Evaluate the Precision of ABL-101 Perfluorocarbon and Fluorine-19 MRI for the Mapping of Atherosclerotic Plaque Composition and Inflammation in Patients Undergoing Carotid Endarterectomy

• Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
• Trial end date: 2028-06-30

Summary

This study is aimed at patients suffering from carotid atherosclerosis. In the presence of atherosclerosis of the carotid arteries, one of the treatments that can be proposed is carotid endarterectomy, the aim of which is to remove the atherosclerotic plaque that obstructs the carotid artery and therefore increases the risk of developing a stroke. The risk of rupture of these plaques is primarily assessed by anatomical medical imaging: the degree of stenosis (narrowing) that the plaque causes most often informs the decision whether or not to proceed with surgery. However, it is well established that the degree of stenosis is not a very precise decision criterion: some plaques would never have ruptured, while others have ruptured even though no surgical intervention had been performed. It has since been discovered that the degree of inflammation is a much more accurate predictor of future rupture, but there is currently no reliable non-invasive imaging marker to measure plaque inflammation.

In this study, the investigators therefore evaluate a new marker, the perfluorocarbon ABL-101, for non-invasive imaging of inflammation in atherosclerotic plaque. To assess the marker's effectiveness in quantifying inflammation in plaque, the plaque will be analyzed microscopically after removal to obtain a more accurate measure of the degree of inflammation. This will enable us to assess the effectiveness of the non-invasive marker injection method versus the more invasive microscopic analysis of the removed plaque.

ABL-101 consists of a perfluorocarbon (PFC) emulsion, a liquid mixture in which PFC particles are dispersed. PFCs are chemical compounds containing only carbon and fluorine, and are known for their ability to transport large quantities of oxygen. Totally inert, PFCs cannot be broken down by the body and are eliminated naturally. Due to their small size, these particles are also captured by certain immune system cells and, combined with 19F-MRI, constitute a marker of inflammation.

• Phase: PHASE2

Details

• Lead Sponsor: Ruud van Heeswijk
• Treatments: Weights and Measures