Comparing water versus polyethylene glycol for bowel preparation before MRE in Crohn's disease
Official title: WAter Preparation for Magnetic Resonance Enterography in Crohn's Disease
Run by University Hospital, Toulouse · NCT06690632 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study will test whether drinking water works as well as polyethylene glycol to distend the small bowel before an MRE for adults with Crohn's disease.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 194 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University Hospital, Toulouse Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Toulouse) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | January 29, 2025 |
| Main results expected | December 1, 2026 |
| Study ends | December 1, 2028 |
| Registry record updated | May 8, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT06690632 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults diagnosed with Crohn's disease who have been referred for an MRE and can tolerate drinking the required oral preparation are ideal candidates.
✕Probably not a fit
People under 18, those with MRI or gadolinium contraindications, or those unable to drink large volumes are unlikely to benefit or be eligible to participate.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
Adults with Crohn's disease who need a magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) are randomized to receive either the standard polyethylene glycol (PEG) oral contrast or water as the bowel distension agent. Each participant undergoes a single MRE after drinking the assigned preparation (typically 1–1.5 L), and radiologists score global small-bowel distension using a previously validated scale. Participants also complete questionnaires about tolerability and side effects to compare patient experience between preparations. The study excludes patients with standard MRI or gadolinium contraindications and those unable to provide informed consent.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If water provides equivalent bowel distension, patients could experience fewer side effects, lower cost, and a simpler preparation.
How similar studies have gone: Some smaller studies and clinical reports have suggested water can yield adequate distension, but randomized evidence is limited.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: * Diagnosis of Crohn's Disease, * need for MRE (determined by patient's gastroenterologist) Exclusion criteria: * \< 18 years old, * inability to obtain an informed consent, * patient under guardianship or curatorship, allergy to PEG, * contraindication to MRE (pregnancy, pace maker, claustrophobia in particular), - contraindication to phloroglucinol administration (phenylcetonuria), * contraindication to gadolinium administration (kidney failure with glomerular filtration rate \< 30/mL/1.73m², pregnancy, allergy).
Where it's running
-
CHU Toulouse
Toulouse, France Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Guillaume Dr LE COSQUER, MD
- Email: lecosquer.g@chu-toulouse.fr
- Phone: +33 (0)5 61 32 20 45
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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.