Clinical Research Directory

Evaluation of the Effect of Using Ultrasound Robots for Breast Cancer Screening

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if robotic ultrasound screening works as well as or better than traditional sonographer-led screening for detecting breast cancer. It will also explore how well participants follow recommended post-screening care. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does robotic ultrasound screening detect more cases of breast cancer compared to traditional sonographer-led screening? How well do participants follow up on recommended care after robotic ultrasound screening? Researchers will compare robotic ultrasound screening to traditional sonographer-led screening to see if robotic ultrasound works effectively for breast cancer screening. Participants will: Receive a breast ultrasound performed either by a robotic system or a human sonographer. Undergo follow-up management based on their BI-RADS classification.

Perineal Ultrasound After Bulkamid® Injection for Urinary Incontinence

There are currently different treatment options in the management of stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Given a risk of complications inherent to prosthetic reinforcement and numerous current controversies over the use of a synthetic material, other alternatives must be offered to patients. Peri-urethral injections of filler are increasingly becoming part of the therapeutic arsenal. This is a minimally invasive technique carried out under local anesthesia on an outpatient basis. Peri-urethral injections are currently offered to all patients with stress urinary incontinence, due to sphincter or mixed insufficiency and particularly after suburethral sling failure. Perineal ultrasound after injection allows you to visualize the positioning of the filler bubbles under the bladder neck. In the event of clinical ineffectiveness associated with poor position of the bubbles, this could be an argument for a 2nd injection. If, on the contrary, the bubbles are well positioned, another technique could be proposed.

Quantity of Bulkamid® After Injection for Urinary Incontinence

Bulkamid filler is a gel that we use very regularly to treat female urinary leakage during exercise. It is a minimally invasive technique which is increasingly used around the world because it has almost no adverse effects compared to suburethral slings. The product is injected pre-urethrally and under local anesthesia. The results in terms of improvement are around 70% without knowing why certain patients are improved, slightly improved or not improved at all. One of the hypotheses is that a proportion of the product could be eliminated, and thus the mechanical effect would be reduced. Perineal ultrasound performed in routine practice allows the quantity of gel to be measured in 3 dimensions immediately post-operatively and at 3 months. The objective of this study is to compare the volume of gel between the immediate post-operative and 3 months and to correlate it with clinical results of improvement.

Intelligent Classification of Intraoperative Hemodynamic Phenotypes Based on CADFlow Doppler Monitoring

The goal of this observational study is to learn about intraoperative hemodynamic phenotypes in adult patients undergoing elective surgery under general anesthesia, using a new wearable ultrasound patch (CADFlow) that continuously monitors carotid and jugular blood flow. The main question it aims to answer is: Can a machine learning model built solely on non-invasive carotid and jugular Doppler data accurately identify and classify a patient's hemodynamic phenotype in real time during surgery? Participants undergoing routine elective surgery who are monitored with the CADFlow device as part of standard care will be recorded continuously from after tracheal intubation until the end of surgery. The collected signals will be used to discover distinct hemodynamic phenotypes and to train a model that classifies each patient's phenotype in real time.

Ultrasound-assisted Nasal Bone Fracture Reduction

Clinical Trial Abstract Nasal bone fracture is the most common traumatic disease in otorhinolaryngology, which adversely affects nasal appearance and physiological function. Traditional closed reduction relies merely on visual observation and palpation without objective intraoperative evaluation, often leading to insufficient reduction in comminuted, overlapping, or severely swollen fractures and residual nasal deformity. Musculoskeletal ultrasound features real-time dynamic imaging, radiation-free performance, and convenient operation, enabling visualized and precise fracture reduction. However, conventional ultrasound imaging for nasal bones is compromised by air interference due to the protruding nasal structure. This study aims to determine the optimal scanning parameters and suitable coupling agents for high-quality nasal bone imaging by enrolling healthy volunteers and fracture patients. Furthermore, it compares operative duration, postoperative CT scores, and physician and patient satisfaction between traditional reduction and ultrasound-assisted reduction groups. This study intends to establish a standardized intraoperative ultrasound-assisted nasal bone reduction protocol to improve reduction accuracy and clinical satisfaction.

Application of Ultrasound Radiomics in Ultrasound Fusion Targeted Prostate Biopsy

To predict prostate cancer by ultrasound radiomics in ultrasound fusion prostate targeted biopsy.

Human vs Machine: a RCT Comparing Traditional In-person Instruction, AI Versus VR for Learning Basic CCE

The aim of the study is to investigate if hands-on training for basic CCE with virtual reality simulators or guided by artificial intelligence is non-inferior to training by an experienced instructor.

