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RecruitingNCT03581318Updated Oct 5, 2026

Technical and Translational Development of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (CMR) Imaging

An observational study in Normal and Abnormal Cardiovascular Physiology, sponsored by National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 7 Years to 100 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-10-05.

Sponsored by National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) · Observational

From the registry’s dates

  • Started Jul 2018; still recruiting 8 years 3 months later.
Study type
Observational
Model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
5,000
Ages
7 Years to 100 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Background:

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an important non-invasive tool to study and diagnose cardiovascular disease. MRI scanners use strong magnetic fields and radio waves to create pictures of body organs. Researchers want to find better MRI methods and new ways of imaging cardiovascular disease and better understand normal and abnormal cardiovascular and brain function. Researchers are also interested in seeing if gadolinium, the commonly used MRI contrast agent, stays in the body long after the MRI was performed.

Objectives:

To develop new methods for imaging the heart and other organs of the body.

To describe cardiovascular diseases using newer MRI methods

To look at the relationship between cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular risk factors and other organ systems

To look for gadolinium deposits in the brain from prior exams.

Eligibility:

Healthy people and people with known or suspected cardiovascular disease ages 7 and older may be eligible for this study.

Researchers may be particularly interested in those who:

  • Have suspected or known cardiovascular disease
  • Were previously exposed to a gadolinium-based contrast agent,
  • Need to have a heart MRI scheduled
  • Need a test of the heart or other body part or will be undergoing a future cardiac catheterization

Design:

There are multiple arms to the study with optional components; therefore, there are multiple variations as to what an individual participant s experience may involve.

Participants will have an MRI scan lasting up to 2 hours. The scanner is a large hollow tube. During the scan, there may be loud knocking and buzzing sounds caused by the scanner. Participants will lie on a table that slides in and out of the tube. Their vital signs may be monitored.

Participants may have a test of heart electrical activity using wires connected to pads on the skin.

Participants may have blood drawn.

Participants may be injected with an MRI contrast agent through a plastic tube inserted in the arm.

Read the detailed description

The purpose of this protocol is to develop and test new MRI techniques applicable to patients undergoing cardiovascular evaluation with the ultimate goal of translating the technical advances into improving clinical diagnosis and management of patients undergoing cardiovascular evaluation. Patients undergoing cardiovascular evaluation and healthy volunteers will be scanned under the protocol. We will evaluate new developments in non-contrast and contrast MRI of the heart and blood vessels and novel postprocessing methods.

The use of the newer sequences will be used to improve clinical imaging workflow and disease diagnosis. We hope to use this protocol to clearly describe cardiovascular disease and associated problems using novel MRI methods and follow certain subsets of patients with disease as part of a natural history process. Inter-related physiologic systems may be phenotyped by MRI with characterization of disease associations between different organ systems.

Additionally, information regarding gadolinium deposition of the brain will be gathered. The literature regarding deposition of gadolinium in the brain has a large void regarding information of prevalence of the phenomenon in healthy subjects. The National Institutes of Health has a large healthy subject pool who have participated in gadolinium contrast MRI studies. This pool of healthy subjects is not easily available at most clinical MRI centers, and thus, we are uniquely well-situated to be able to answer this outstanding question.

For all objectives, MRI studies will be conducted in the NIH MRI systems located at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. These procedures may involve the intravenous administration of commercially available MR contrast media and exercise or pharmacologic stress testing. Results will be used to evaluate the performance of various research pulse sequences, gradient coils, and radiofrequency receiver coils on human subjects and will provide essential ground work for specific patient protocols, both diagnostic and therapeutic.

02

Conditions studied

  • Normal and Abnormal Cardiovascular Physiology

Keywords

  • Congenital Heart Defects
  • Heart Valve Diseases
  • Chest pain (angina)
  • Heart Failure
  • Coronary Heart Disease
  • CABG
  • CARDIOMYOPATHY
  • Atherosclerosis
  • MRI Technology Improvement
03

In context

Heart Defects, Congenital

991 studies on the registry are indexed under Heart Defects, Congenital; 251 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 5,000 is above the median of 119 across 440 observational studies indexed under Heart Defects, Congenital.

