Advanced scanning to check lung and heart damage in fibrosing lung disease

Plain-English translation of NCT06537934 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ · Source last updated January 2026 · Translation generated June 2026 · How we translate trials

What is this trial?

This trial is testing whether a new type of advanced CT scan can accurately measure damage to both the lungs and heart in people with fibrosing interstitial lung diseases—conditions where lung tissue becomes scarred and stiff over time. The researchers believe this single scan could help doctors spot heart problems earlier, before patients develop symptoms, and better understand how the lung disease is affecting the heart.

People with fibrosing lung disease often develop serious heart complications early on, but these problems are frequently missed or diagnosed too late because doctors haven't had a good way to check both organs at the same time. This trial exists to develop a tool that could catch heart damage early and help doctors make better treatment decisions.

Do you qualify?

You likely qualify if…

you are 18 years or older
you have been diagnosed with interstitial lung disease or have a high likelihood of having it
your lung disease diagnosis (or connective tissue disease diagnosis) was made at least 5 years before the trial starts
you are able and willing to sign an informed consent form

You likely don't qualify if…

you have a current active infection
you have known coronary artery disease or a history of heart stent or bypass surgery
you have been diagnosed with cardiomyopathy or heart failure
you have a cardiac device such as a pacemaker, defibrillator, or artificial heart pump
you have a history of cancer or are currently being treated for cancer
you are pregnant or breastfeeding
you have an allergy to iodine contrast dye
you have severe kidney disease
you are unable to lie flat or hold your breath

What participation looks like

As a participant, you would come in for advanced CT scans designed to image both your lungs and heart in detail. The scans are non-invasive (nothing is injected except contrast dye to help the images show up clearly), though you will need to be able to lie flat and hold your breath briefly. The research team will use these high-resolution images to measure the extent of lung scarring and check for early signs of heart involvement, helping doctors better understand how these two systems are connected in fibrosing lung disease.

AI-generated summary from trial data · Jun 10, 2026 · Not medical advice

Trial locations(1 site)

Italy

IRCCS San Raffaele, Milan