Identification of Hepatic Fibrosis Using 4D-MRI (4D-MRI Liver)

March 17, 2025 updated by: University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland

Noninvasive Stage Identification of Hepatic Fibrosis Using 4D-MRI

To date, no specific treatment options exist for liver diseases, and there is a large global effort to find drugs that will halt liver disease progression in these patients.Liver fibrosis staging is essential as a diagnostic/prognostic measure and there is an increasing demand for accurate non-invasive liver stiffness measurement tools. This research project proposes a novel MR-based quantitative Liver Deformation Biomarker (qLDB) approach for non-invasive liver fibrosis assessment by using a new technique called 4D-MRI. 4D-MRI allows to overcome the limitations of currently used techniques. Hence, 4D-MRI may help to identify a novel biomarker for non-invasive staging of liver fibrosis , and therefore improve the final diagnosis of patients suffering from liver diseases.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Chronic liver diseases represent a rising global health threat. A prolonged inflammatory state leads to progressive fibrosis that can result in liver cirrhosis associated with serious complications including loss of liver function or hepatocellular carcinoma development. A particularly strong increase in the prevalence, morbidity, and mortality occurs in fatty liver disease, such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and alcohol-related liver disease; (ALD).To date, no specific treatment options for these conditions exist, and there is a large global effort to find drugs that will halt liver disease progression in these patients. Liver fibrosis staging is essential as a diagnostic/prognostic measure and there is an increasing demand for accurate non-invasive liver stiffness measurement tools. This research project proposes a novel MR-based quantitative Liver Deformation Biomarker (qLDB) approach for non-invasive liver fibrosis assessment by using a new technique called 4D-MRI. This technique makes it possible to overcome limitations in currently used techniques, i.e. to capture the abdominal organs with high spatial resolution in 3-dimensions at a high frame rate of 2-3 Hz and enabled an entirely new insight into the human body. The final diagnosis (i.e., stage of fibrosis) is based on quantifying changes of the liver's mechanical properties by dynamic magnetic resonance (MR) measurements and comparing the liver's elastic deformation with healthy livers. This innovative methodology allows for the first time to quantitatively measure the elastic deformation of organs during free-breathing and for an extended period, since no harmful X-rays are required. The hypothesis of the study is that the mechanical changes a liver undergoes during liver disease progression are visible in 4D-MRI data sets as a reduced elasticity. This will be assessed using our 4D-MRI approach taking into account the liver's deformation induced by natural respiration and also cardiac pulsation. The primary objective of the study is to compare liver deformation, induced at different respiratory breath-hold positions, by respiratory motion, and cardiac pulsation, between healthy subjects and patients with histologically confirmed liver cirrhosis in order to find a novel biomarker for non-invasive staging of liver fibrosis.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
200

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • Switzerland
    • Basel-Land
      • Liestal, Basel-Land, Switzerland, 4410
        • Recruiting
        • Kantonsspital Baselland (KSL)
        • Contact:
        • Sub-Investigator:
          • Damien Toia, Dr. med.
    • Basel-Stadt
      • Basel, Basel-Stadt, Switzerland, 4052
        • Recruiting
        • University Hospital Basel
        • Contact:
        • Contact:
        • Sub-Investigator:
          • Philippe Cattin, Prof. Dr.

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • age ≥ 18 years
  • (a) Patients with histologically confirmed chronic liver disease, including NAFLD, ALD, viral hepatitis B and C, genetic (e.g. Wilson disease, hemochromatosis) or autoimmune liver disease
  • (b) Patients with acute liver inflammation or cardiac blood congestion to the liver (as assessed by laboratory values, imaging findings and clinical history)
  • ability to understand and consent to participate in this study

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Medical implant like cardiac pacemaker, pump, hip prosthesis
  • Metallic objects in the body (e.g. splinters after an accident)
  • Persons who have undergone brain or cardiac surgery
  • Claustrophobia
  • Body Weight >140kg or as provided by the MR manufacturer
  • Pregnant and lactating women
  • (a) Active hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (remark: patients with a history of HCC and curative treatment can be included)
  • (a) CHILD C cirrhosis
  • (a) and (b) Patients with overt ascites (except if they respond to diuretic treatment and the ascites resolves)
  • (c) Metabolic syndrome, BMI >30 kg/m2
  • (c) Acute or chronic liver disease
  • Patients not willing or able to give a written informed consent

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Diagnostic
  • Allocation: Non-Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: 4D-MRI assessment for patients with liver diseases
patients with chronic liver diseases, acute liver inflammation or cardiac blood congestion to the liver will be assessed by MRI
Diagnostic test: 4D-MRI
Novel MR-imaging (MRI) and postprocessing techniques, making it possible to capture breathing-induced abdominal motion, including liver motion, under free-breathing. For the first time, these techniques - called 4D-MRI - were able to capture the abdominal organs with high spatial resolution in 3-dimensions at a high frame rate of 2-3 Hz and enabled an entirely new insight into the human body.
Experimental: 4D-MRI assessment for healthy volunteers (control group)
healthy control subjects will be assessed by MRI
Diagnostic test: 4D-MRI
Novel MR-imaging (MRI) and postprocessing techniques, making it possible to capture breathing-induced abdominal motion, including liver motion, under free-breathing. For the first time, these techniques - called 4D-MRI - were able to capture the abdominal organs with high spatial resolution in 3-dimensions at a high frame rate of 2-3 Hz and enabled an entirely new insight into the human body.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in the spatial-temporal deformation fields
Time Frame: 90 days
To find out whether the spatial-temporal deformation fields, as induced by natural respiration and cardiac pulsation, and as assessed by dynamic MR measurements, are changed in liver cirrhosis if compared to healthy livers.
90 days

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Assessment of mechanical changes with 4D-MRI
Time Frame: 90 days
To assess whether the mechanical changes a liver undergoes during liver disease progression are visible in 4D-MRI data sets as a progressively reduced elasticity, and can be correlated to histological data of the study participants
90 days
Differential Diagnosis
Time Frame: 90 days
To assess whether the liver's mechanical properties/elastic deformation can differentiate between liver fibrosis (due to chronic liver disease) and acute inflammatory processes/venous blood congestion
90 days
Superiority Assessment of 4D-MRI vs.US elastography
Time Frame: 90 days
To assess whether 4D-MRI shows improved sensitivity and specificity if compared to US-elastography in staging hepatic fibrosis
90 days
Superiority Assessment of 4D-MRI vs, standard MRI
Time Frame: 90 days
To assess whether 4D-MRI shows improved sensitivity and specificity if compared to standard clinical liver MRI in staging hepatic fibrosis
90 days

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Magdalena Filipowicz Sinnreich, PD Dr., University Hospital of Basel

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
August 1, 2021

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 31, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 31, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
May 17, 2022

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
May 17, 2022

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
May 23, 2022

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
March 25, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
March 17, 2025

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
March 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 2020-02669; th22Bieri

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Cookie Settings

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. For more details carefully read our Privacy and Cookies Policy. ...>>>You can change your preferences or withdraw your consent at any time by deleting the cookies from your website or computer as described in the policy. Please accept it and choose your preferences by ticking the corresponding boxes in the "Manage Settings" section below. Please carefully read our Terms of Service before you proceed with using any part of this website.
«Manage Settings