Mapping tiny blood vessels inside thyroid nodules.
Official title: Microvascular Profiling of Nodules in the Thyroid Gland
Run by Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet · NCT07041307 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tries a super-resolution ultrasound scan to see if mapping tiny blood vessels can help doctors tell different kinds of thyroid nodules apart in adults with nodules or referred for surgery.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 50 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet Academic / other |
| Locations | 2 sites (Copenhagen and 1 other locations) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | August 15, 2025 |
| Main results expected | December 1, 2028 |
| Study ends | December 31, 2028 |
| Registry record updated | November 28, 2025 |
| Trial ID | NCT07041307 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are adults over 18 with hypo-, iso-, or hyperfunctioning thyroid nodules or patients referred for thyroid surgery due to suspected malignant nodules (Bethesda III-VI), as well as healthy volunteers without thyroid disease.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients who cannot undergo ultrasound, are pregnant, or already have a clear diagnosis and treatment plan are unlikely to gain direct benefit from participation.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
Investigators will use Super-Resolution Ultrasound of Erythrocytes (SURE) to visualize and map microvascular networks in the thyroid gland and individual nodules at much higher resolution than conventional ultrasound. The observational imaging program will include adults with hypo-, iso-, or hyperfunctioning nodules, patients referred for thyroid surgery due to suspected malignancy, and healthy volunteers for comparison. Images will be analyzed for vessel size, density, and flow patterns to identify microvascular signatures that might differ between benign and malignant nodules and among functional classes. No experimental treatments are given; imaging findings will be compared to clinical follow-up and surgical pathology when available.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this technique could help doctors more accurately distinguish benign from malignant nodules and reduce unnecessary surgeries.
How similar studies have gone: Early pilot studies and preclinical work on super-resolution ultrasound show promise for visualizing tiny vessels, but clinical validation for distinguishing thyroid nodule types remains limited.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Age over 18 years * Written and verbal informed consent to participate in the study * Patients with hypo-, iso-, or hyperfunctioning thyroid nodules * Patients referred for thyroid surgery due to suspected malignant nodule (including Bethesda classification groups III, IV, V, and VI) * Healthy volunteers - generally good health with no chronic illnesses Exclusion Criteria: * Pregnancy * Inability to undergo the examination due to physical or mental limitations * Desire to opt out of receiving information about new, significant health findings revealed during the study * Healthy Participants: * Thyroid disease, including nodules, as well as current or past conditions affecting the thyroid * Medication that affects thyroid function
Where it's running
-
Rigshospitalet
Copenhagen, Denmark Recruiting -
Technical University of Denmark
Lyngby, Denmark Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Michael Bachmann Nielsen, Professor PhD dr.med. — Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet
- Study coordinator: Nathalie Sarup Panduro, MD
- Email: nathalie04@gmail.com
- Phone: +4529273193
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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.