while you pedal on a small bike to look for heart and lung problems that cause breathlessness in people who may have heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11176220 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would lie on an MRI table with a small exercise bike and pedal as the scanner takes images at increasing levels of effort. The MRI will look at heart chamber size and function, heart muscle tissue, blood flow, aortic stiffness, and related lung/circulation responses during exercise, followed by a brief vasodilator stress test. The team will compare these noninvasive MRI results to current invasive exercise tests to see if the MRI can provide the same information without a catheter. Tests are done at a specialized center and require the ability to exercise in the scanner and follow safety instructions.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with unexplained shortness of breath and a suspicion of HFpEF—especially those with normal ejection fraction but unclear test results—are the best candidates.
Not a fit: People who are unable to exercise, have unstable heart conditions, or have MRI contraindications (such as some implanted devices) or medication allergies may not be eligible or benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could offer a safer, noninvasive way to diagnose HFpEF and explain exertional breathlessness, reducing the need for invasive catheter testing.
How similar studies have performed: Smaller prior studies show exercise MRI can reveal abnormal cardiac responses in HFpEF, but using it as a noninvasive alternative to invasive exercise catheter testing is still relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nezafat, Reza — Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Nezafat, Reza
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.