MRI may replace surgery to spot shunt clogs in brain fluid disorder
NCT ID NCT07172841
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 26, 2026
Summary
This study will test whether MRI scans can detect a blocked shunt in adults with normal pressure hydrocephalus without needing surgery. Sixty participants will have their shunt temporarily set to 'off' for 5-7 days to mimic a blockage. Researchers will compare MRI images and blood tests before, during, and after this period to see if they can spot the obstruction.
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 way to diagnose shunt blockages in hydrocephalus patients, reducing the need for exploratory surgery.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage study (60 people) that only simulates a blockage for a few days. Real-world blockages may behave differently, and the method may not be accurate enough for 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 60 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Sep 2025
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2034
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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65 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.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Patients with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) * Treated at either the Hydrocephalus Research Unit in Gothenburg or at the Department of Neurological Surgery at Linköping University Hospital or Sahlgrenska University Hospital Exclusion Criteria: * Unable to conform to instructions of the study
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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 official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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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.
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