Enhanced MRI Imaging in Healthy Participants and Participants With Epilepsy

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA · Jun 28, 2024

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying new MRI techniques to better understand brain changes in people with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and healthy individuals. TLE is a common type of epilepsy that can be difficult to control with medications. For those who do not respond to these treatments, surgery may help eliminate seizures. The goal of this study is to find out how specific changes in a small part of the brain called the hippocampus can predict whether surgery will be successful. Researchers are using a special MRI method that involves a drug called Ferumoxytol, which is usually used for treating low iron levels, to help visualize these tiny brain areas more clearly.

To participate in the trial, you need to be between 18 and 64 years old. You can either be a healthy volunteer or someone diagnosed with temporal lobe epilepsy who shows certain brain changes on an MRI scan. Unfortunately, individuals who do not speak English or who have specific health concerns, such as allergies to the study drug, cannot join. If you participate, you can expect to undergo advanced imaging tests to help researchers learn more about how the brain works in epilepsy, which could lead to better treatment options in the future.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Healthy controls aged 18-64.
• • Patients with temporal lobe epilepsy aged 18-64 and hippocampal sclerosis demonstrated on clinical MRI scan
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Non-English speaking participants will be excluded as we cannot provide translation services.
• • Inability to provide informed consent.
• • Contraindications to MRI Age \< 17 years / \>65 years
• • Weight \> 127.5kg (which is the maximum weight of which a single 510mg vial of Ferumoxytol would accommodate a 4mg/kg dose).
• • Women of childbearing capacity with a positive pregnancy test
• • Women who are actively breast feeding
• • Contraindication of Ferumoxytol -known hypersensitivity to Feraheme or any of its components -History of allergic reaction to any intravenous iron product