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RecruitingNCT07823426CSCSUpdated Oct 21, 2026

Cervical Spinal Cord Signal Abnormalities in Patients With Cervical Radicular Pain

An observational study in Cervical Radiculopathy and Cervical Myelomalacia, sponsored by Ankara City Hospital Bilkent. Recruiting at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-10-21.

Sponsored by Ankara City Hospital Bilkent · Observational

Updated Oct 21, 2026Now Recruiting1 site added+1 moreGo to Updates ↓
Study type
Observational
Model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
400
Sex
All
01

Study summary

This prospective observational study aims to determine the prevalence of cervical spinal cord signal abnormalities, including myelomalacia, among adult patients presenting to a tertiary pain clinic with cervical radicular pain.

A total of 400 consecutive patients will be enrolled. Clinical and neurological examination findings, including the Hoffmann sign and other findings suggestive of cervical spinal cord involvement, will be recorded together with cervical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings obtained as part of routine clinical care.

The primary outcome is the prevalence of cervical spinal cord signal abnormalities, including myelomalacia, on cervical MRI. Secondary outcomes include the treatment strategy selected during routine clinical care, clinical and radiological factors associated with treatment selection, the relationship between the Hoffmann sign and cervical spinal cord abnormalities, and referral for surgical evaluation.

This is an observational study. Participation in the study will not determine or alter diagnostic or treatment decisions, which will be made by the treating physician according to routine clinical practice.

02

Conditions studied

  • Cervical Radiculopathy
  • Cervical Myelomalacia

Keywords

  • Cervical Radicular Pain
  • Cervical Spinal Cord Signal Abnormality
  • Myelomalacia
  • Spinal Cord Compression
  • Hoffman
03

In context

Radiculopathy

483 studies on the registry are indexed under Radiculopathy; 145 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 400 is above the median of 100 across 95 observational studies indexed under Radiculopathy.

Browse Radiculopathy studies →

Lead sponsor

Ankara City Hospital Bilkent is the lead sponsor of 443 studies on the registry; 111 are open to participants now.

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

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
Child (0–17), Adult (18–64), Older adult (65+)
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No
Sampling method
Probability sample

Study population

The study population will consist of 400 consecutive adult patients presenting to the tertiary Pain Medicine Clinic of Ankara Bilkent City Hospital with cervical radicular pain. Participants will be prospectively enrolled during routine clinical evaluation. Clinical and neurological examination findings, cervical MRI characteristics, and the treatment strategy selected by the treating physician will be recorded. No diagnostic or therapeutic intervention will be assigned by the study protocol.

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 18 years or older
  • Presentation to the pain clinic with cervical radicular pain
  • Clinical symptoms and/or examination findings consistent with cervical nerve root involvement
  • Availability of a cervical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination suitable for evaluation
  • Completion of standardized neurological examination at the initial visit
  • Ability and willingness to provide written

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Previous cervical spine surgery
  • Acute cervical spine trauma
  • Known cervical spinal
  • Active spinal infection
  • Known inflammatory, demyelinating, or other non-degenerative spinal cord disease
  • Severe cognitive impairment or communication difficulty preventing reliable clinical assessment
  • Inadequate or non-diagnostic cervical MRI quality
  • Refusal to participate
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(2)

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.

Cancer (malignancy)

Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.

Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.

05

Study design

Observational model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
400 participants (estimated)
Target follow-up
1 Day
Patient registry
Yes

Groups and cohorts

  • Patients With Cervical Radicular Pain

    Patients With Cervical Radicular Pain

    Diagnostic Test: Clinical and Cervical MRI Assessment

Interventions

  • Diagnostic testClinical and Cervical MRI Assessment

    Participants will undergo routine clinical and neurological evaluation, including assessment of the Hoffmann sign and other neurological findings, together with evaluation of cervical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings. Cervical MRI findings, including spinal canal stenosis, spinal cord compression, intramedullary signal abnormalities, and myelomalacia, will be recorded. All assessments are performed as part of routine clinical care. No diagnostic procedure or treatment is assigned by the study protocol.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Prevalence of Cervical Spinal Cord Signal Abnormalities Including Myelomalacia

    The proportion of participants with cervical spinal cord signal abnormalities identified on cervical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), including intramedullary T2-weighted signal abnormalities and findings consistent with myelomalacia, will be determined. The prevalence will be calculated as the number of participants with these MRI findings divided by the total number of enrolled participants with evaluable cervical MRI examinations.

