Recruiting Healthy Volunteers for Clinical Trial Participation

We are currently recruiting subjects to participate in studies utilizing Cardiac MRI, CT Angiography, Calcium Score and Echocardiography. Many of the participants we have previously recruited include people with a wide range of characteristics.

These studies are aimed at enrolling a population or type of subject who is relatively healthy, interested in research and is not interested in a specific treatment for an illness or disease they may be experiencing now or have experienced in the past.

For persons who qualify, the overall purpose of these studies is to obtain images of your heart via different non-invasive imaging modalities. This information will help cardiologists understand obvious and discreet details of the structure and function of your heart. The involvement of your participation is as simple as having an echocardiogram performed to obtain images of the left ventricle (the pumping chamber) or as detailed as having a cardiac MRI with additional tests to help us identify changes in the way the blood vessels and heart respond to external stimuli.

Several imaging studies are currently enrolling subjects:

Coronary Endothelial Function in Atherosclerosis
The endothelium is the lining of blood vessels. Endothelial cells are involved in many aspects of vascular biology including: constriction and dilation of the arteries themselves to regulate blood flow and pressure, protection against blood clotting, and formation of new blood vessels. Even early atherosclerosis (the collection of cholesterol and other fatty substances in the walls of arteries, which can lead to heart attack and stroke) causes endothelial dysfunction, which contributes to the risk of coronary artery disease. We have developed methods for evaluation of coronary endothelial function by using coronary artery MRI and CT angiography. These techniques can produce better understanding of coronary disease and possibly identify new treatment strategies. If you are between the ages of 40 and 70 and do not have a history of cardiovascular disease or diabetes, please contact Kathy McGrath, RN, CCRP at (516) 629-2129 or Kathy.McGrath@chsli.org for additional information.

Structural and Functional Time Dependant Characteristics of Myocardial Infarction
This trial will obtain cardiac MRI images in order to optimize techniques to characterize changes in the heart muscle that may take place over time. Subjects with a known history of heart attack (MI) as well as a normal control group will be screened to determine if eligible to participate. Participants will be asked to have a Cardiac MRI scan with contrast. The total visit time for this study is approximately 2½ hours. If interested in participating in this study, please contact Marguerite Roth, RN CCRP at (516) 562-2049 or Marguerite.Roth@chsli.org.

Myocardial Perfusion Assessment using First-Pass Contrast: Sequence Selection, Normal Rest/Stress Controls, Initial Studies in Coronary Disease
Volunteers are currently invited to participate in a Cardiac MRI perfusion study. The purpose of this study is to evaluate and compare images of the blood flow into the heart muscle (ventricle) that are taken during rest and stress. Volunteers must be between ages 20-80 with no history of cardiac disease and have normal cholesterol and blood pressure readings. Screening for this study will include blood cholesterol levels and kidney function tests, echocardiogram, MDCT coronary calcium score and an EKG. Participants will be asked to have a medication-induced stress test with Cardiac MRI. If you would like more information about this study, please contact Marguerite Roth, RN CCRP at (516) 562-2049 or Marguerite.Roth@chsli.org.

Microvascular Dysfunction in women
This study is recruiting women who are between the ages of 40-80 years old. The images obtained involve visualization of the coronary vessels via cardiac MRI and an optional CT angiogram. The cardiac MRI is performed at rest and under stress. The cardiac MRI and CT angiogram images are studied to observe and compare the changes in the blood vessel walls of women who have a history of chest pain and normal coronaries versus women who have no history of chest pain and no risk factors for heart disease. In this study, estrogen, estradiol and progesterone levels are also measured and correlated to the changes on the vessel walls as seen through the images on the cardiac MRI. For more information about this study, please contact Aracely Norales, RN, FNP, CCRP at 516 562 6904 or e-mail Aracely.Norales@chsli.org.

Interested in Participating or would like more information? Send an email to researchvolunteer@chsli.org with "St. Francis Hospital Clinical Trial Participation" in the Subject line. St. Francis Hospital strictly adheres to HIPAA regulations for protection of privacy. Include the following information:

  • Name:
  • Address:
  • Daytime phone:
  • Work phone:
  • Email:

An associate from our research department will contact you. All information submitted will be maintained confidentially and will be used for the sole purpose of recruitment for research studies

Click here for Frequently Asked Questions for Research Trial Participation (adapted from Clinicaltrials.gov)