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RecruitingNCT02170155Updated Dec 22, 2025

MRI-changes in Morphometry and Cerebro Spinale Fluid (CSF) Flow in Spinal Cord Disorders

An observational study in Spinal Injury, sponsored by University of Zurich. Recruiting at 1 site in Switzerland. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 80 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-12-22.

Sponsored by University of Zurich · Observational

Study type
Observational
Model
Case-control
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
350
Ages
18 Years to 80 Years
Sex
All
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Study summary

Understanding the onset and progression of spinal cord disorders is an important aim in clinical neurology. An early diagnosis with consequent therapy might prevent the progression of disability. Therefore, we aim to determine structural and dynamic changes in the microstructure of the spinal cord and CSF, and to explore the relationships between the MRI parameters, clinical disability, and electrophysiology.

In some patients that undergo decompressive surgery CSF pressure will be measured invasive perioperative for 24h to find out if functional limitations and structural changes correlate with the spinal pressure and the spinal perfusion when the spinal cord is damaged.

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Conditions studied

  • Spinal Injury

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03

In context

Spinal Injuries

57 studies on the registry are indexed under Spinal Injuries; 15 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 350 is above the median of 92 across 22 observational studies indexed under Spinal Injuries.

Browse Spinal Injuries studies →

Lead sponsor

University of Zurich is the lead sponsor of 1,049 studies on the registry; 133 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

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Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 80 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes
Sampling method
Probability sample

Study population

Subjects with spinal cord disorder and CSM

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • Cervical injury
  • Age 18-80
  • CSM

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • No other neurologic disorder and psychiatric disorder
  • Seizure
  • MRI incompatibility
  • Pregnancy
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(1)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Informed consent

Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.

You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.

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Study design

Observational model
Case-control
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
350 participants (estimated)
Patient registry
No

Groups and cohorts

  • Patients with CSM
  • Patients with spinal injury (SCI)
  • Healthy controls
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What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Morphometric changes and changes in cerebro spinal fluid (CSF) flow and spinal cord movement in patients and control subjects will be correlated to functional deficits and neurophysiological data (regression model analysis).

    Time frame: Each patient will undergo a MRI scan, clinical and electrophysiological examinations at baseline, after 6 months and after 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 years. Controls will undergo 1 MRI scan and some scan of retest analysis

  2. Assessment of CSF pressure dynamics in the perioperative setting

    Time frame: Perioperative for 24hours

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Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
  • University of Zurich, Balgrist University Hospital
    Zurich, Canton of Zurich 8008, Switzerland
    Recruiting
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References and documents

Publications

  • Pfender N, Jutzeler CR, Hubli M, Scheuren PS, Pfyffer D, Zipser CM, Rosner J, Friedl S, Sutter R, Spirig JM, Betz M, Schubert M, Seif M, Freund P, Farshad M, Curt A, Hupp M. Potential thresholds of critically increased cardiac-related spinal cord motion in degenerative cervical myelopathy. Front Neurol. 2024 Jun 24;15:1411182. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1411182. eCollection 2024. PubMed 38978814 ↗
  • Kheram N, Boraschi A, Pfender N, Spiegelberg A, Kurtcuoglu V, Curt A, Schubert M, Zipser CM. Queckenstedt's test repurposed for the quantitative assessment of the cerebrospinal fluid pulsatility curve. Acta Neurochir (Wien). 2023 Jun;165(6):1533-1543. doi: 10.1007/s00701-023-05583-w. Epub 2023 Apr 20. PubMed 37079108 ↗
  • Zipser CM, Pfender N, Spirig JM, Betz M, Aguirre J, Hupp M, Farshad M, Curt A, Schubert M. Study protocol for an observational study of cerebrospinal fluid pressure in patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy undergoing surgical deCOMPression of the spinal CORD: the COMP-CORD study. BMJ Open. 2020 Sep 21;10(9):e037332. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-037332. PubMed 32958488 ↗
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Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Dec 22, 2025, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT02170155
Collaborators
Foundation Wings For Life, Balgrist Foundation
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Jun 23, 2014
Start date
Dec 2012
Primary completion
Dec 2026 (estimated)
Completion
Dec 2026 (estimated)
Last update
Dec 22, 2025

Study contacts

Patrick Freund, PhD
Contact
patrick.freund@balgrist.ch

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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