Can a special MRI spot seizure hotspots in the brain?

NCT ID NCT02531880

Recruiting now Knowledge-focused Sponsor: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Aug 07, 2026 · Updated 8 times

Summary

This early-stage study is testing whether a contrast agent called mangafodipir can safely highlight areas where the blood-brain barrier is broken in people with drug-resistant epilepsy. Forty adults will undergo MRI scans with mangafodipir and gadolinium to see if these scans can pinpoint the brain region where seizures start. The goal is to improve understanding of epilepsy, not to treat it directly.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Mangafodipir and gadolinium (contrast agents for MRI)
What this could lead to: If successful, this could lead to a new way to identify seizure-causing brain areas using MRI, potentially improving surgical planning for epilepsy.
What could go wrong: This is a very early phase 1 safety and imaging study with only 40 participants. It is not designed to test treatment effects, and the imaging technique may not prove useful in practice.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

epilepsy visual epilepsy

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

EPILEPSY

Contacts and locations

Locations

National Institutes of Health Clinical Center
RECRUITING

Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, United States

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