An observational study in Lymphedema, Lymphatic Disorders and Lipedema, sponsored by The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston. Enrolling by invitation at 3 sites in United States. Open to participants aged 3 Months and older, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-03-10.
Sponsored by The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston · Observational
The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the feasibility of near-infrared fluorescence imaging in subjects with acquired or hereditary lymphedema, in subjects with lipidema and other lymphovascular disorders and in normal health subjects; in order to attempt to correlate imaging phenotype(s) with genotype(s).
Currently, there is no method to assess lymphatic function in persons with acquired (developed following surgery or trauma) lymphedema, hereditary lymphedema or other lympho-vascular disorders. The causes of these disorders, and the means to distinguish between them, is not available from existing diagnostics. A method to monitor lymphatic function could assist in the development of new therapies, the prediction of a patient's susceptibility to develop these disorders, and the evaluation of patient's conditions or responses to therapy and treatment. In this Phase I/II trial, we inject Indocyanine Green (ICG) off-label as a lymph contrast agent and use a custom designed fluorescence imager to conduct near-infrared fluorescence imaging to dynamically follow lymphatic trafficking in subjects. Blood is also collected for DNA analysis. The resulting images are analyzed, and the phenotypes observed in both normal and diseased subjects are used to correlate to mutations of specific genes reported to be associated with lymphatic development.
1) Persons with lymphatic dysfunction (e.g. lymphedema, lipedema, dercums, etc.), 2) Persons with vascular malformation that suggest a lymphatic component, 3) Family members of persons, whom participated in this study, with a lymphatic dysfunction or vascular malformation that suggests a lymphatic component and 3) Healthy, normal individuals as controls
Inclusion Criteria for Participation in NIRFLI with ICG (Group 1):
Exclusion Criteria for Participation in NIRFLI with ICG (Group 1):
Inclusion Criteria for Participation in Genetic Analysis Only (Group 2):
Exclusion Criteria for Participation in Genetic Analysis Only (Group 2):
1) The subject has experienced a medical problem from a prior blood draw
1\) Persons affected with lymphatic or lympho-vascular disorders, 2) Family members (affected or unaffected) of persons affected with lymphatic or lympho-vascular disorders and 3) Health, normal persons (Controls) that participate at one of the clinical sites in both the lymphatic function imaging with indocyanine green and the Near-infrared Fluorescence Lymphatic Imaging (NIRFLI) system, as well, as the genetic analysis portion of the study.
Drug: NIRFLI with ICG
Family members of an affected subject from Group 1. Subjects in Group 2 can be either affected or unaffected and will provide a blood or saliva sample for the genetic analysis portion of the study, but will not undergo lymphatic function imaging with ICG and the NIRFLI system. Group 2 individuals are not required to travel to one of the clinical sites in order to participate in the study.
We conduct Near-infrared Fluorescence Lymphatic Imaging following the off-label use of Indocyanine Green as a lymph contrast agent and the use of a custom designed fluorescence imager to dynamically follow lymphatic trafficking in subjects. We seek to use the resulting phenotypes acquired in normal and diseased patients to correlate to mutations of specific genes reported to be associated with lymphatic development.
Also known as: IC-Green, Cardio-Green, ICG, Near-infrared Fluorescence Lymphatic Imaging (NIRFLI)
Near-infrared fluorescence lymphatic imaging (NIRFLI) provides informaton on lymphatic function or dysfunction to diagnose disorders
Time frame: Images are collected for up to 3 hours after injection with indocyanine green
Eligibility is decided by the study team. Share this record with your doctor or contact the team directly.
No contact was published for this record. The registry link below has the sponsor’s details.
Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.
Sign in to followQuestions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.
Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.
Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.
The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston