Clinical trial · Interventional
Upright Open MRI for Brain Imaging in Children - a Pilot Study
- Source
- ClinicalTrials.gov
- Retrieved
- Sep 8, 2026
- Layer
- normalized (units and labels harmonized; values unchanged)
- Run
- ING-CLINICALTRIALS-20260908-000001
Summary
Brief summary (as posted)
PRIMARY OBJECTIVE To establish feasibility and acceptability of diagnostic brain MRI in young children for specified indications using an upright MRI system without sedation or anaesthesia. SECONDARY OBJECTIVES To establish how young children who undergo brain MRI using upright MRI view the experience To establish how parents / carers of young children who undergo brain MRI using the upright MRI view the experience for their child and for themselves. To establish how image quality compares between brain MRI using the upright MRI scanner and the standard MRI scanner used in clinical practice.
Conditions
Conditions (1)
Free-text conditions as registered, with the CancerIndex entity they were reconciled to and the match type.
| Condition (as posted) | Mapped entity | Match | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brain Tumor | Brain Neoplasm | ALIAS | 0.90 |
Interventions
Interventions (1)
| Intervention | Type | Mapped drug | Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| MRI scan | Procedure | — | UNRESOLVED |
Design
Arms and outcomes
Arms (1)
- type
- OTHER
- label
- MRI upright open scanner
- description
- All participants will undergo MRI scanning in the dedicated open upright 0.5T MRI research MRI scanner , with parents or guardian in attendance if desired, and with their own choice of music or video during the scan. Immediately following the MRI scan we will collect information relating to their experience of the upright scanner using an age-appropriate questionnaire, based on similar questionnaires that we have used for paediatric MRI studies previously. A photograph of the upright MRI room will be used to prompt this discussion. The parent or carer may also be involved in prompting the child's responses. We will also collect the views of the parent / carer using a questionnaire.
- interventionNames
- Procedure: MRI scan
Primary outcomes (1)
- measure
- MRI scan feasibility and image quality rating (by neuroradiologists) .
- timeFrame
- within 4 weeks of diagnostic MRI scan
- description
- To establish feasibility and acceptability of diagnostic brain MRI in young children for specified indications using an upright MRI system without sedation or anaesthesia. Two experienced neuroradiologists blinded to patient and scanner will assess image quantity and motion artifact on each scan and rating image quality on a five point likert scale.Exams classified as 3, 4, or 5 "good", "very good" and " excellent" are considered diagnostic. The primary acceptability endpoint is defined as: 'more than 75% of child participants reporting a positive experience of the upright open MRI scan'.
Eligibility
Eligibility (as posted)
- Sex
- All
- Minimum age
- 5 Years
- Maximum age
- 10 Years
Show eligibility criteria text
Inclusion Criteria: * Referred for clinical brain MRI scan for either: Symptoms and signs suggestive of brain tumour, or Known VP shunts with a clinical suspicion of shunt dysfunction Parental consent and child's agreement to participate Inclusion criteria for the adult participants: Parent / carer of a child participant Exclusion Criteria: * Contra-indication to MRI scans Programmable VP shunt requiring re-programming after the research MRI Unable to sit upright unsupported Focal intracranial signs such that a targeted MRI protocol would be required (e.g. focal seizures, focal neurology, visual impairment, pituitary dysfunction). Exclusion criteria for the adult participants: Contra-indication to being in the scan room
References
Publications (5)
- BACKGROUNDMarshall SP, Smith MS, Weinberger E. Perceived anxiety of pediatric patients to magnetic resonance. Clin Pediatr (Phila). 1995 Jan;34(1):59-60. doi: 10.1177/000992289503400114. No abstract available. PMID 7720333
- BACKGROUNDChou IJ, Tench CR, Gowland P, Jaspan T, Dineen RA, Evangelou N, Abdel-Fahim R, Whitehouse WP, Constantinescu CS. Subjective discomfort in children receiving 3 T MRI and experienced adults' perspective on children's tolerability of 7 T: a cross-sectional questionnaire survey. BMJ Open. 2014 Oct 15;4(10):e006094. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2014-006094. PMID 25320001
- BACKGROUNDHallowell LM, Stewart SE, de Amorim E Silva CT, Ditchfield MR. Reviewing the process of preparing children for MRI. Pediatr Radiol. 2008 Mar;38(3):271-9. doi: 10.1007/s00247-007-0704-x. Epub 2007 Dec 15. PMID 18084752
- BACKGROUNDCarter AJ, Greer ML, Gray SE, Ware RS. Mock MRI: reducing the need for anaesthesia in children. Pediatr Radiol. 2010 Aug;40(8):1368-74. doi: 10.1007/s00247-010-1554-5. Epub 2010 Feb 26. PMID 20186541
- BACKGROUNDde Amorim e Silva CJ, Mackenzie A, Hallowell LM, Stewart SE, Ditchfield MR. Practice MRI: reducing the need for sedation and general anaesthesia in children undergoing MRI. Australas Radiol. 2006 Aug;50(4):319-23. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1673.2006.01590.x. PMID 16884416