Victoria Heldestad

I am an Associate professor, as well as assistant head of department and program manager/program council chairman for the Biomedical laboratory science program. In 2012, I became a PhD in medicine (subject area: Clinical Neurophysiology). The thesis showed, among other things, the importance of early testing thin nerve fibres in patients with hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTRv) by using quantitative sensory testing (QST). This because elevated cold- and warm temperature thresholds could be seen early in the course of the disease and especially in patients with an early onset age.

My current research is also focused on ATTRv, but how the use of ultrasound of peripheral nerves potentially can clinically improve the possibility of early diagnosis of ATTRv. Can various ultrasound-nerve findings differ between other parameters such as early and late age of onset, as well as fibril type. The project also intends to produce a solid reference material.