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RecruitingNCT05957679Updated Feb 12, 2026

MRE Evaluation for Spinal Cord Tumor Surgery: Stiffness and Adhesion Assessment

An interventional study of Magnetic Resonance Elastography and Assessment and Recording in Spinal Cord Tumors, sponsored by Shengjing Hospital. Recruiting at 1 site in China. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 80 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-02-12.

Sponsored by Shengjing Hospital · Not applicable, Interventional, and Diagnostic

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
20
Allocation
Not applicable
Ages
18 Years to 80 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

In spinal cord tumors requiring surgical intervention, the resection difficulty is determined by two significant factors: tumor stiffness and adhesion to surrounding tissue.

The stiffness of the tumor dictates the complexity of removal, while strong adhesion presents additional challenges during the surgical procedure.

This clinical trial aims to assess the clinical utility of magnetic resonance elastography (MRE), in evaluating the stiffness and adhesion of spinal cord tumors and guiding surgical planning to selecting the most appropriate surgical approach for patients with spinal cord tumors.

Read the detailed description

Spinal cord tumors are a common condition in neurosurgery, including neurofibroma, spinal meningioma, ependymoma, glioma, spinal lipoma, and so on.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) plays a crucial role in the preoperative evaluation and planning of spinal cord tumor surgery. It provides detailed information about the tumor's location, size, and relationship to adjacent structures.

However, routine MRI may not always provide sufficient information about the tumor's stiffness or adhesion, which can impact surgical planning and postoperative outcomes. Magnetic resonance elastography and slip interface imaging can help measure the mechanical properties of tissues, including their stiffness or adhesion.

By combining the above methods, surgeons can identify areas of potential tumor adherence or invasion into surrounding structures, allowing for more precise surgical resection and minimizing the risk of damage to critical neural tissue.

02

Conditions studied

  • Spinal Cord Tumors

Keywords

  • MRE
  • Slip Interface Imaging
  • Glioma
  • Magnetic Resonance Elastography
  • Spinal meningioma
  • Neurofibroma
  • Ependymoma
  • Astrocytoma
  • Glioblastoma
  • Spinal lipoma
03

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 80 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

  • All patients undergoing spinal cord tumor resection surgery are eligible for inclusion in the study cohort.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients with metallic implants or foreign bodies in their bodies (pacemakers, artificial metallic heart valves, metal joints, metal implants, and those who cannot remove dentures, insulin pumps, or contraceptive rings)
  • Pregnant women in the first trimester (within three months)
  • Patients with severe claustrophobia or anxiety
  • Patients with severe fever
  • Patients who can not tolerate MRE
  • Patients with vascular malformations and aneurysms.
  • Patients who do not sign an informed consent
04

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Diagnostic
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
20 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Diagnostic(MRE, tumor grading of stiffness and adhesion)

    Patients undergo a preoperative routine MRI scan and MRE the day before their scheduled surgery. During surgery, the tumor stiffness and adhesion are assessed and recorded by the surgeon according to established evaluation criteria. It is important to note that the surgeon does not have prior knowledge of the tumor's specific stiffness and adhesion before the surgery. This information is typically obtained through intraoperative assessment and observation.

    Diagnostic Test: Magnetic Resonance Elastography · Procedure: Assessment and Recording

Interventions

  • Diagnostic testMagnetic Resonance Elastography

    Undergo MRE and routine MRI

    Also known as: MRE

  • ProcedureAssessment and Recording

    Undergo grading and recording of tumor stiffness and adhesion during surgery

05

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Surgical assessment of tumor stiffness

    The surgeon will score the tumor stiffness in seven aspects, ranging from 1 to 5 points: Tumor size; Shape of tumor; Tumor texture; Stiffness of the tumor's capsule; Stiffness of the tumor's central region; Primary methods of tumor removal; Features of tumor's capsule.

    Time frame: Baseline to 6 weeks

  2. Surgical assessment of tumor adhesion

    The surgeon will score the tumor's adhesion based on seven aspects, ranging from 1 to 4 points: Stripping instruments; Frequency of use of sharp instruments; Adhesion range; Degree of tumor resection; Cranial nerve anatomy preservation; Brain tissue anatomy preservation; Neurological function (compared with preoperative).

    Time frame: Baseline to 6 weeks

06

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
  • Shengjing Hospital
    Shenyang, Liaoning 110000, China
    • Yu Shi, MD · Contact · 18940259980@163.com · +8618940259980
    • Anhua Wu, MD · Contact · wuanhua@yahoo.com · +8618900925766
    • Yu Shi, MD · Principal investigator
    • Anhua Wu, MD · Principal investigator
    • Wen Cheng, MD · Principal investigator
    Recruiting
07

References and documents

Publications

  • Murphy MC, Huston J 3rd, Glaser KJ, Manduca A, Meyer FB, Lanzino G, Morris JM, Felmlee JP, Ehman RL. Preoperative assessment of meningioma stiffness using magnetic resonance elastography. J Neurosurg. 2013 Mar;118(3):643-8. doi: 10.3171/2012.9.JNS12519. Epub 2012 Oct 19. PubMed 23082888 ↗
  • Hughes JD, Fattahi N, Van Gompel J, Arani A, Meyer F, Lanzino G, Link MJ, Ehman R, Huston J. Higher-Resolution Magnetic Resonance Elastography in Meningiomas to Determine Intratumoral Consistency. Neurosurgery. 2015 Oct;77(4):653-8; discussion 658-9. doi: 10.1227/NEU.0000000000000892. PubMed 26197204 ↗
  • Yin Z, Lu X, Cohen Cohen S, Sui Y, Manduca A, Van Gompel JJ, Ehman RL, Huston J 3rd. A new method for quantification and 3D visualization of brain tumor adhesion using slip interface imaging in patients with meningiomas. Eur Radiol. 2021 Aug;31(8):5554-5564. doi: 10.1007/s00330-021-07918-6. Epub 2021 Apr 14. PubMed 33852045 ↗
  • Yin Z, Hughes JD, Trzasko JD, Glaser KJ, Manduca A, Van Gompel J, Link MJ, Romano A, Ehman RL, Huston J 3rd. Slip interface imaging based on MR-elastography preoperatively predicts meningioma-brain adhesion. J Magn Reson Imaging. 2017 Oct;46(4):1007-1016. doi: 10.1002/jmri.25623. Epub 2017 Feb 14. PubMed 28194925 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

08

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT05957679
Lead sponsor
Shengjing Hospital
Responsible party
Yu Shi (Deputy director of department of radology, Shengjing Hospital) — Principal investigator
First posted
Jul 24, 2023
Start date
Jan 1, 2023
Primary completion
Sep 1, 2026 (estimated)
Completion
Sep 1, 2027 (estimated)
Last update
Feb 12, 2026

Study contacts

Yu Shi, MD
Contact
18940259980@163.com
+86 189 4025 9980
Wen Cheng, MD
Contact
cmu071207@163.com
+86 150 4023 5535
Yu Shi, MD
principal investigator · Shengjing Hospital
Anhua Wu, MD
principal investigator · Shengjing Hospital
Wen Cheng, MD
principal investigator · Shengjing Hospital

Oversight

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

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