    Time frame: At the initial clinical evaluation (baseline)

Secondary outcomes

  1. Planned Treatment Strategy

    The treatment strategy selected during routine clinical care will be recorded for each participant. Management will be categorized as interventional pain procedure, medical treatment without intervention, referral for surgical evaluation, or other clinically appropriate management.

    Time frame: At the initial clinical evaluation (baseline)

  2. Clinical and Radiological Factors Associated With Interventional Treatment Selection

    The association between predefined clinical and radiological variables and the decision to plan an interventional pain procedure will be evaluated. Variables will include Hoffmann sign, motor deficit, hyperreflexia, Babinski sign, clonus, gait abnormality, central canal stenosis, spinal cord compression, intramedullary signal abnormality, and myelomalacia.

    Time frame: At the initial clinical evaluation (baseline)

  3. Association Between Hoffmann Sign and Cervical Spinal Cord Signal Abnormalities

    The relationship between Hoffmann sign status and cervical spinal cord abnormalities on MRI will be evaluated. The frequency of spinal cord signal abnormalities and myelomalacia will be compared between participants with positive and negative Hoffmann signs.

    Time frame: At the initial clinical evaluation (baseline)

  4. Referral for Surgical Evaluation

    The proportion of participants referred for neurosurgical or spine surgical evaluation following clinical and radiological assessment will be determined, and factors associated with referral will be explored.

    Time frame: At the initial clinical evaluation (baseline)

07

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Glaser JA, Cure JK, Bailey KL, Morrow DL. Cervical spinal cord compression and the Hoffmann sign. Iowa Orthop J. 2001;21:49-52. PubMed 11813951 ↗
  • Zhou Y, Kim SD, Vo K, Riew KD. Prevalence of cervical myelomalacia in adult patients requiring a cervical magnetic resonance imaging. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2015 Feb 15;40(4):E248-52. doi: 10.1097/BRS.0000000000000718. PubMed 25423302 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No — Individual participant data are not planned to be shared.

09

Timeline

1 registry update since Sep 25, 2026
ElapsedEstimatedEstimated, not yet reachedSimilar studies: half by the dot; the band is the middle halfHalf of similar studies reached it by the dot; the band is the middle half, from a quarter to three quarters

Start is estimated for Oct 2026; primary completion for Feb 2027, 4 months later.

Of 40 observational studies under Radiculopathy, half reached primary completion within 75 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 26 and three quarters within 95. This study's planned 4 months is below that.

How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.

Registered
Sep 10, 2026
First posted
Sep 16, 2026
StartEst.
Oct 1, 2026
Primary completionEst.
Feb 28, 2027
CompletionEst.
Mar 31, 2027
Last update
Oct 21, 2026
What these dates mean
Start.
When the first participant enrolled; while estimated, when the study expects to open to recruitment.
Primary completion.
When the last participant was examined or treated to collect data for the study's main question, its primary outcome. A study that stopped early gives the date its data collection stopped.
Completion.
When the last participant's last visit took place, for every outcome, secondary ones and side effects included: the end of the study. Often later than primary completion, sometimes the same day.
Actual and Est.
Actual means the registry says the date has happened. Est. (estimated) is a date the sponsor plans or expects. It can still move, and the sponsor is expected to change it to actual once it has passed.
Status
Not yet recruiting→Recruiting
changed Oct 21, 2026
Sites
1 site added, 1 site removed
Show site
  • Ankara Bilkent City Hospital · Ankara, Turkey (Türkiye)
Show 1 removed
  • Ankara Bilkent City Hospital · Ankara, Turkey (Türkiye)
Oct 21, 2026
Show all 1 update
  1. Oct 21, 2026
    Not yet recruiting→Recruiting
    1 site added, 1 site removed
    Show site
    • Ankara Bilkent City Hospital · Ankara, Turkey (Türkiye)
    Show 1 removed
    • Ankara Bilkent City Hospital · Ankara, Turkey (Türkiye)
    + 1 other change: identifiers

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
NCT07823426
Responsible party
Ülkü Sabuncu (Assoc Prof, Ankara City Hospital Bilkent) — Principal investigator
First posted
Sep 16, 2026
Start date
Oct 1, 2026 (estimated)
Primary completion
Feb 28, 2027 (estimated)
Completion
Mar 31, 2027 (estimated)
Last update
Oct 21, 2026

Study contacts

Ülkü Sabuncu, Assoc prof
Contact
sabuncuulku@gmail.com
905337085212

Oversight

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

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