Browse Heart Defects, Congenital studies →

Lead sponsor

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) is the lead sponsor of 1,143 studies on the registry; 71 are open to participants now.

Of its 58 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 51 (88%) have results posted.

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

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
7 Years to 100 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes
Sampling method
Non-probability sample

Study population

Primary care clinic

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

  • Age >= 7 years
  • Able to follow instructions and lie still in the MRI scanner
  • Currently without known Cardiovascular disease
  • Able to provide in writing or provide guardian consent
  • Willingness to cooperate with all study procedures and available for scheduled study events

Exclusion criteria

EXCLUSION CRITERIA FOR HEALTHY VOLUNTEERS:

  • Important past or chronic medical illness such as major cardiovascular conditions like myocardial infarction, congenital heart disease, and known cardiomyopathy
  • Conditions that are thought to make MRI unsafe (that will be determined by filling out a separate form) including:

    • Cardiac pacemaker or implantable defibrillator unless it is labeled safe or conditional for MRI
    • Cerebral aneurysm clip unless it is labeled safe for MRI
    • Neural stimulator (e.g. TENS-Unit) unless it is labeled safe for MRI
    • Any type of ear or cochlear implant unless it is labeled safe for MRI
    • Ocular foreign body (e.g. metal shavings)
    • Metal shrapnel or bullet unless cleared by plain x-ray as safe for MRI
    • Any implanted device (e.g. insulin pump, drug infusion device), unless it is labeled safe or conditional for MRI
  • \< 60 mL/min/1.73m\^2 using the 2021 CKD-EPI equation or equivalent (using the CRIScalculated eGFR to define the threshold) and a serum creatinine measured within 2 weeks without intercurrent change in medical condition or medications. Subjects meeting this exclusion criterion may still be included in the study but may not be exposed to gadolinium-based contrast agents
  • Pregnancy. When uncertain of pregnancy status, subjects will undergo serum or urine pregnancy testing within the 7 days prior to the examination. Among those subjects who will receive MRI contrast, subjects of will under serum or urine pregnancy testing within 7 days of the day prior to examination. In addition, the subject will be asked if she may be pregnant prior to the performance of the MRI, even if the pregnancy test was negative within the past week. The pregnancy test will be repeated if she answers in the affirmative. and surgically sterilized subjects are automatically exempt from this testing.
  • If receiving contrast, breast feeding women (unless subject is willing to discard breast milk for 24 hours) are excluded
  • Healthy volunteer children will not have contrast
  • In a year's time, healthy volunteers are not restricted as to the number of non-contrast MRI examinations they undergo, but they may not undergo more than two examinations involving gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCA) and those exposures will be at least 18 hours (12 half-lives) apart.

INCLUSION CRITERIA FOR SUBJECTS WITH KNOWN OR SUSPECTED WITH HEART DISEASE:

  • Age >= 7 years
  • Subjects with known or suspected cardiovascular disease
  • Able to provide in writing or provide guardian consent
  • Willingness to cooperate with all study procedures (including food restriction) and available for scheduled study events

EXCLUSION CRITERIA FOR SUBJECTS WITH KNOWN OR SUSPECTED HEART DISEASE:

  • Conditions that are thought to make MRI unsafe (that will be determined by filling out a separate form) including:

