Advanced lung MRI to track thermal vapor treatment for COPD and MRI follow-up of lung nodule ablation

Assessment the Effectiveness of Bronchoscopic Thermal Vapor Ablation in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Ablation in Pulmonary Nodules by Pulmonary Magnetic Resonance Imaging

This project uses two advanced lung MRI methods to see if thermal vapor ablation helps people with COPD and if MRI can track ablation of cancerous lung nodules.

Quick facts

• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 100 (estimated)
• Ages: 18 Years and up
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: Shanghai Chest Hospital (Academic / other)
• Locations: 1 site (Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality)
• Trial ID: NCT07045532 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This is an observational imaging study at Shanghai Chest Hospital that uses PREFUL_MRI to capture lung ventilation and perfusion changes after bronchoscopic thermal vapor ablation (BTVA) for COPD and GRASP_MRI to image morphological and contrast-enhancement changes after percutaneous or transthoracic ablation of malignant lung nodules. Participants are adults who are already scheduled to receive clinically indicated ablation procedures; MRI scans are obtained before and after the interventions to document functional and structural effects. The study excludes patients with pure ground-glass nodules for the nodule arm, and anyone with MRI contraindications such as implanted metal devices, severe claustrophobia, or contrast allergy. Data will be used to compare MRI-derived measures to clinical outcomes and procedural records to determine whether these MRI sequences reliably reflect treatment effects.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults over 18 who are undergoing thermal steam (BTVA) treatment for COPD or who have pathologically confirmed malignant pulmonary nodules scheduled for percutaneous or transthoracic ablation and who can safely undergo MRI and provide consent.

Not a fit: Patients unlikely to benefit include those with pure ground-glass nodules, people with MRI contraindications (e.g., pacemakers, certain metal implants, severe claustrophobia, contrast allergy), those with very severe cardiopulmonary dysfunction that precludes ablation, or patients not receiving ablation.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could offer a non‑ionizing way to monitor and quantify how well vapor ablation improves lung function in COPD and how completely ablation treats malignant lung nodules.

How similar studies have performed: Prior studies have shown BTVA can improve COPD symptoms and advanced MRI techniques have been promising for functional lung imaging, but applying PREFUL and GRASP MRI specifically to follow ablation outcomes is relatively novel.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Age \>18 years old;
2. Patients with pulmonary nodules: patients with pulmonary nodules indicated by chest CT, pathologically diagnosed as malignant, and receiving ablative treatment, including transthoracic and percutaneous ablative methods, including radiofrequency, microwave, and freezing;
3. COPD patients: patients diagnosed with COPD according to the GOLD principle and treated with thermal steam ablation for COPD;
4. Understand the study and sign the informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Chest CT nodules in patients with pulmonary nodules were pure ground glass nodules;
2. Patients who install or carry metal implants such as cardiac pacemakers, heart stents, artificial heart valves in the body or suffer from claustrophobia, allergy to contrast media and other reasons are not suitable for MRI examination;
3. severe cardiopulmonary dysfunction and other diseases that may significantly increase the risk of ablation surgery;
4. Patients with severe COPD exacerbation or pneumonia in the past four weeks;

Where this trial is running

Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality

• Shanghai chest hospital — Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, China (Recruiting)

Study contacts

• Study coordinator: Lin Ye, MD

Conditions COPD; Lung Cancers; MRI; Lung cancer; ablation