APTw-CEST MRI to detect glioblastoma progression after radiotherapy
Official title: GLIMPCE: Glioblastoma Imaging for the Detection of Tumor Progression Using APTw-CEST MRI
Run by Erasmus Medical Center · NCT07121842 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study tests whether a special MRI method called APTw-CEST can tell adults with glioblastoma who have had radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy whether new MRI changes mean true tumor growth or just treatment-related pseudoprogression.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 120 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Erasmus Medical Center Academic / other |
| Drugs / interventions | chemotherapy |
| Locations | 4 sites (Amsterdam and 3 other locations) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | January 15, 2025 |
| Main results expected | January 2027 |
| Study ends | July 2027 |
| Registry record updated | August 14, 2025 |
| Trial ID | NCT07121842 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are adults (18+) with histologically confirmed or strongly suspected glioblastoma who are scheduled for radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy and can undergo MRI and provide informed consent.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients unable to have an MRI, those with brain conditions that alter CEST contrast (for example recent stroke or prior cranial radiotherapy), or those unable to consent are unlikely to benefit from this protocol.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This multicenter effort will add APTw-CEST sequences to routine MRIs for adults with confirmed or suspected glioblastoma who are scheduled for radiotherapy or combined chemo-radiotherapy, and will standardize acquisition and post-processing across sites. Investigators will compare APTw-CEST findings and proposed signal thresholds with clinical and radiological follow-up to classify lesions as true progression or pseudoprogression. The project aims to produce vendor-agnostic acquisition recommendations, a reproducible post-processing workflow, and a diagnostic threshold that works across centers. By validating these steps in multiple hospitals, the technique could become a clinically usable imaging biomarker.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, clinicians could distinguish true tumor growth from treatment effects earlier and more reliably, allowing faster treatment changes or avoiding unnecessary interventions.
How similar studies have gone: Previous single-center studies have shown APTw-CEST can distinguish true progression from pseudoprogression, but multicenter validation and standardization remain unestablished.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Confirmed diagnosis of glioblastoma based on histopathological or molecular analysis of biopsy after surgery, or suspected of glioblastoma based on medical imaging. * Scheduled to undergo radiotherapy or combined chemo-and radiotherapy * 18 years and older * Able to give informed consent. * Patient will undergo clinically indicated MRIs Exclusion Criteria: * Not able to give informed consent * Contraindication for MRI * Brain pathology affecting CEST contrast, such as recent stroke or earlier cranial radiotherapy, as determined by the principal investigators (PIs)
Where it's running
-
Leiden UMC
Leiden, Netherlands Recruiting -
Erasmus MC
Rotterdam, Netherlands Recruiting -
UMC Utrecht
Utrecht, Netherlands Recruiting -
Amsterdam UMC
Amsterdam, Netherlands Not yet recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Laura Kemper, MSc
- Email: l.kemper@erasmusmc.nl
- Phone: +310630720232
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.