A study using MRI scans to look at abnormal areas in the lungs in adults, and to see if sarcoma has spread to the lungs in children

Please note - this trial is no longer recruiting patients. We hope to add results when they are available.

Cancer type:

Children's cancers

Lung cancer

Non small cell lung cancer

Sarcoma

Small cell lung cancer

Status:

Closed

Phase:

Pilot

This study is in two parts. The researchers are trying to find out if MRI scans can help doctors to work out what small areas of abnormal tissue in the lungs are. They also want to see if MRI scans can show whether or not sarcoma has spread to the lungs.

This study includes children, young people and adults. We use the term ‘you’ in the summary, but of course if you are a parent, we are referring to your child.

The sarcoma study
All cancers can spread to another part of the body. If you are diagnosed with sarcoma, you usually have a CT scan of your chest to check whether it has spread to your lungs.

You are also likely to have more CT scans during and after your treatment. And each time you have a CT scan, you are exposed to a small amount of radiation.

Researchers want to find out if they can use MRI scans instead of CT scans to see if sarcoma has spread to the lungs. The children and young people taking part in this study will have an extra MRI scan each time they have a CT scan.

The adult lung nodules study
The study is also looking at using MRI scans in adults who may have lung cancer. Tests such as X-ray or CT scan can show small areas of abnormal tissue in the lungs, called nodules. But a single test may not tell doctors if the nodule is cancer or not. You often need to have several tests over 1 or 2 years to make a decision on whether the nodule could be cancer. The researchers hope that new types of MRI scans may be able to do this with a single scan.

The adults taking part in this study will have different types of MRI scans to see which gives the best images and is also best at evaluating the nature of any nodules. This part of the study will recruit a few people who have no lung problems, as well as people who are known to have lung nodules.

Overall, the aims of the two parts of this study are to

Compare MRI scans with CT scans as a way to see if sarcoma has spread to the lungs in children and young people
See how well different types of MRI scans show lung nodules in adults

Who can enter

You may be able to enter the part of the study using MRI scans to look at lung nodules if you

Have a lump (nodule) in your lung that has been seen on a CT scan or is suspected on an X-ray and you are about to have a CT scan
Are at least 18 years old

This part of the study will also recruit some healthy volunteers who don’t have any lung problems.

You may be able to enter the part of the study using MRI scans to look for sarcoma in the lungs if you

Have (or your doctor thinks you may have) sarcoma and you are going to have a CT scan of your chest
Are between 6 and 18 years old

You can’t join any part of the study if you

Can’t have an MRI scan for some reason (if you have a pacemaker or other metal in your body for example)
Are pregnant or breastfeeding
Would need to have an anaesthetic or a drug to make you sleepy (a sedative) when you have an MRI scan
Get short of breath if you are lying on your back

Trial design

This is a pilot study that will recruit different groups of people. In total, the adult part of the study aims to recruit 65 people who have known lung nodules as well as 30 healthy volunteers.

If you have a CT scan of your chest at University College Hospital London, the researchers may send you a letter inviting you to take part. The letter will contain information about the study. About a week after you receive the information, one of the research team will phone you to see if you are interested in joining the study. They will also answer any questions you might have. If you agree to take part, you go to University College Hospital London to have an MRI scan (or a number of MRI scans). Having the scans will take up to an hour and a half.

The study will also recruit 30 children and young people who have (or may have) sarcoma. If you join this part of the study, you have an MRI scan each time you have a CT scan. You have scans 3 or 4 times during your treatment. Each MRI scan will take about 30 minutes.