    • Cardiac pacemaker or implantable defibrillator unless it is labeled safe or conditional for MRI
    • Cerebral aneurysm clip unless it is labeled safe for MRI
    • Neural stimulator (e.g. TENS-Unit) unless it is labeled safe for MRI
    • Any type of ear or cochlear implant unless it is labeled safe for MRI
    • Ocular foreign body (e.g. metal shavings)
    • Metal shrapnel or bullet unless cleared by plain x-ray as safe for MRI
    • Any implanted device (e.g. insulin pump, drug infusion device), unless it is labeled safe or conditional for MRI
  • Pregnancy. When uncertain of pregnancy status, subjects will undergo serum or urine pregnancy testing within the 7 days prior to the examination. Among those subjects who will receive MRI contrast, subjects of child-bearing potential will undergo serum or urine pregnancy testing 7 days prior to examination. In addition, the subject will be asked if she may be pregnant prior to the performance of the MRI, even if the pregnancy test was negative within the past week. The pregnancy test will be repeated if she answers in the affirmative. Post-menopausal and surgically sterilized subjects are automatically exempt from this testing.
  • Breast feeding (unless subject is willing to discard breast milk for 24 hours if receiving contrast)
  • eGFR \< 30 mL/min/1.73m\^2 using the 2021 CKD-EPI equation or Community Practice Standard for Pediatric case or equivalent and a serum creatinine measured within 2 weeks without intercurrent change in medical condition or medications. Subjects meeting this exclusion criterion may still be included in the study but may not be exposed to gadolinium-based contrast agents
  • Cardiorespiratory instability as determined by the enrolling clinician

INCLUSION CRITERIA FOR SUBJECTS WITH NON-CARDIAC DISEASE:

  • Age >= 7 years
  • Able to provide informed consent in writing or provide guardian consent
  • Willingness to cooperate with all study procedures (including food restriction) and available for scheduled study events
  • Known or suspected brain, hematology, oncology, endocrine, pulmonary, or other non-cardiac disease.

EXCLUSION CRITERIA FOR SUBJECTS WITH NON- CARDIAC DISEASE:

  • Conditions that are thought to make MRI unsafe (that will be determined by filling out a separate screening form) including:

    • Cardiac pacemaker or implantable defibrillator unless it is labeled safe or conditional for MRI
    • Cerebral aneurysm clip unless it is labeled safe for MRI
    • Neural stimulator (e.g. TENS-Unit) unless it is labeled safe for MRI
    • Any type of ear or cochlear implant unless it is labeled safe for MRI
    • Ocular foreign body (e.g. metal shavings)
    • Metal shrapnel or bullet unless cleared by plain x-ray as safe for MRI
    • Any implanted device (e.g. insulin pump, drug infusion device), unless it is labeled safe or conditional for MRI
  • Pregnancy. When uncertain of pregnancy status, subjects will undergo serum or urine pregnancy testing within the 7 days prior to the examination. Among those subjects who will receive MRI contrast, subjects of child-bearing potential will undergo serum or urine pregnancy testing on the day of the examination. In addition, the subject will be asked if she may be pregnant prior to the

performance of the MRI, even if the pregnancy test was negative within the past week. The pregnancy test will be repeated if she answers in the affirmative. Post-menopausal and surgically sterilized subjects are automatically exempt from this testing.

  • Breast feeding in those subjects receiving contrast (unless subject is willing to discard breast milk for 24 hours
  • eGFR \< 30 mL/min/1.73m\^2 using the 2021 CKD-EPI equation or equivalent and a serum creatinine measured within 2 weeks without intercurrent change in medical condition or medications. Subjects meeting this exclusion criterion may still be included in the study but may not be exposed to gadolinium-based contrast agents
  • Cardiorespiratory instability or as determined by the enrolling clinician
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(4)

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.

GFR and eGFR (kidney filtering)

GFR (glomerular filtration rate) is how much blood the kidneys filter each minute. It is usually estimated from a blood test — eGFR, by formulas such as CKD-EPI or MDRD — and some studies ask for it to be measured directly instead. Usually given in mL/min/1.73 m².

Check the method, the units and the minimum the study states. A value of 90 or above is in the normal-or-high range, but kidney damage can show in other tests too.

Childbearing potential

Able to become pregnant: from the first period until menopause, unless permanently unable to through surgery (removal of the womb, or of both ovaries or both fallopian tubes).

Criteria for people of childbearing potential usually ask for a negative pregnancy test and for contraception during the study and for a time after it.

