A study looking at a new type of MRI scan for people with lung cancer or a solid tumour
Cancer type:
Status:
Phase:
This study looked at an MRI scan called oxygen-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (OE-MRI).
It was for people who had:
- non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and
- had radiotherapy at The Christie hospital in Manchester
This study was open for people to join between 2015 and 2019. The team published the results in 2019.
More about this trial
Doctors use MRI scans to:
- diagnose cancer
- see if it is anywhere else in the body
- see how well treatment is working
Researchers are always looking for new ways to improve the scan. In this study they looked at a type of MRI scan called oxygen-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (OE-MRI).
OE-MRI involves breathing in air followed by pure oxygen. People also have an injection of a dye into a vein.
Researchers thought the scan could show the amount of oxygen in the cancer, which may explain why some cancers are harder to treat than others.
People in the study had up to 3 OE-MRI scans.
The aims of this study were to find out:
- if an OE-MRI scan can show the level of oxygen in the cancer
- the possible role it might have in treatment
Summary of results
The study team found that the OE-MRI scan can be used to identify areas of the cancer that have low oxygen levels.
Study design
23 people with NSCLC took part in the study. They had an OE-MRI scan after starting treatment.
Results
The OE-MRI scan:
- was possible and practical to do
- was acceptable to the people having it
- showed the levels of oxygen in the cancer
- was able to give the same results each time
- was able to detect that radiotherapy had worked
Conclusion
The team say these results support the use of the OE-MRI scan:
- in treatment to show areas of the cancer that has low levels of oxygen
- in
clinical trials 
- to identify people with low levels of oxygen in their cancer that could affect how well some treatments will work including
immunotherapy - to guide
adaptive radiotherapy by showing the oxygen levels in the cancer
More detailed information
There is more information about this research in the reference below.
Please note, this article is not in plain English. It has been written for health care professionals and researchers.
Journal articles
Oxygen-enhanced MRI Is Feasible, Repeatable, and Detects Radiotherapy-induced Change in Hypoxia in Xenograft Models and in Patients with Non–small Cell Lung Cancer
Ahmed Salem, Ross A. Little and others
Clinical Cancer Research; 2019. Issue 25, Volume 13, Pages 3818 – 3829.
Where this information comes from
We have based this summary on the information in the article above. This has been reviewed by independent specialists () and published in a medical journal. We have not analysed the data ourselves. As far as we are aware, the link we list above is active and the article is free and available to view.
Recruitment start:
Recruitment end:
How to join a clinical trial
Please note: In order to join a trial you will need to discuss it with your doctor, unless otherwise specified.
Chief Investigator
Professor James O'Connor
Supported by
Cancer Research UK
The Christie NHS Foundation Trust
NIHR Clinical Research Network: Cancer
University Hospital of South Manchester (UHSM)
University of Manchester
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
If you have questions about the trial please contact our cancer information nurses
Freephone 0808 800 4040
