New MRI scanner could spot ACL tears without surgery

NCT ID NCT07366619

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now This study
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

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Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study tests a new type of MRI scanner called Magic Angle Directional Imaging (MADI) that can move around the patient to get clearer images of ligaments and tendons. Researchers will scan 20 adults scheduled for ACL repair surgery to see if MADI can diagnose tears more accurately than standard MRI. If it works, it may help doctors plan surgeries better and reduce the need for exploratory arthroscopy.

What this could mean

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

Active substance
Magic Angle Directional Imaging (MADI) MRI scanner
What this could lead to
If successful, this could provide a more accurate, non-surgical way to diagnose ACL tears and other ligament injuries, potentially reducing the need for exploratory surgery.
What could go wrong
This is a very small early study with only 20 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The new scanner is a prototype and may not be widely available for years.

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.

Participants

About 20 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Started

Jan 2025

Expected to finish

Jun 2027

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

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.

Who is studied

Before a patient can enter the study, they will have undergone a clinically indicated MRI for knee pathology which diagnosed an ACL injury requiring surgery.

Ages

18 to 65 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show 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: * adults aged 18 - 65 years * selected for ligament repair surgery * ability to give informed consent, either written or e-consent * no contraindications to MRI * BMI ≤ 28 or thigh circumference less than 47 cm at approximately 7.5cm above the joint line Exclusion Criteria: * acutely unwell or frail patients in whom extension of scanning time may not be tolerated or may delay treatment * contraindications to MRI * participants who are too big to be able to fit in the prototype scanner * recent surgery to the affected joint * severe pain * pregnant and/or breastfeeding participants

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries

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.

  1. The places running it

    2 sites. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

    Open the record ↗

  3. 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

  • Imperial College London

    RECRUITING

    London, SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom

  • Imperial College NHS Trust, Department of Surgery and Cancer

    RECRUITING

    London, W6 8RF, United Kingdom

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