Heart scan breakthrough could save lives by pinpointing who needs bypass surgery
NCT ID NCT06047028
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study is testing a new type of MRI, called hyperpolarized 13C MRI, to see if it can better identify which patients with heart disease will benefit from bypass surgery. The technique measures how the heart produces energy by tracking two simple molecules. Researchers will compare the results in healthy people and patients before and after surgery. If it works, this could help doctors make more precise treatment decisions.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Hyperpolarized 13C MRI (imaging technique using a special contrast agent, pyruvate)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could lead to a more accurate way to select patients for bypass surgery, improving outcomes and avoiding unnecessary procedures.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early feasibility study with only 30 participants. The new MRI method may not prove better than existing scans, and results may not apply to all patients.
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
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About 30 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Jun 2023
- Expected to finish
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Jun 2026
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.
Who is studied
Potential human subjects will be identified and referred by cardiothoracic surgeons (Drs. Peltz or Jessen.) and their clinical team will discuss the opportunity to participate with their patients or potential subjects. A research nurse from the Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery Clinical Trials office will directly contact the subject to further discuss study participation, otherwise, the details and contact information of clinical study coordinator will be provided for prescreening. Once the study candidate expresses interest, details will be forwarded to the Advanced Imaging Research Center and an appointment will be scheduled for the 13C metabolic imaging exam. All NIH and UTSWMC regulations related to confidentiality, recruitment practices, etc., will apply. All patients will be reviewed for medical history, demographics, subject eligibility criteria, MRI screening form, informed consent, and pregnancy test for females of child-bearing potential.
- Ages
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20 to 80 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
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.
The eligibility criteria for this feasibility study are designed to select participants who will provide valuable insights into myocardial metabolism using HP-13C MRI in various contexts related to ischemic heart failure. These criteria aim to ensure that the study population is diverse and representative of the patient groups under investigation. Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria: * Age range: 20 to 80 years * Sex: Random allocation * Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF): * Preoperative patients with LVEF \< 0.35 * Healthy subjects with LVEF \> 0.50 * Clinical history: * Previous myocardial infarction (MI): Excluded for healthy subjects, included for preoperative patients. * Diabetes mellitus: Excluded for all participants. * Hypertension: Included for all participants * Mean blood pressure: Systolic \< 140 mm Hg and Diastolic \< 90 mm Hg for all participants * Mean heart rate: 78 beats/min for all participants * Current smoker status: Included but will be reported. * Medication use within 24 hours: Use will be reported. * Coronary artery bypass surgery history: Excluded for healthy subjects, included for preoperative patients. * Infarct type and location: Excluded for healthy subjects, included for preoperative patients with various Q-wave infarct types and locations. * Number of diseased coronary vessels: Excluded for healthy subjects, included for preoperative patients with at least one diseased vessel. * Additional medical history and clinical data: Variations in data availability are expected based on the practices of referring physicians and will be documented.
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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
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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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.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
RECRUITINGDallas, Texas, 75390, United States
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- Hospital-to-Home transitional cardiac rehabilitation as a transition from Centre-Based cardiac rehabilitation after cardiac surgery: a Single-Blind randomised controlled trial
- Opportunistic screening of coronary artery calcium on Non-Gated routine chest CT using artificial intelligence: retrospective external validation and clinical risk stratification
- AI heart scan software aims to spot dangerous blockages without invasive probes
- A shot of nicorandil before stenting might keep blood flowing
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