Detection of High-Risk Plaque with tropoelastin-specific and multicontrast coronary MRI (renewal)

A new MRI contrast agent homes in on unstable fatty deposits in coronary arteries, flagging those most likely to rupture and cause a heart attack. Heart attacks often strike without warning because standard scans measure plaque *volume* but not plaque *danger*. This project targets a fundamental gap: doctors cannot reliably tell which plaques are inflamed, bleeding, or actively breaking down. The research builds on a decade of work to develop a contrast agent called TESMA that binds to tropoelastin—a protein exposed only when artery walls are undergoing dysfunctional repair. In animal models, the agent has already distinguished stable from unstable plaque. Now the team will test it in patients with coronary artery disease, and simultaneously develop a 10-minute, contrast-free MRI protocol that captures stenosis, calcification, bleeding, and clot formation in a single scan. If successful, this could transform how cardiologists assess heart attack risk. Instead of relying on calcium scores alone—which miss many high-risk patients—clinicians might one day use a non-invasive, radiation-free MRI to identify dangerous plaques before they rupture. The work is translational, not fundamental science; the goal is a practical diagnostic tool that could be deployed in hospitals within a decade.