Can an ultrasound score replace MRI for fatty pancreas diagnosis?
NCT ID NCT07722689
First seen Jul 23, 2026 · Last updated Jul 24, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests whether a new ultrasound scoring system can accurately measure fat buildup in the pancreas. Researchers will compare ultrasound results with MRI, the current gold standard, in 36 adults with fatty pancreas. The goal is to see if ultrasound can serve as a simpler, more accessible diagnostic tool.
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 validated, this ultrasound scoring system could offer a simpler, cheaper way to diagnose and grade fatty pancreas without the need for MRI.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage observational study with only 36 participants. The ultrasound score may not match MRI accuracy well enough to replace it in practice.
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Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Participants
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36 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Oct 2020
- Finished
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Dec 2023
- 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
The study will enroll adult male and female patients aged 18-65 years who are referred to the Pancreatic Diseases Unit with a hyperechoic pancreas on abdominal ultrasound.
- Ages
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18 to 65 years
- 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: * Male or female patients aged 18 to 65 years. * Diagnosis of fatty pancreas confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). * Adequate pancreatic visualization on abdominal ultrasound, defined as visualization of at least 50% of the pancreatic parenchyma. * Provision of written informed consent, signed and dated prior to study enrollment. * Ability to understand the nature of the study and to comply with all study procedures and protocol requirements. Exclusion Criteria: * Age \<18 years or \>65 years. * Any psychiatric condition, cognitive impairment, or other circumstance that, in the investigator's judgment, may compromise the participant's ability to comply with the study procedures or protocol requirements. * Patients with a diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis, pancreatic neoplasms, congenital pancreatic disorders, viral infections, iron overload disorders, or a history of medication use or other medical conditions that may increase pancreatic echogenicity, thereby acting as potential confounding factors in the interpretation of the ultrasound findings.
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli
Roma, 00168, Italy
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