Postmenopausal

Periods have stopped for good: usually no period for 12 months in a row without another medical reason, sometimes confirmed by a blood test (FSH).

05

Study design

Observational model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
5,000 participants (estimated)

Groups and cohorts

  • Assessing Gadolinium deposition within the brain in healthy and patient subjects

    Both healthy subjects and patient subjects who have previously undergone MRI and received gadolinium.

  • Child Patient or Healthy Child

    Healthy children will be used as controls for children with cardiac disease. Child patient will undergo MRI scans.

  • Healthy Volunteers

    Subjects may be used to test image quality or functionality of MRI sequences; subjects may also be used as controls for adults with cardiac and non-cardiac disease.

  • Research Patients Cardiac and Non Cardiac

    Adults with risk factors for cardiac disease or suspected or known cardiac disease

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Translational development of MRI sequences

    Possible comparison to other studies that subjects may have undergone. Descriptive MRI catalogue of multiple cardiovascular processes Follow-up of outcomes subsequent to the MRI scan in select subject groups Follow-up of changes in diagnosis following the MRI scan in select subject groups

    Time frame: on going

  2. Technical development of MRI sequences

    Possible assessments include structure depictions, heart chamber volumes, blood flow velocity, image quality scores, pixelwise and segmental summary scores of parametric maps in the heart. Anatomical imaging may be assessed for non- cardiac applications. Contrast- to-noise, and signal-to-noise measurements may be performed. For novel sequences, comparisons to standard product sequences may be performed.

    Time frame: on going

  3. Evaluating the correlation

    Measurements of cardiac chamber size and function, vascular reactivity and perfusion are among the parameters that may be followed with comparison to standard biomarkers of disease and clinical manifestations of disease. Neurologic vascular reactivity, blood volume, resting state connectivity, BOLD signal changes may be compared among healthy subjects, asymptomatic subjects with risk factors, and subjects with disease.

    Time frame: on going

  4. Assesment of Gad deposition in the brain

    Assessment of non-contrast MRI findings that are consistent with gadolinium deposition.

    Time frame: on going

07

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
  • National Institutes of Health Clinical Center
    Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
    Recruiting
    • For more information at the NIH Clinical Center contact Office of Patient Recruitment (OPR) · Contactprpl@cc.nih.gov · 800-411-1222
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Bandettini WP, Shanbhag SM, Mancini C, Henry JL, Lowery M, Chen MY, Xue H, Kellman P, Campbell-Washburn AE. Evaluation of Myocardial Infarction by Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance at 0.55-T Compared to 1.5-T. JACC Cardiovasc Imaging. 2021 Sep;14(9):1866-1868. doi: 10.1016/j.jcmg.2021.02.024. Epub 2021 May 19. No abstract available. PubMed 34023254 ↗
  • Bandettini WP, Shanbhag SM, Mancini C, McGuirt DR, Kellman P, Xue H, Henry JL, Lowery M, Thein SL, Chen MY, Campbell-Washburn AE. A comparison of cine CMR imaging at 0.55 T and 1.5 T. J Cardiovasc Magn Reson. 2020 May 18;22(1):37. doi: 10.1186/s12968-020-00618-y. PubMed 32423456 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Undecided — The study team will make a decision on this matter.

09

Updates

1 registry update since Sep 25, 2026
Minor edits
Nothing that changes what the study is or who can join. Edited: verification date
1 update, last Oct 5, 2026
Show all 1 update
  1. Oct 5, 2026
    Minor edits only
    + 1 other change: verification date

From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT03581318
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Jul 10, 2018
Start date
Jul 12, 2018
Primary completion
Apr 1, 2028 (estimated)
Completion
Apr 1, 2028 (estimated)
Last update
Oct 5, 2026

Study contacts

Jennifer L Henry, R.N.
Contact
henryjl@nhlbi.nih.gov
(301) 827-6720
W. Patricia Bandettini, M.D.
Contact
ingkanisorn@nih.gov
(301) 451-3128
W. Patricia Bandettini, M.D.
principal investigator · National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)

Oversight

FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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