Imaging in population science: cardiovascular magnetic resonance in 100,000 participants of UK Biobank - rationale, challenges and approaches

UK Biobank is a prospective cohort study with 500,000 participants
aged 40 to 69. Recently an enhanced imaging study received funding.
Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) will be part of a
multi-organ, multi-modality imaging visit in 3-4 dedicated UK
Biobank imaging centres that will acquire and store imaging data
from 100,000 participants (subject to successful piloting). In each
of UK Biobank's dedicated bespoke imaging centres, it is proposed
that 15-20 participants will undergo a 2 to 3 hour visit per day,
seven days a week over a period of 5-6 years. The imaging
modalities will include brain MRI at 3 Tesla, CMR and abdominal MRI
at 1.5 Tesla, carotid ultrasound and DEXA scans using carefully
selected protocols. We reviewed the rationale, challenges and
proposed approaches for concise phenotyping using CMR on such a
large scale. Here, we discuss the benefits of this imaging study
and review existing and planned population based cardiovascular
imaging in prospective cohort studies. We will evaluate the CMR
protocol, feasibility, process optimisation and costs. Procedures
for incidental findings, quality control and data processing and
analysis are also presented. As is the case for all other data in
the UK Biobank resource, this database of images and related
information will be made available through UK Biobank's Access
Procedures to researchers (irrespective of their country of origin
and whether they are academic or commercial) for health-related
research that is in the public interest.