Assessing whether orbital MRI can detect eye changes in patients affected by Giant Cell Arteritis

A2003072

Dr. Thurkka Rajeswaran and the team at Leeds Teaching Hospitals are investigating how to predict eye involvement in patients with Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA) who present with jaw symptoms. GCA is a rare condition that can lead to permanent vision loss, and patients with jaw symptoms are at a higher risk of developing visual problems. Currently, it is challenging to predict which patients will develop eye symptoms, leading to the prescription of high doses of steroids for all, which can have serious side effects. Recent studies have indicated that MRI scans of the eye area (orbital MRI) might detect early eye involvement in GCA. In this study, Dr. Rajeswaran's team will recruit 10 patients with GCA and jaw symptoms and perform orbital MRI scans in addition to standard care. The goal is to determine if orbital MRI can identify early eye changes and to assess the feasibility of this study design for larger clinical trials in the future. This research could pave the way for more targeted treatments, reducing the need for high-dose steroids and their associated risks. 

Lead Researcher	Dr Thurkka Rajeswaran Academic Clinical Fellow/Internal Medical Trainee
Co-Researchers	Dr Sarah Mackie
Host Organisation/CSU	Research & Innovation Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Grant Amount	£9,627.60
Start Date	01/11/2024
Estimated Duration	12 months
Impact Areas	Health & Innovation Technologies
Tags/key notes	Inflammatory and Immune System