Glowing poop test could spot rare infant liver disease
NCT ID NCT07513038
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tests whether a fluorescent dye called indocyanine green (ICG) can help diagnose biliary atresia, a rare liver disease in infants where bile ducts are blocked. After injection, the dye is normally removed through bile and appears in stool. In infants with biliary atresia, the dye should not appear in stool. Researchers will check stool samples with a special camera to see if the dye is present. The study involves 20 infants under 3 months old who are already being evaluated for the condition.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Indocyanine Green (ICG)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could provide a simpler, non-invasive way to diagnose biliary atresia in infants, potentially replacing more complex tests.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early-phase study with only 20 infants. The test may not reliably distinguish biliary atresia from other causes of jaundice, and results may not apply to all infants.
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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Phase 1/2
Runs two stages together: safety and dose first, then whether the treatment works.
- Participants
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About 20 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Aug 2024
- Expected to finish
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Dec 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.
- Ages
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0 days to 3 months
- 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: 1. age \<3 months viable infants 2. cholestasis (defined as direct bilirubin \>1) 3. undergoing diagnostic HIDA scan to evaluate for biliary atresia Exclusion Criteria 1. kidney disease (eGFR \<60 mL/min/1.73m2) 2. grossly bloody stools 3. history of bowel surgery or disease 4. history of allergic reaction to ICG, iodine, or shellfish 5. unable to provide informed consent
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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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Boston Children's Hospital
RECRUITINGBoston, Massachusetts, 02115, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- A drop of blood could spot a deadly liver disease in newborns
- What drives a rare liver disease in newborns? a genetic deep dive aims to find out
- Diaper photos may spot hidden liver disease in babies
- Could daily antibiotics shield babies from Post-Surgery infections?
- Researchers dig into records to improve care for rare liver disease in kids