Ten Years of Scientific Discovery with the UK Biobank CMR Imaging Study

Abstract

The UK Biobank cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) Imaging Study has re-defined the scale and scope of cardiovascular research, generating high quality imaging data in 100,000 participants with linkage to rich genetic, demographic, lifestyle, and clinical data. The resource has enabled transformative discoveries across genomics, epidemiology, and biomedical engineering, and has served as a global blueprint for population imaging studies. Its success has been accelerated by an equitable data access model that fosters international collaboration. Looking ahead, efforts should focus on harmonisation across cohorts, adherence to rigorous methodological standards, and multidisciplinary collaboration to drive meaningful clinical translation, whether through direct improvements in patient care or experimental validation of imaging-derived insights. The UK Biobank CMR experience illustrates the power of large-scale imaging cohorts and sets a benchmark for future initiatives aimed at improving cardiovascular health through integrated, collaborative science. This paper provides an overview of the UK Biobank and its CMR substudy, presents a systematic review of related publications, outlines key methodological considerations, and presents key future directions.

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