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CompletedNCT03495115Updated Apr 17, 2026Results posted

Comparing Restriction Spectrum Imaging (RSI) to Conventional and Abbreviated Breast MRI for Breast Cancer Screening

An interventional study of MRI and RSI in Breast Cancer, sponsored by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to female participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-04-17.

Sponsored by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center · Not applicable, Interventional, and Screening

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
460
Allocation
Non-randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
Female
01

Study summary

This study is looking at a breast cancer screening technique, restriction spectrum imaging (RSI), as a possible alternative to the breast Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) used by most healthcare professionals.

The technique involved in this study is:

-Restriction Spectrum Imaging (RSI)

Read the detailed description

The primary purpose of this research study is to measure RSI's ability to diagnose breast cancer in comparison to standard breast MRIs.

RSI is a technique that has been shown to address the limitations of certain types of MRI exams used to make images of the prostate and brain. RSI is not a FDA-approved technique for screening, but is a type of advanced diffusion technique and diffusion weighted imaging is used as a part of the standard breast MRI. RSI has been shown to improve tumor detection in prostate and brain. For example, a recent pilot study in prostate showed that adding RSI improved the ability to find a certain stage of prostate cancer in comparison to an MRI without the use of the RSI technique. By comparing RSI's ability to diagnose breast cancer, future clinical testing can determine whether RSI is a more efficient way to screen for breast cancer.

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Conditions studied

  • Breast Cancer

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Keywords

  • Breast Cancer
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Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
Female
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Group 1 will consist of women who present for screening breast MRI:

    • Age >= 18
    • Female
    • Asymptomatic for breast disease
    • Presenting for routine breast cancer screening with MRI
  • Group 2 will consist of women who presented for a screening mammogram (2D or 3D tomosynthesis) AND who have had a biopsy recommended after diagnostic workup:

    • Age >= 18
    • Female
    • Asymptomatic for breast disease
    • Presenting for routine breast cancer screening with mammogram (2D or 3D tomosynthesis) and/or ultrasound
    • Biopsy recommended after subsequent diagnostic workup (BI-RADS 4 or 5)

Radiologist Reader Participant

Inclusion Criteria

  • Must have clinical experience in interpreting breast MRI.
  • Must have interpreted at least 10 breast MRI exams with RSI interpretation.

Exclusion Criteria:

-Known or suspected renal insufficiency, rendering the participant unable to safely receive intravenous contrast based on institutional clinical protocol.

Renal insufficiency for the purposes of exclusion includes any of the following:

  • Failed Chokye questionnaire
  • Known history of end stage renal disease with EGFR\<30 mL/min/1.73m2
  • Point of care (POC) measure of creatinine clearance (eGFR) prior to obtaining the MRI \<35. We will perform this POC test as needed per institutional policy for routine MRI if: (a) no creatinine result is available in the OMR within 30 days of the MRI exam, (b) the patient is > 60 years old, or (c) the patient is on hydroxyurea.

    • History of adverse or allergic-like reaction to gadolinium MRI intravenous contrast, rendering the participant unable to safely receive intravenous contrast based on institutional clinical protocol.
    • Presence of MRI unsafe devices or objects which would make having an MRI unsafe, as per institutional clinical protocol. MRI unsafe devices or objects for the purposes of exclusion include but are not limited to certain intracranial aneurysm clips, cardiac pacemaker, and implantable defibrillator devices, metallic heart valve, or coronary artery stents, breast tissue expanders, bio or neurostimulators, pellets and bullets, ocular implants and devices, otologic and cochlear implants. Other devices or metallic objects may be deemed unsafe for MRI at the radiologist's discretion.
    • Unable to tolerate exam (i.e., secondary to untreatable claustrophobia, positioning constraints/unable to lie prone).
    • Body weight exceeds that allowable by the MRI table.
    • Breast biopsy or surgical intervention planned before the test RSI-MRI in this study.
    • Breast implants (silicone or saline).

      8. Nursing or thinks she may be or is pregnant, as gadolinium contrast-enhanced MRI is unsafe. We will perform a pregnancy test as needed per institutional policy for routine breast MRI. Per institutional clinical protocol, all females of childbearing potential who are uncertain if they are pregnant or think they are pregnant must have a blood test or urine study within 2 weeks prior to the MRI exam to rule out pregnancy. A female of childbearing potential is any woman, regardless of sexual orientation or prior tubal ligation, who:

    • Has not had a hysterectomy or bilateral oophorectomy OR
    • Has not been naturally post-menopausal for at least 2 years (i.e., has had menses at any time in the preceding 2 years

Radiologist Reader Participant

-None.

