Dissolved Phase HXe-129 MRI: A Novel Biomarker to Quantify Pulmonary Pathology (ECig)

March 14, 2026 updated by: Y. Michael Shim, MD

Dissolved Phase Hyperpolarized Xenon-129 MRI: a Novel Biomarker to Quantify Pulmonary Pathology in Healthy Participants and E-cigarette Users

A two-center, longitudinal assessment of 40 electronic cigarette users and 40 healthy controls at the initial visit and a follow-up visit 12 months later. This study will determine the impact of electronic cigarette use on pulmonary gas exchange capacity and then corroborate the Hyperpolarized Xenon MRI (HXeMRI) results with the cardiopulmonary stress test at the initial visit and a follow-up visit 12 months later.

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

Electronic cigarettes have been commercialized as a "less harmful" alternative to traditional cigarettes. Electronic cigarettes generate vapor from ingredients containing well-known toxic materials such as carbonyls, tobacco-specific N-nitrosamines, and heavy metals. Nonhuman studies show that Electronic cigarettes cause pulmonary epithelial, endothelial, and vascular dysfunction. Electronic cigarette use has also been associated with cardiac and pulmonary diseases, including severe respiratory failure. Our preliminary studies suggest that we can detect subtle early changes in healthy young e-cigarette users by hyperpolarized xenon-129 MR imaging. We anticipate the following results from the three primary analyses. First, there will be significantly impaired gas exchange in electronic cigarette users compared to healthy controls at the initial and follow-up visits. Second, gas exchange impairment in electronic cigarette users will increase after an additional 12 months of electronic cigarette use. Further, as a secondary analysis, we speculate that because electronic cigarette users exhaust their cardiopulmonary reserve at rest, they will have reduced physical fitness detectable by the 6-minute walk and Cardio-pulmonary exercise tests.

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.
80

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.
  • Phase 2
  • Phase 3

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

  • United States
    • North Carolina
      • Durham, North Carolina, United States, 27705
        • Recruiting
        • Duke University
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Joseph Mammarappallil, MD
        • Contact:
    • Virginia
      • Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, 22908
        • Recruiting
        • University of Virginia
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Yun M Shim, MD
        • Contact:
        • Contact:

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

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Ages between 18 and 35 years old.
  2. At their baseline health
  3. Ability to understand a written informed consent form and comply with the requirements of the study.
  4. Exclusive long-term, recent, and greater than six months continuous e-cigarette use with greater than three days a week frequency.
  5. Users of "closed-container" and "pre-packaged" electronic cigarette juices that must contain nicotine.

  6. Healthy subjects must be at baseline normal spirometry with or without bronchodilator, plethysmograph lung volume, DLCO, and 6-minute walk by ATS/ERS with Global Lung Initiative Reference. (PFT will be completed during a screening visit); Ecigarette users can have normal spirometry (FEV1/FVC>70) or abnormal spirometry (FEV1/FVC 26-70)

    -

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. History of any other lung disease
  2. History of brain diseases including stroke (CNS) and dementia, end-stage liver disease, coronary artery disease, renal failure
  3. Acute infection of any kind previous 6 weeks
  4. Pregnancy or a possibility of pregnancy
  5. Anemia
  6. Inability to undergo PFT, CPET, or MR imaging (usual clinical standard criteria for MRI)
  7. Prior cigarette smoking of greater than one pack-year within six months before enrolling in the study.
  8. Using a non-closed container, custom-made electronic cigarette juice, or inability for the study team to access "closed-container" and "pre-packaged" electronic cigarette juice for chemical analysis

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: None (Open Label)

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.
Other: Healthy Participants
Young, healthy subjects without any lung disease or other inflammatory diseases.
Diagnostic test: Cardiopulmonary Stress Test
Exercise stress test to evaluate cardiac and pulmonary fitness.
Other Names:
  • CPET
Diagnostic test: Pulmonary Function Test
Standard clinic pulmonary function test to evaluate lung function
Other Names:
  • PFT
Diagnostic test: Chest CT
Clinical standard chest computer tomography to evaluate any lung tissue scars or air movement.
Drug: Hyperpolarized xenon 129
Determine the impact of e-cigarette use on pulmonary gas exchange capacity in interstitial tissues and capillaries using hyperpolarized xenon-129 MRI.
Other Names:
  • 129HxeMRI
Experimental: eCig user
Young, otherwise healthy subjects who have used electronic cigarettes for at least 6 months past year.
Diagnostic test: Cardiopulmonary Stress Test
Exercise stress test to evaluate cardiac and pulmonary fitness.
Other Names:
  • CPET
Diagnostic test: Pulmonary Function Test
Standard clinic pulmonary function test to evaluate lung function
Other Names:
  • PFT
Diagnostic test: Chest CT
Clinical standard chest computer tomography to evaluate any lung tissue scars or air movement.
Drug: Hyperpolarized xenon 129
Determine the impact of e-cigarette use on pulmonary gas exchange capacity in interstitial tissues and capillaries using hyperpolarized xenon-129 MRI.
Other Names:
  • 129HxeMRI

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
Acute effects of e-cig in e-cig users before and after using one usual dose at baseline and 12 months follow-up
Time Frame: baseline and 12 months follow-up
Cardiopulmonary stress test maximum oxygen uptake
baseline and 12 months follow-up
Acute effects of e-cig in e-cig users before and after using one usual dose at baseline and 12 months follow-up
Time Frame: Baseline and 12 months follow up
Pulmonary Function Test with 6 minute walk test
Baseline and 12 months follow up
Comparison between e-cig user vs. healthy participants at baseline and 12 month later
Time Frame: baseline and 12 month follow-up
Hyperpolarized MRI (ventilation defect, RBC/Gas, Membrane/Gas, and RBC/membrane numbers) capillaries using HXeMRI, and corroborate the HXeMRI signatures with the CPET for 40 healthy participants and 40 e-cigarette users use at an initial visit (V1) and a follow-up visit 12-months later (V2).
baseline and 12 month follow-up

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
Acute Effects of eCig use at baseline and 12 months follow-up
Time Frame: baseline and 12 months follow-up
blood levels of 32 chemical toxins
baseline and 12 months follow-up

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.
Y. Michael Shim, MD

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Duke University
George Mason University

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: Yun M Shim, MD, University of Virginia

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.
December 19, 2024

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, 2028

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, 2032

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).
November 15, 2024

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.
February 25, 2025

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.
March 4, 2025

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 17, 2026

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 14, 2026

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, 2026

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.
  • 230348
  • Pro00116167 (Other Identifier: Duke University IRB)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

As a part of publications.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

Yes

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

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.

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