Plain-English translation of NCT03067467 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ · Source last updated · Translation generated · How we translate trials
Researchers are testing a new imaging technique that uses hyperpolarized carbon-13 pyruvate—a specially prepared substance injected into your bloodstream—to take detailed pictures of how your brain tumor uses energy. Unlike standard brain scans, this test can show how cancer cells metabolize fuel differently than normal brain cells. The goal is to develop better ways to monitor whether tumor treatments are working.
Many new cancer drugs are being designed to interfere with how tumors produce energy. However, doctors currently lack a safe, in-vivo (in-the-body) way to directly measure whether these treatments are actually changing tumor metabolism. This imaging test could fill that gap and help guide more effective treatment decisions.
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You will come in for one imaging session at the hospital. First, doctors will perform a standard MRI scan of your brain to pinpoint your tumor and evaluate its appearance. Then you'll receive an intravenous injection of the specially prepared hyperpolarized carbon-13 pyruvate, followed immediately by the advanced metabolic imaging scan. Finally, you'll have a contrast-enhanced MRI scan to complete the session. The entire visit will take a few hours, and there is no ongoing follow-up required after this single imaging appointment.
AI-generated summary from trial data · Jul 6, 2026 · Not medical advice
United States
Sponsor
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Enrollment target
~25 participants
Started
June 2019
Primary completion
December 2026
Age range
18 Years – 70 Years
Last updated on clinicaltrials.gov in March 2026.
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Central contact
Jeannie D Baxter, RN
UT Southwestern
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