Could MRI make CT scans obsolete for thymoma patients?
NCT ID NCT03968315
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study compares MRI scans to standard CT scans for staging thymoma, a rare chest tumor. Researchers want to see if MRI can detect tumor spread just as well or better, without using radiation. Forty adults with newly diagnosed or recurrent thymoma will undergo both scans before surgery, and the results will be compared to surgical findings.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- What this could lead to
- If successful, MRI could become a standard, radiation-free alternative to CT for staging thymoma, improving patient safety.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-phase study with only 40 participants, so results may not apply to all patients. MRI may not be as accurate as CT in some cases.
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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.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
M D Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, Texas, 77030, United States
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