Point-of-Care Ultrasound for Diagnosing Abdominal Pain in the Emergency Department

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if adding an abdominal ultrasound scan to the standard examination helps emergency physicians make a correct diagnosis in adults with acute abdominal pain in the emergency department. The main question it aims to answer is: Does adding an abdominal point of care ultrasound scan to the standard examination increase the number of patients with acute abdominal pain in the emergency department, who get a correct preliminary diagnosis? Researchers will compare patients examined with an abdominal point-of-care ultrasound scan in addition to the standard examination to patients examined with the standard examination alone, to see if adding ultrasound improves diagnostic accuracy. Participants will: * Be randomly assigned to also have an abdominal point-of-care ultrasound scan performed by their doctor, or not * Have their doctor record a preliminary diagnosis and differential diagnosis * Have their medical records reviewed by an independent panel 30 days after their visit, to determine their final diagnosis

Weaning Ventilator Using Heart, Lung And Diaphragm Ultrasound

Postextubation distress is detrimental to the prognosis of critically ill patients with successful spontaneous breathing trial. Failure to wean is known to be connected with heart, lung, and diaphragm problems. The aim of this study was to investigate how a composite model comprising diaphragm, lung, and heart ultrasonography indications could predict the weaning outcome. Methods: Ultrasonic features of the diaphragm, heart, and lungs are going to be collected along with clinical data about the patients. Either the successful weaning group or the failed weaning group is going to comprised the patients. Multivariate logistic regression analysis is going to be used to identify the variables that may be associated with the likelihood of weaning failure. A multiindicator combination model is going to be developed to increase the predictive accuracy after the possible indicators' accuracy in foretelling the weaning outcome was assessed.

Investigation of the Effects of Exercise in Individuals With Juvenile Hallux Valgus

This study aims to evaluate the short- and long-term effects of toe spread-out exercises, performed under supervision for 3 months, on the angular severity of deformity and the electromechanical activity, stiffness, and thickness of the abductor hallucis muscle, as well as its contribution to functional status, in individuals with juvenile hallux valgus.

The Effect of Virtual Reality Applications

Thyroid nodules are a common health problem in the adult population. Ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) is the standard diagnostic procedure for evaluating suspected thyroid nodules. Although FNAB is generally considered a safe and minimally invasive procedure, it may cause pain, anxiety, and fear. In addition, patients are instructed not to speak or cough during the procedure, and the biopsy may need to be repeated if an insufficient specimen is obtained, which can further increase psychological distress. Therefore, effective non-pharmacological interventions may help improve patient comfort during the procedure. Distraction is a widely used non-pharmacological pain management strategy that reduces patients' perception of pain and distress by redirecting their attention away from the procedure. Virtual reality (VR) is an immersive distraction technique that has shown promise in reducing procedure-related discomfort in various clinical settings. This open-label randomized controlled trial aimed to evaluate the effect of virtual reality on pain as the primary outcome and anxiety and fear of pain as secondary outcomes in patients undergoing ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy of suspected thyroid nodules.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Using Point-of-care Ultrasonography for Confirming Nasogastric Tube Placement

A prospective observational diagnostic study will be conducted to assess the sensitivity and specificity of ultrasound in verifying the correct nasogastric tube placement, using X-ray as the reference standard.

Long-term Effects of Radial Artery Cannulation on Vessel Diameter, Blood Flow and Fine Motor Skills

This observational study examined changes in blood vessel diameter, blood flow, and fine motor performance after ultrasound-guided radial artery cannulation in adults undergoing elective cardiac surgery. Ultrasound measurements of the radial and ulnar arteries and Purdue Pegboard tests of hand performance were obtained before cannulation and during follow-up for three months. Measurements were compared over time within each participant and between the relevant arteries or hands.

Multimodal Physiologic State Intelligence Study

The OMNIPHYS study will investigate whether multimodal ultrasound and other routinely collected clinical and physiologic data can be combined with artificial intelligence to characterize changes in a person's physiologic state over time. The study will examine cardiac, vascular, pulmonary, and systemic physiologic measurements and develop longitudinal models that describe baseline physiology, physiologic perturbation, compensation, deterioration, treatment response, and recovery. The study is observational and will not assign experimental treatments. The goal is to determine whether changes in multimodal physiologic patterns can be identified and characterized earlier and more reliably than conventional single-time-point assessment.

