NCT07335315

Brief Summary

This pilot and feasibility study aims to combine recent advances in ultrasound imaging, specifically an endonasal transducer array and contrast enhanced ultrasound, to offer an intraoperative image-guided solution for lesion-specific surgical resection to impact clinical outcome. Should this imaging approach help isolate specific lesions and prevent surgical resection of normal pituitary tissue in this first-in-humans study, then the results will provide clinical data for a much larger multi-center clinical trial.

Trial Health

77
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
110

participants targeted

Target at P50-P75 for all trials

Timeline
8mo left

Started Jun 2024

Typical duration for all trials

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
recruiting

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

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Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

Study Progress74%
Jun 2024Jan 2027

Study Start

First participant enrolled

June 19, 2024

Completed
1.5 years until next milestone

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

January 5, 2026

Completed
8 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

January 13, 2026

Completed
12 months until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

January 1, 2027

Expected
Same day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

January 1, 2027

Last Updated

January 13, 2026

Status Verified

January 1, 2026

Enrollment Period

2.5 years

First QC Date

January 5, 2026

Last Update Submit

January 5, 2026

Conditions

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

  • Scoring of non-contrast ultrasound images

    Non-contrast ultrasound images will be evaluated by a board certified neuroradiologists with experience reviewing pituitary imaging. The ultrasound images will be scored on the identification, size, location, echogenicity, and enhancement of any potential pituitary lesions as well as a confidence level in identifying the adenoma (1-5 Likert scale) with 1 being non-diagnostic/poor and 5 being excellent/diagnostic quality.

    Baseline

  • Scoring of contrast-enhanced ultrasound images

    Contrast-enhanced ultrasound images will be evaluated by a board certified neuroradiologists with experience reviewing pituitary imaging. The ultrasound images will be scored on the identification, size, location, echogenicity, and enhancement of any potential pituitary lesions as well as a confidence level in identifying the adenoma (1-5 Likert scale) with 1 being non-diagnostic/poor and 5 being excellent/diagnostic quality.

    Baseline

  • Scoring of pituitary MRI images

    Preoperative Research Pituitary MRI images will be evaluated by a board certified neuroradiologists with experience reviewing pituitary imaging. The MRI images will be scored on the identification, size, location, echogenicity, and enhancement of any potential pituitary lesions as well as a confidence level in identifying the adenoma (1-5 Likert scale) with 1 being non-diagnostic/poor and 5 being excellent/diagnostic quality.

    Baseline

Study Arms (2)

Contrast

Patients who are scheduled for transsphenoidal surgical resection for Cushing disease or transsphenoidal resection for non-corticotroph adenomas.

Diagnostic Test: Contrast enhanced pituitary magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)Diagnostic Test: Contrast enhanced ultrasound

Non-Contrast

Patients who are scheduled for a pituitary surgical procedure requiring an intra-operative ultrasound without contrast.

Diagnostic Test: Non-Contrast Ultrasound

Interventions

Pre-operative contrast enhanced pituitary MRI and non-contrast intraoperative ultrasound.

Contrast

Intra-operative ultrasound without contrast for pituitary adenomas and MRI

Non-Contrast

Contrast enhanced intraoperative ultrasound imaging with Definity microbubbles that will be activated per the manufacturer specification and administered as a bolus of 0.2 mL of perflutren lipid microsphere intravenously followed by a 10 mL flush of saline. The pituitary will be imaged in the transverse plane for 2 minutes following this bolus. A repeat injection of the same ultrasound contrast dose and saline flush will be performed, and the pituitary will be imaged in the sagittal plane for 2 minutes.

Contrast

Eligibility Criteria

Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsChild (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
Sampling MethodNon-Probability Sample
Study Population

Patients with a pituitary adenoma or lesion that will undergo transnasal surgery

You may qualify if:

  • Diagnosis of Cushing disease or required resection for non-corticotroph adenomas
  • Agree to transsphenoidal resection.

You may not qualify if:

  • Patients who are unable to consent (or if their legal guardian/representative decline to consent)
  • Patients who have known or suspected hypersensitivity to microbubble contrast agents or its components such as polyethylene glycol (PEG).
  • Women of child-bearing potential with a positive pregnancy test prior to procedure.
  • Patients who have right to left, bi-directional, or transient right to left cardiac shunts.
  • Patients who have hypersensitivity to perflutren.
  • For Non-Contrast Based Protocol:
  • Patients undergoing any pituitary surgery with the study designated neurosurgeons.
  • Patients whose procedures require the use of an intra-operative BK ultrasound without contrast.
  • Patients who are unable to consent (or if their legal guardian/representative decline to consent)

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

Mayo Clinic

Rochester, Minnesota, 55905, United States

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Pituitary NeoplasmsPituitary ACTH Hypersecretion

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Endocrine Gland NeoplasmsNeoplasms by SiteNeoplasmsHypothalamic NeoplasmsSupratentorial NeoplasmsBrain NeoplasmsCentral Nervous System NeoplasmsNervous System NeoplasmsBrain DiseasesCentral Nervous System DiseasesNervous System DiseasesHypothalamic DiseasesPituitary DiseasesEndocrine System DiseasesHyperpituitarism

Study Officials

  • Ian Mark, MD

    Mayo Clinic

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Neurologic Surgery Research Department

CONTACT

Ian Mark, MD

CONTACT

Study Design

Study Type
observational
Observational Model
COHORT
Time Perspective
PROSPECTIVE
Target Duration
6 Months
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
PI Title
Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

January 5, 2026

First Posted

January 13, 2026

Study Start

June 19, 2024

Primary Completion (Estimated)

January 1, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

January 1, 2027

Last Updated

January 13, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-01

Data Sharing

IPD Sharing
Will not share

Locations