New MRI technique aims to spare healthy lung during cancer radiation
NCT ID NCT05302817
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This early-phase trial tested whether a special MRI scan using hyperpolarized xenon gas could help doctors plan radiation therapy for non-small cell lung cancer. The goal was to map which parts of the lung are working well so radiation can avoid them, potentially reducing side effects like breathing trouble. Only 9 patients were enrolled before the study was terminated, so the findings are limited.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- hyperpolarized xenon-129 MRI
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this imaging technique could help doctors plan radiation therapy to avoid damaging healthy lung tissue, potentially reducing breathing problems and improving quality of life after treatment.
- What could go wrong
- This was a very small, early-phase trial that was terminated early, so results are limited. The approach may not work for all patients, and inhaling hyperpolarized xenon carries unknown risks in people with severely damaged lungs.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for CARCINOMA, NON-SMALL-CELL LUNG 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.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Can immunotherapy be safely used in early lung cancer? a Real-World study investigates
- Can an oral chemo pill boost immunotherapy's power against lung cancer?
- Can an immunotherapy cocktail shrink inoperable lung tumors?
- Immunotherapy boosts radiation against early lung cancer
- Lab-Grown lung tumors could reveal why some drugs work and others fail
- AI-Powered navigation aims to pinpoint tiny lung nodules during surgery