MRI award - Imaging: UK Biobank (360G-Wellcome-101106_Z_13_Z)

Prospective cohorts, such as UK Biobank, have advantages for the comprehensiveand reliable quantification of the combined effects of different types of riskfactor on disease. However, they need to involve large numbers of participantsbecause only a relatively small proportion will develop any particular condition. UK Biobank has collected extensive baseline questionnaire data, physical measures and biological samples from 500,000 men and women aged 40-69at baseline and their health is being followed by linkage to health records. Central adjudication of health outcomes will ensure that consistent definitions are used and facilitate access to the resource. It is now planned to enhance further the phenotyping of 100,000 participants with information from multiple imaging modalities involving Magnetic Resonance imaging of brain, heart, large blood vessels and abdomen, Ultrasound of carotid arteries,and Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) of bone and joints. The availability of imaging measures that quantitatively define phenotypes that are closely related to disease will provide substantial power for detecting