04

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Screening
Allocation
Non-randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
460 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Active comparator
    Conventional Breast MRI

    Standard MRI procedure will be used.

    Device: MRI

  • Experimental
    Restriction Spectrum Imaging

    * RSI is a DWI sequence with a built in distortion-correction technique that can be applied to any diffusion technique using echo planar imaging acquisition. * RSI will be performed using pulsed-field gradient, spin-echo, echo planar imaging with "multi-shell" diffusion data . * The b0 images will be collected in both the forward and reverse phase encoding directions to allow for post-processing correction of spatial distortion from magnetic field.

    Device: RSI

Interventions

  • DeviceMRI

    A MRI uses a strong magnet to produce detailed pictures of the inside of your body.

  • DeviceRSI

    RSI is a technique that aims to improve the pictures produced during a MRI exam.

05

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Diagnostic Accuracy of Restriction Spectrum Imaging (RSI) in Comparison to Conventional Breast MRI for Detection of Breast Cancer in the Screening Population.

    Comparison of participants with cancer in the DCE- MRI group compared to RSI group. Review of the examinations was performed by 3 expert breast imagers and number of cancers detected in each group were compared.

    Time frame: 2 years

06

Results

Posted Apr 17, 2026

Participant flow

Group1- Conventional Breast MRI Group 2 - Restriction spectrum imaging

Participant flow — Overall Study
MilestoneScreening Breast MRI Versus Restriction Spectrum Imaging
Started460
Completed460
Not completed0

Outcome measures

PrimaryDiagnostic Accuracy of Restriction Spectrum Imaging (RSI) in Comparison to Conventional Breast MRI for Detection of Breast Cancer in the Screening Population.

Comparison of participants with cancer in the DCE- MRI group compared to RSI group. Review of the examinations was performed by 3 expert breast imagers and number of cancers detected in each group were compared.

Time frame:
2 years
Reported as:
Number · participants with identified cancer
Diagnostic Accuracy of Restriction Spectrum Imaging (RSI) in Comparison to Conventional Breast MRI for Detection of Breast Cancer in the Screening Population.
participants with identified cancerDCE MRIRestriction Spectrum Imaging (RSI)
Diagnostic Accuracy of Restriction Spectrum Imaging (RSI) in Comparison to Conventional Breast MRI for Detection of Breast Cancer in the Screening Population.340
Statistical analysis
  • DCE MRI vs Restriction Spectrum Imaging (RSI) · ANOVA · p = <0.05

Adverse events

Collected over This was an imaging study and there is no treatment arm. The adverse effects were related to IV contrast administration and thus collected at the time of contrast administration. The patient was monitored when the imaging study was performed for adverse contrast reaction for that day of the study performed. There was no follow-up for adverse events as there was no intervention done.. Non-serious events are listed at a 0% frequency threshold.

Adverse event summary by group
GroupDeathsSeriousOther
Conventional Breast MRI0/460 (0%)0/460 (0%)0/460 (0%)
Restriction Spectrum Imaging0/460 (0%)0/460 (0%)0/460 (0%)

Baseline characteristics

Age, Categorical
Age, Categorical(Participants)Screening Breast MRI Versus Restriction Spectrum Imaging
<=18 years0
Between 18 and 65 years400
>=65 years60
Sex/Gender, Customized
Sex/Gender, Customized(Participants)Screening Breast MRI Versus Restriction Spectrum Imaging
SEX — FEMALE460
SEX — MALE0
Race and Ethnicity Not Collected
Race and Ethnicity Not Collected(Participants)Screening Breast MRI Versus Restriction Spectrum Imaging
Region of Enrollment
Region of Enrollment(Participants)Screening Breast MRI Versus Restriction Spectrum Imaging
United States460
07

Study locations

1 site
  • Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
    Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
08

References and documents

Study documents

  • Study protocol · Mar 19, 2019

Documents are hosted by the registry — open the source record to download them.

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT03495115
Lead sponsor
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Collaborators
Radiological Society of North America, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Responsible party
Vandana Dialani (Principal Investigator, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center) — Principal investigator
First posted
Apr 11, 2018
Start date
Apr 18, 2018
Primary completion
Dec 30, 2023
Completion
Dec 30, 2023
Results posted
Apr 17, 2026
Last update
Apr 17, 2026

Study contacts

Vandana Dialani, MD
principal investigator · Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
Yes
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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