Ultrasound Guidance vs Landmark Technique for Internal Jugular Vein Catheterization

Central venous catheterization (CVC) is a fundamental procedure in anesthesiology and reanimation practice for critical clinical processes such as hemodynamic monitoring, vasoactive drug infusion, and fluid resuscitation. The internal jugular vein (IJV) is frequently preferred due to its superficial anatomical location and ease of access. This study aims to observe and compare the ultrasound (USG) guidance and the landmark method in patients scheduled for IJV catheterization.

New Generation Rehabilitation Approach in Children With Dysfunctional Voiding

The investigators hypothesize that Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization training, a next-generation exercise approach, and transabdominal ultrasound-guided pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) will be more effective than PFMT guided solely by transabdominal ultrasound in reducing post-void residual volume, improving voiding disorder symptoms, and enhancing pelvic floor muscle relaxation in children with dysfunctional voiding.

Ultrasound of the Spleen Utilizing Low-energy (Diagnostic Level) Insonification.

This is a three-cohort, randomized, double-blinded , sham-controlled, single-center, early feasibility research trial to determine whether organ-specific biologic effects on platelet activity and coagulation are achievable through selective ultrasound of the spleen utilizing low-energy (diagnostic-level) insonification. * Group 1: Focused insonification at center of the spleen. * Group 2: Prolonged duration insonification at center of the spleen * Group 3: Prolonged duration insonification across the spleen. Participants will receive 30 minutes of sham stimulation in the randomized group that is assigned to them, followed by active stimulation within the same group. Blood biomarkers (local and systemic) will be measured before and at several timepoints after stimulation to measure the molecular and cellular effects of the device

AI Based Muscular Ultrasound to Assess Intensive Care Unit-acquired Weakness

The aim of this observational case-control study is to investigate, whether artificial intelligence can detect ultrasound-derived imaging characteristics typical for intensive care unit-acquired weakness. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Is the evaluation of specific parameters of neuromuscular ultrasound using AI-based image analysis suitable for detecting and monitoring critically ill ICU patients with ICUAW? 2. Do the results of AI-based ultrasound image analysis correlate with: (A) the severity of ICUAW (B) the visual grading of muscle echogenicity (C) the 30- and 90-day-outcome?

Kosmos Guidance Performance Evaluation Data Annotation

The purpose of this study is to supplement prior Kosmos Trio Guidance performance testing conducted under ECHO-020 Kosmos Guidance, Grading, and Capture Performance Evaluation Protocol. The Kosmos Trio Guidance algorithm is designed to provide guidance to help novice scanners acquire images and videos during ultrasound scanning of three cardiac views (Parastenal Long Axis, Apical 4 Chamber, and Apical 2 Chamber) with Kosmos Trio. The study will divide the guidance cues not evaluated sufficiently in the ECHO-020 study into four categories: 1) corrective guidance, 2) incorrect scanning window, 3) incorrect probe orientation, and 4) low confidence prediction. For each guidance cue evaluated in this study, expert annotators will review two clips: one suboptimal view, collected when the probe is positioned at an incorrect location; and one guided view, captured after the sonographer followed the probe motion cue displayed by the system. Annotators will review each pair of clips and respond indicating either i) Yes, the guided clip demonstrates the appropriate correction from the suboptimal view; ii) No, the guided clip does not demonstrate the appropriate correction from the suboptimal view; or iii) Unevaluable, the guided clip is technically inadequate for assessment. For each category of guidance cues, the outcome measure will be the rate at which annotators respond "Yes." Finally, this study will also evaluate the Kosmos Trio Auto-Capture algorithm's ability to detect and capture a diagnostic-quality image. Annotators will rate clips captured by Kosmos Trio Auto-Capture on an ACEP-based image quality scale. The outcome measure will be the image quality score. The study design involves the compilation of de-identified retrospective cardiac clips acquired using the Kosmos diagnostic ultrasound system. This data was collected for two previous studies; no additional data will be collected from previous study participants for the purposes of this study.

Ultrasound Guided Versus Surgical Rectus Sheath Block Versus Local Anesthesia Infiltration for Postoperative Analgesia in Patients Undergoing Total Abdominal Hysterectomy

The aim of this work is to compare the efficacy and safety of the effectiveness and safety of ultrasound-guided surgical rectus sheath block and local anesthetic infiltration for postoperative analgesia in patients undergoing total abdominal hysterectomy.

Ultrasound Guided Rectus Sheath Block Versus Intrathecal Morphine for Postoperative Analgesia in Patients Undergoing Open Total Abdominal Hysterectomy

This study aims to compare the effectiveness and safety of ultrasound-guided rectus sheath block versus intrathecal morphine for postoperative analgesia in patients undergoing open total abdominal hysterectomy.

