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Department Introduction

Department Introduction

Ischemia Heart Disease Group

(11) Innovative Cardiovascular Medicine

The Department of Innovative Cardiovascular Medicine (Nihon Kohden donated) was established in October 2006 to develop advanced diagnostic and treatment methods for cardiovascular disease.

Major Research Themes

1.Non-invasive External Shockwave Therapy for Ischemic Cardiac and Extremity Diseases

The results of basic research have shown that applying low-power shockwaves to vascular endothelial cells promotes the production of angiogenesis factors. Arteriosclerotic diseases, such as ischemic cardiac disease and arteriosclerosis obliterans, have been increasing in recent years and become a factor in the deterioration of patients prognosis and the quality of life. Medical therapy, catheter intervention, and coronary bypass surgery have been developed, but these treatments are not sufficiently effective or the number of severe cases not suitably treated by these methods is increasing. Using low-power extracorporeal shock wave therapy for ischemic heart diseases has the advantage of being non-invasive and repeatable without any side effects and is being focused on as a new angiogenesis therapy.
The University Hospital is current conducting clinical trials of this therapy for severe angina pectoris, acute myocardial infarction, and lower extremity arteriosclerosis obliterans.
(See Clinical Research/ Ischemia Heart Disease Group)

2. Development of Functional Contrast Mediums

Vascular endothelium plays an important role in the homeostasis of vascular function, and vascular endothelium dysfunction triggers arterial sclerosis. Together with Professor Yoshiki Katayama of the Department of Applied Chemistry at Kyushu University, we have developed nuclear magnetic resonance (MRI) contrast medium (EB-DTPA-Gd) based on Evans Blue having the characteristic of specific absorption in areas of vascular endothelium dysfunction. EB-DTPA-Gd has a high affinity for arteriosclerotic lesions and provides non-invasive detection of lesions using MRI-T1 weighted imaging. This shows promise as a new modality for recognizing vascular dysfunctional areas.

MRI-T1 weighted imaging of an apo-E-/- mouse (right) and a control mouse (left)
Fig._: MRI-T1 weighted imaging of an apo-E-/- mouse (right) and a control mouse (left)

3. Medical and Engineering Collaboration

Less-invasive diagnosis and targeted therapy are emersed as the next-generation treatments. The leading-edge and innovative research requires greater collaboration among physicians, engineers, and enterprise technicians. The department focuses on the development and application of the medical equipment and treatment technologies required for medical treatment and research by promoting "medical and engineering collaboration" with Professors Kazuyoshi Takayama and Hiroshi Kanai of the Tohoku University School of Engineering.

Publications (since 2000)
  1. Shimokawa H, Ito K, Fukumoto Y, Yasuda S. Extracorporeal cardiac shock wave therapy for ischemic heart disease. Shock Waves. 2008;17:449-455.
  2. Oi K, Fukumoto Y, Ito K, Uwatoku T, Abe K, Hizume T, Shimokawa H. Extracorporeal shock wave therapy ameliorates hind-limb ischemia in rabbits. Tohoku J Exp Med. 2008;214:151-158.
  3. Yasuda S, Ikuta K, Uwatoku T, Oi K, Abe K, Hyodo F, Yoshimitsu K, Sugimura K, Utsumi H, Katayama Y, Shimokawa H. In vivo magnetic resonance imaging of atherosclerotic lesions with a newly developed Evans blue-DTPA-gadolinium contrast medium in apolipoprotein-E-deficient mice. J Vasc Res. 2008;45:123-128.
  4. Uwatoku T, Ito K, Abe K, Oi K, Hizume T, Sunagawa K, Shimokawa H. Extracorporeal cardiac shock wave therapy ameliorates left ventricular remodeling after acute myocardial infarction in pigs. Coron Artery Dis. 2007;18:397-404.
  5. Fukumoto Y, Ito A, Uwatoku T, Matoba T, Kishi T, Tanaka H, Takeshita A, Sunagawa K, Shimokawa H. Extracorporeal cardiac shock wave therapy ameliorates myocardial ischemia in patients with severe coronary artery disease. Coron Artery Dis. 2006;17:63-70.
  6. Nishida T, Shimokawa H, Oi K, Tatewaki H, Uwatoku T, Abe K, Matsumoto Y, Kajihara N, Eto M, Matsuda T, Yasui H, Takeshita A, Sunagawa K. Extracorporeal cardiac shock wave therapy markedly ameliorates ischemia-induced myocardial dysfunction in pigs in vivo. Circulation. 2004;110:3055-61.

( Text by Satoshi Yasuda )

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