Ultrafast ultrasound imaging for congenital heart disease in children

Ultrafast Ultrasound Imaging: Application in Pediatric Cardiology: Cardiac Ultrafast

Observational University Hospital, Bordeaux · NCT07255144

This project will try ultrafast ultrasound to measure heart muscle stiffness and blood flow in children with congenital heart disease.

Quick facts

Study typeObservational
Enrollment300 (estimated)
SexAll
SponsorUniversity Hospital, Bordeaux Academic / other
Locations1 site (Pessac, France)
Trial IDNCT07255144 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

Researchers will use an open-platform Verasonics ultrafast ultrasound system to capture very high-frame-rate cardiac images and derive measures of myocardial stiffness and perfusion in pediatric CHD patients. The observational protocol enrolls CHD patients of any age seen at the cardiology department and includes a comparison group of otherwise-healthy children or those with small ASD/PFO. Key exclusions are arrhythmia, segmental wall motion disorders, implanted cardiac devices, anechoic imaging, and allergy to ultrasound gel. Collected UFUS metrics will be compared to standard echocardiographic findings to look for signals related to impaired diastolic filling.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Children of any age with congenital heart disease seen at the CHD department, plus otherwise-healthy children coming for check-ups or with small ASD/PFO, who have French social security coverage and parental or legal guardian consent.

Not a fit: Children with arrhythmias, segmental kinetic disorders, implanted pacemakers/defibrillators, or those who cannot tolerate ultrasound gel are excluded and would not benefit from this imaging approach in the study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, UFUS could provide quicker, noninvasive measures of heart stiffness and perfusion to better detect diastolic problems and help guide treatment in children with CHD.

How similar studies have performed: Ultrafast ultrasound has shown promising results for myocardial mechanics and perfusion in adult and preclinical studies, but its use specifically in pediatric CHD is relatively novel.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Every patient of CHD department of any age or any sex:

  * Patients with CHD
  * General population patients in good general health as evidenced by medical history coming to our department for a check-up OR diagnosed with small Atrial Septal Defect or small Patent Foramen Ovale
* Social security affiliation
* Parental or legal guardian's non-opposition

Exclusion Criteria:

* Arrhythmia
* Segmental kinetic disorder.
* Pacemaker or multisite stimulation, defibrillator,
* Anechoic
* Allergy to echocardiography gel.

Where this trial is running

Pessac, France

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions CHD - Congenital Heart DiseaseCongenital heart diseasePaediatricCardiac ImagingUltrafast ultrasounf
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.