New MRI technique may spot brain tumor return vs. radiation scar
NCT ID NCT04373720
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Sep 15, 2026 · Updated 3 times
Summary
This pilot study is testing whether magnetic resonance elastography (MRE), a special type of MRI that measures tissue stiffness, can tell apart radiation necrosis (damage from radiation therapy) from recurrent glioma (tumor regrowth) in patients who have already been treated for brain cancer. About 80 adults with a history of glioma will undergo MRE along with standard MRI. The goal is to see if stiffness measurements can provide a more accurate diagnosis, potentially guiding better treatment decisions.
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 distinguish between tumor regrowth and radiation damage, helping doctors choose the right treatment without unnecessary surgery.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small early-stage pilot study, so results may not be definitive. The technique is still experimental and may not be accurate enough for routine 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 80 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Mar 2020
- Expected to finish
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Nov 2028
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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18 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.
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 * \>/=18 years old. * History of a pathology proven intracranial glioma (including IDH mutant, IDH wildtype or 1p19q co-deleted tumors) treated with chemotherapy and radiation. * The lesion of concern (T2 Flair Hyperintense or contrast enhancing lesion) is \> 2 cm * Patient is able to understand and give consent to participation in the study. Exclusion Criteria * Patients less than 18 years of age. * Pregnant. * Known allergy to gadolinium-based contrast agents. * Renal failure as evidenced by a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of less than 30 mL/min/1.73m2. * Pacemakers, electronic stimulation, metallic foreign bodies and devices and/or other conditions that are not MR safe, which include but are not limited to: * electronically, magnetically, and mechanically activated implants * ferromagnetic or electronically operated active devices like automatic cardioverter defibrillators and cardiac pacemakers * metallic splinters in the eye * ferromagnetic hemostatic clips in the central nervous system (CNS) or body * cochlear implants * other pacemakers, e.g., for the carotid sinus * insulin pumps and nerve stimulators * non-MR safe lead wires * prosthetic heart valves (if dehiscence is suspected) * non-ferromagnetic stapedial implants * claustrophobia that does not readily respond to oral medication
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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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M D Anderson Cancer Center
RECRUITINGHouston, Texas, 77030, United States
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