ISOVUE Comparative Trial (ISOVUE)

January 14, 2026 updated by: Rush University Medical Center

ISOVUE Contrast for Intraoperative Assessment of Discectomy Quality in TLIF: A Prospective Randomized Trial

This study aimed to investigate a novel technique for intraoperative quantitative and qualitative feedback during discectomy and endplate preparation in TLIF.

Study Overview

Status

Status

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

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

The purpose of this study was to introduce a novel surgical technique using ISOVUE-300M contrast dye for intraoperative visualization of discectomy progress and to test the value of this technique by comparing outcomes of two patient cohorts. The investigators hypothesize that the standard TLIF technique results in a surprisingly low percentage of effective disc preparation, even when performed by an experienced TLIF surgeon. Secondly, the investigators hypothesize that by using intraoperative visual feedback to guide a second discectomy pass that the extent of disc space preparation can be substantially improved compared to patients where visual feedback is not available. Lastly, the investigators aim to conduct a clinical outcomes analysis evaluating radiographic and complication outcomes. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this prospective study is the first to evaluate differences in disc space preparation using a novel contrast-based technique while also providing clinical outcomes.

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 (Actual)

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.
56

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 Locations

  • United States
    • Illinois
      • Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60612
        • Rush University Medical Center

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
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patients undergoing open circumferential transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion or midline cortical TLIF for degenerative spondylolisthesis

Exclusion Criteria:

  • All not in the group above

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: Treatment
  • Allocation: 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.
Placebo Comparator: Observation
In the Observation group, after initial discectomy and endplate preparation, ISOVUE-300M contrast was administered into the disc space and orthogonal anterior-posterior and lateral radiographs were obtained. The case then proceeded with graft and cage insertion without additional disc excision or endplate work.
Procedure: ISOVUE 300 Observation
In the Observation group, after initial discectomy and endplate preparation,ISOVUE-300M contrast was administered into the disc space and orthogonal anterior-posterior and lateral radiographs were obtained. The case then proceeded with graft and cage insertion without additional disc excision or endplate work.
Experimental: Feedback
In the Feedback group, the surgeon was permitted to utilize the ISOVUE imaging as a feedback mechanism to then re-prepare the disc space prior to final graft/cage insertion. An additional dose of ISOVUE-300M was administered into the disc space with repeat radiographs obtained prior to grafting/cage insertion to demonstrate the effect of the second pass of disc and cartilage removal.
Procedure: ISOVUE 300 Feedback
In the Feedback group, the surgeon was permitted to utilize the ISOVUE imaging as a feedback mechanism to then re-prepare the disc space prior to final graft/cage insertion. An additional dose of ISOVUE-300M was administered into the disc space with repeat radiographs obtained prior to grafting/cage insertion to demonstrate the effect of the second pass of disc and cartilage removal.

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
Anteroposterior Plane Clearance
Time Frame: Immediately after Discectomy
Disc space clearance in the anteroposterior (AP) plane at the index level measured on oblique radiographs.
Immediately after Discectomy
Mediolateral Plane Clearance
Time Frame: Immediately after Discectomy/Excision Intraoperatively
Disc space clearance in the mediolateral (ML) plane as measured by oblique radiographs.
Immediately after Discectomy/Excision Intraoperatively
Visual Analog Scale
Time Frame: First Postoperative Clinic Appointment (within first 6 weeks)
Visual Analog Scale survey assessing leg pain and back pain
First Postoperative Clinic Appointment (within first 6 weeks)

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
Lumbar Lordosis
Time Frame: Immediately after Discectomy Intraoperatively
Lumbar Lordosis as measured by oblique radiographs.
Immediately after Discectomy Intraoperatively
Pelvic Incidence
Time Frame: Immediately after Discectomy Intraoperatively
Pelvic incidence (PI) as measured by oblique radiographs.
Immediately after Discectomy Intraoperatively
Disc Height
Time Frame: Immediately after Discectomy Intraoperatively
Disc height at the index level as identified by oblique radiographs.
Immediately after Discectomy Intraoperatively
Oswestry Disability Index
Time Frame: First Postoperative Clinic Appointment (within first 6 weeks)
Oswestry Disability Index survey describing disability as a result of spinal conditions.
First Postoperative Clinic Appointment (within first 6 weeks)
Short Form Survey
Time Frame: First Postoperative Clinic Appointment (within first 6 weeks)
SF-12 survey asking patient views about health
First Postoperative Clinic Appointment (within first 6 weeks)

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.
Rush University Medical Center

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

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.
April 11, 2019

Primary Completion (Actual)

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.
June 19, 2023

Study Completion (Actual)

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.
June 19, 2023

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).
January 7, 2026

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.
January 14, 2026

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.
January 23, 2026

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.
January 23, 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.
January 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.
January 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.
  • 18072502-IRB02

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

The investigators will consider sharing if contacted with reasonable requests.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

Yes

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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