Sound waves could reveal hidden fluid in swollen limbs
NCT ID NCT04258319
First seen Jul 10, 2026 · Last updated Jul 10, 2026
Summary
This study tests a new ultrasound technique called SAVE that measures how stiff and fluid-filled arm tissues are in people with lymphedema. Researchers want to see if this method can accurately tell the difference between a swollen arm and a healthy one. If it works, it could help doctors better monitor the condition and stage its severity without invasive tests.
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, this ultrasound technique could give doctors a simple, non-invasive way to track lymphedema severity and guide treatment decisions.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early validation study with only 90 participants. The method may not prove accurate enough for routine clinical use.
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.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 90 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Jul 2020
- Expected to finish
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Jun 2030
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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.
- Ages
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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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: * Adult (18+ years of age) * Ability to provide written consent * Has been diagnosed with Lymphedema Exclusion Criteria: * Under the age of 18 years old * Inability to provide written consent * Previous lymphovenous bypass or lymph node transfer surgery
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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.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
2 sites. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
The full official record for this study. This one lists no contact details, but it is the first place any would appear.
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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.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Mayo Clinic
Jacksonville, Florida, 32224, United States
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Mayo Clinic
Rochester, Minnesota, 55905, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- Could online therapy ease the swelling of breast cancer lymphedema?
- Ultrasound could uncover hidden vascular risks in turner syndrome
- Can swollen limbs throw off your balance? a study investigates
- Could reapplying compression bandages three times a day beat the standard Once-Daily treatment for lymphedema?
- New study aims to catch lymphedema early in breast cancer patients