Safety and Efficacy of Microwave Ablation Alone Versus Microwave Ablation Combined With Chemical Ablation in the Treatment of Uterine Fibroids: A Prospective, Multicenter Study

Uterine fibroids are the most common benign tumors in women of reproductive age, with a prevalence of 20%-50%, often causing menorrhagia, anemia, pelvic pain, and pressure symptoms that markedly impair quality of life. Current treatments include pharmacological therapy (GnRH-a, mifepristone) - effective temporarily but with high recurrence after discontinuation; surgical myomectomy or hysterectomy - definitive yet invasive, with prolonged recovery and potential fertility compromise; and minimally invasive therapies such as uterine artery embolization (UAE), high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), and microwave ablation (MWA), which are increasingly favored for their minimal invasiveness and rapid recovery. MWA delivers thermal energy via a percutaneously inserted antenna under ultrasound guidance, inducing coagulative necrosis of fibroid tissue through temperatures exceeding 60°C. Advantages include minimal trauma (\~2 mm puncture), rapid recovery (discharge within 1-2 days), uterine preservation, and negligible ovarian impact. However, a key limitation is the heat sink effect: in hypervascular fibroids, flowing blood dissipates thermal energy, resulting in incomplete ablation, prolonged procedural time, and higher energy requirements - particularly challenging for fibroids \>5 cm in diameter. Chemical ablation involves intralesional injection of a sclerosing agent (e.g., lauromacrogol), which damages vascular endothelial cells, causing vascular occlusion, thrombosis, ischemic necrosis, and direct membrane disruption that accelerates apoptosis. Theoretically, pre-ablation chemical sclerotherapy may occlude feeding vessels, attenuate the heat sink effect, and enhance subsequent thermal ablation efficiency. Supporting this concept, an ex vivo bovine liver study demonstrated that pre-injection of 5 mL of 99.5% ethanol around the electrode prior to radiofrequency ablation produced a significantly larger ablation zone at equivalent energy levels compared with ablation alone. Small-sample clinical studies, including a prospective cohort from Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, have preliminarily explored combined chemical ablation plus MWA for uterine fibroids, suggesting improved ablation rates and shorter procedural times, though findings require validation through high-quality randomized controlled trials. Therefore, the investigators conducted this multicenter, prospective, randomized controlled trial to rigorously compare the safety (incidence and severity of adverse events) and efficacy (fibroid volume reduction rate, symptom improvement, quality-of-life outcomes) of MWA alone versus MWA combined with chemical ablation. This study aims to clarify the clinical value of the combined approach and provide high-quality, evidence-based data to guide the optimal selection of minimally invasive treatment strategies for uterine fibroids.

Inter-Rater Reliability of Ultra Sound Based Rectus Abdominis Thickness Following Blood Flow Restriction Training

Accurate assessment of skeletal muscle morphology is important in sports physiotherapy, exercise rehabilitation, and research. B-mode ultrasonography is a non-invasive and accessible method for assessing muscle thickness; however, ultrasound-based measurements may be influenced by image acquisition, anatomical landmark identification, and operator-dependent measurement procedures. Establishing inter-rater reliability is therefore essential to determine whether different assessors can obtain consistent measurements of muscle thickness from the same ultrasound images. The rectus abdominis is an important component of the abdominal musculature and contributes to trunk stabilization and functional performance during exercise. Blood flow restriction (BFR) training has gained increasing attention as a low-load exercise strategy for promoting muscular adaptations, although research has predominantly focused on peripheral limb muscles. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the inter-rater reliability of ultrasound-based rectus abdominis muscle thickness measurements following a standardized BFR training protocol using ImageJ software. Establishing reliable measurement of rectus abdominis thickness will provide a methodological basis for future research investigating abdominal muscle morphology and adaptations in sports physiotherapy, exercise rehabilitation, and BFR-based training.

TransThoracic Ultrasound for Descending Aortic Aneurysms

The goal of this observational study is to assess the applicability of non-invasive ultrasound in aneurysms of the descending thoracic aorta. The main question it aims to answer is: What is the feasibility of Ultrasound to visualise the Descending Thoracic Aorta, and can this imaging modality accurately measure the maximum size of aneurysms and residual sacs with acceptable reproducibility? Participants are having their diagnosis confirmed or excluded by conventional imaging techniques (CT scans). Participants receive exactly the same standard of care regardless of their participation. The study offers an additional ultrasound scan, and the results will be compared with previous imaging.