Brain scan breakthrough: new MRI method could spot autism in kids

NCT ID NCT02165410

First seen Mar 29, 2026 · Last updated Jun 23, 2026 · Updated 16 times

Summary

This study tested whether a special MRI technique called ASL-MRI can measure blood flow in the brains of children with autism. The goal was to see if this could be used as a non-invasive diagnostic tool, similar to PET scans but without radiation. Researchers studied 115 children aged 5 to 17 with autism or suspected autism, comparing MRI results with other methods like eye tracking.

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This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

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Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades Service de Radiologie Pédiatrique

    Paris, 75743, France

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 could lead to a non-invasive MRI-based method to help diagnose autism in children.

What could go wrong

This is an early-stage observational study, not a treatment trial. The results may not translate into a reliable diagnostic test for all cases.

Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

autism intellectual disability

As listed by the trial registrant

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