Phase 4 Paediatric Study to Evaluate Sonazoid Safety and Efficacy for Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Liver Imaging

Condition(s) studied

Investigational drug(s) / intervention(s)

Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound: Following unenhanced (pre-contrast) ultrasound imaging of the target focal liver lesions (FLL), Sonazoid™ will be intravenously administered and a contrast-enhanced examination will be performed.

Study summary

Liver tumours, 40% of which are benign, account for 1% to 4% of all solid tumours in children. The benign tumours are mainly haemangiomas, liver hamartomas, and liver cell adenomas. The malignant tumours are mainly hepatoblastoma, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), malignant liver mesothelioma, and rhabdomyosarcoma. The differential diagnosis of liver masses in children is generally based on the child's age, the clinical evaluation (including alpha-fetoprotein test results), and imaging characteristics.

Liver tumours seldom produce clear symptoms and signs in the early stages, and they progress rapidly. As a result, most liver tumours are not diagnosed until the middle or late stages. To improve survival among patients with liver tumours, clinicians must find the liver tumours as early as possible and determine whether the tumours are benign or malignant. Conventional ultrasonography is commonly used for screening, and is preferred as the first-line imaging technique for children. Not only does it have a wide range of applications and a high diagnostic yield, but it is well accepted by patients and their parents. It can be performed in the examination room with the parents present, allowing real-time imaging and direct interaction with patient and parents.

CEUS is a non-invasive imaging technology that can continuously and dynamically observe blood perfusion in tumours in real-time through injection of a contrast agent to enhance the blood flow reflux signal in the human body. Consequently, CEUS is useful for visualising capillaries and tissue perfusion in the human body.

The purpose of this current study is to evaluate the use of Sonazoid™ perfluorobutane (PFB) microbubbles as a contrast medium for CEUS for evaluation of solitary liver masses in children.

Eligibility

Primary outcome measure(s)

• Accuracy of Sonazoid-enhanced ultrasound at imaging focal liver lesions during the vascular phase of imaging — Images to be captured during the studies CEUS examination [approximately 5 seconds prior to bolus injection, up to 4-minutes post injection for the vascular phase] and blinded image evaluations shall be executed remotely at a central lab
  Accuracy of the diagnosis based on the independent blinded read of the Sonazoid™-enhanced imaging for lesion differentiation (benign or malignant FLLs) during vascular phase imaging. The WFUMB-EFSUMB guidelines for interpreting CEUS of the liver in adults shall be used for interpreting the images and the subject's baseline diagnosis (well-established by CECT, CEMRI or biopsy) will be used as the reference diagnosis/standard of truth.
• Sensitivity of Sonazoid-enhanced ultrasound at imaging focal liver lesions during the vascular phase of imaging — Images to be captured during the studies CEUS examination [approximately 5 seconds prior to bolus injection, up to 4-minutes post injection for the vascular phase] and blinded image evaluations shall be executed remotely at a central lab
  Sensitivity of the diagnosis based on the independent blinded read of the Sonazoid™-enhanced imaging for lesion differentiation (benign or malignant FLLs) during vascular phase imaging. The WFUMB-EFSUMB guidelines for interpreting CEUS of the liver in adults shall be used for interpreting the images and the subject's baseline diagnosis (well-established by CECT, CEMRI or biopsy) will be used as the reference diagnosis/standard of truth.
• Specificity of Sonazoid-enhanced ultrasound at imaging focal liver lesions during the vascular phase of imaging — Images to be captured during the studies CEUS examination [approximately 5 seconds prior to bolus injection, up to 4-minutes post injection for the vascular phase] and blinded image evaluations shall be executed remotely at a central lab
  Specificity of the diagnosis based on the independent blinded read of the Sonazoid™-enhanced imaging for lesion differentiation (benign or malignant FLLs) during vascular phase imaging. The WFUMB-EFSUMB guidelines for interpreting CEUS of the liver in adults shall be used for interpreting the images and the subject's baseline diagnosis (well-established by CECT, CEMRI or biopsy) will be used as the reference diagnosis/standard of truth.

Trial sites (6)

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