Recruiting

Observational Study

Sponsor:

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Code:

NCT03458676

Conditions

Brain Lesion

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

Advanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging Scan

Standard of Care Brain Biopsy and Tumor Removal

Study Details

Brief summary:

The goal of this clinical research study is to learn if using advanced magnetic resonance imaging (AMRI) will improve the targeting of brain tumor needle biopsies compared to the standard targeting techniques. Researchers also want to learn how the results of the images and biopsies compare to each other to try to improve the way researchers and radiologists use AMRI images.

This is an investigational study. The perfusion scan is not FDA approved or commercially available. It is currently only being used in research.

There will be no cost to you for the advanced MRI, additional anesthesia, special pathology stains, and/or gene testing for this study.

Up to 50 patients will take part in this study. All will be enrolled at MD Anderson.

Conditions

Brain Lesion

Study ID

NCT03458676

Start date

Sep 6, 2012

Status verified date

Apr, 2026

Completion date

Sep 1, 2030

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Sep 1, 2030

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Patient is >18 years old, agrees to participate in the clinical study and to complete all required visits and evaluations. The pediatric population has a different disease profile from the glioma patients we hope to recruit. To reduce heterogeneity in the patient population we will not consider patients younger than 18 for this study.
2. Patient is a candidate for cerebral tumor resection with lesion suspected to be or previously biopsy proven to be a primary brain tumor.
3. Patient is able to understand and give consent to participation in the study.
4. Patient agrees to undergo, prior to the procedure, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI, within 14 days and preferably with 3 days of the planned procedure) with perfusion, diffusion and spectroscopic imaging. As per study chair's judgement, imaging outside this time window will also be permitted, for suspected slow growing tumors.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. The patient is found to have unfavorable anatomy to indicate that stereotactic biopsy could not be safely performed.
2. Renal failure as evidenced by a GFR of less than 30 mL/min/1.73m2 for gadolinium based imaging, for iodinated contrast agent we will use the more strict cut-off of 45 mL/min/1.73m2 (Davenport, 2020, Radiology: Use of IV Iodinated contrast media in patients with Kidney Disease: Consensus statement from the ACR and the National Kidney Foundation). This differentiation reflects the different risk profiles of these agents, and are conservative when compared to our clinical practice. In the absence of eGFR lab result, patient is not excluded in the absence of remarkable pathological renal history as confirmed by and in the discretion of the PI. As per current departmental guidelines, late-generation gadolinium contrast agents (such as gadobutrol and gadopiclenol), can still be administered safely in the setting of low renal function, provided clinical risk-benefit is maintained.
3. 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
  • pregnancy
  • claustrophobia that does not readily respond to oral medication 4. Allergy to relevant imaging contrast agents, includes allergies to iodine or gadolinium-based contrast agents (if one class of agents is contra-indicated, then imaging with the other can still proceed).

Study Design

Enrollment

62 participants

Anticipated

Intervention Model

Single group

Primary purpose

Diagnostic

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: Advanced MR Imaging (AMRI) Scan

AMRI scan performed within 2 weeks before standard of care brain surgery.

During the surgery, neurosurgeon(s) use the information collected from the AMRI to decide what area of the brain tumor will be biopsied.

Interventions

Advanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging Scan

AMRI scan performed within 2 weeks before standard of care brain biopsy and tumor removal surgery.

AMRI scan should take less than 1 hour to complete

Standard of Care Brain Biopsy and Tumor Removal

During the surgery, the neurosurgeon(s) uses the information collected from the AMRI to decide what area of the brain tumor will be biopsied.

Biopsies from up to 5 locations taken before the tumor is surgically removed.

Primary outcome measure

  • Comparison of the Accuracy of the Pathological Grades of Tumor Observed at the Biopsy Locations Identified Using Conventional Versus Advanced Imaging [ Time Frame: 2 weeks ]
  • Target Sample Grading [ Time Frame: 2 weeks ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Locations

University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Recruiting

Houston, Texas, United States, 77030

Contacts

Dawid Schellingerhout, MD

dawid.schellingerhout@mdanderson.org

More Information

Sponsor

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Last update posted

Apr 15, 2026

Last verified

Apr, 2026

Keywords

  • Advanced magnetic resonance imaging
  • AMRI

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-10. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by M.D. Anderson Cancer Center on 2026-04-15.