PET-MRI in paediatric brain tumours
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Utility of PET-MRI in post-treatment surveillance of paediatric brain tumours: a feasibility study
IRAS ID
305172
Contact name
David King
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Sheffield Children's Hospital
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 9 months, 31 days
Research summary
Brain tumours are the most common solid tumours and the leading cause of death from cancer in children. A particular challenge in their management is detection of when the disease comes back after initial treatment. This is typically detected on conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) surveillance scans. However, it is well documented that changes can occur on these scans which may not represent disease, particularly after certain treatments like radiotherapy. A more accurate way to monitor children after treatment for brain tumours would therefore enhance clinical management.
A special scanner called FDG-PET/MRI has recently been built in Sheffield. This abbreviation stands for: fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography (PET). These scans help to detect cancer cells more accurately because of how they metabolise sugar. In other centres these scans have been demonstrated to have use for telling the difference between residual or recurrent tumours from post-therapy changes in adults but its value in children is largely unknown. This is a small project to explore whether PET-MRI is useful in monitoring certain common types of brain tumours in children.
Children will be recruited over two years from Sheffield Children's Hospital. Five children in total will be recruited. Patients will have been diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumour and have undergone surgery and/or radiotherapy. Doctors treating them will decide if it unclear using normal MRI if the disease has come back or progressed. A PET-MRI will then be undertaken and children will be followed up for one year to decide if the PET-MRI results were useful.
REC name
East Midlands - Nottingham 2 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/EM/0070
Date of REC Opinion
22 May 2022
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion