Imaging and Blood-Based Biomarkers for the Evaluation of Early Signs of Myocardial Injury After Thoracic Radiation Therapy

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. To evaluate and quantitate early changes in myocardial fibrosis following thoracic radiation therapy (RT). II. To assess quantitative early changes in myocardial inflammation after thoracic RT. III. To determine if thoracic RT is associated with early changes in myocardial metabolism as assessed with cardiac positron emission tomography (PET). SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. To evaluate and quantitate early changes in subclinical myocardial dysfunction after thoracic RT. II. To determine if thoracic RT is associated with early changes in myocardial metabolism using alternative cardiac PET-derived biomarkers. III. To evaluate and quantitate early changes in blood-based biomarkers after thoracic RT. IV. To assess the incidence and severity of cardiac events following completion of thoracic RT. OUTLINE: Within 2 weeks of starting RT, patients undergo cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging, cardiac positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) and blood sample collection at baseline, then between fractions 12-17 of RT and at 6 months after completion of RT.