3D liver stiffness scan could predict surgery risks
NCT ID NCT07704203
First seen Jul 15, 2026 · Last updated Jul 16, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study explores whether a special 3D MRI scan, called magnetic resonance elastography, can measure liver stiffness and elasticity before surgery to predict the risk of liver failure afterward. Researchers will enroll 150 adults with liver cancer or liver metastases who are scheduled for tumor removal. The goal is to see if this non-invasive imaging technique can help surgeons better assess which patients are at higher risk, potentially leading to safer surgical planning.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Three-Dimensional Magnetic Resonance Elastography (3D-MRE) — a non-invasive imaging device that measures liver stiffness and elasticity
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this imaging method could help surgeons identify patients at high risk of liver failure after surgery, potentially reducing complications and improving outcomes.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early-stage observational study with 150 participants, so results may not apply to all patients. The technique's accuracy in predicting liver failure is not yet proven.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Participants
-
About 150 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
-
Aug 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
-
Oct 2030
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
Who is studied
This study will enroll adult patients with primary or metastatic liver cancer, including hepatocellular carcinoma, intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, or liver metastases (e.g., from colorectal cancer), who are scheduled to undergo curative hepatectomy at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University. Eligible patients will have preserved liver function (Child-Pugh class A or B) and adequate future liver remnant volume based on standard preoperative volumetric assessment. Patients will be consecutively recruited from the hepatobiliary surgery outpatient and inpatient services of the study center prior to their scheduled surgery.
- Ages
-
18 to 80 years
- Sex
-
Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Age 18-80 years * Pathologically or radiologically confirmed diagnosis of one of the following: hepatocellular carcinoma, intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, or liver metastasis (e.g., from colorectal cancer) * Scheduled to undergo curative hepatectomy * Child-Pugh class A or B liver function * Able to tolerate MRI examination * Provision of signed and dated informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Contraindication to MRI (e.g., non-MRI-compatible implants, severe claustrophobia) * Child-Pugh class C liver function * Prior history of liver resection or liver transplantation * Presence of extrahepatic metastasis * Emergency surgery (e.g., due to tumor rupture) * Severe cardiopulmonary or renal dysfunction precluding surgery * Pregnant or breastfeeding women * Unwillingness or inability to comply with study procedures or follow-up
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Hepatic cancer are added.
By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use
Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
-
The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
-
A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- A sharper eye for cancer: new PET tracer targets hidden tumors
- Can a Patient's own immune cells keep liver cancer at bay?
- Can a new drug boost the power of existing liver cancer therapy?
- Could a daily mineral make liver cancer therapy work better?
- Can a triple drug attack stop liver cancer from coming back?
- Can a custom vaccine train the body to fight liver cancer?