MR Lymphography Study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Magnetic Resonance Lymphangiography in patients with primary lymphoedema and lymphovascular disorders.
IRAS ID
274876
Contact name
Kristiana Gordon
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Joint Research and Enterprise Office
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 1 months, 31 days
Research summary
The lymphatic system is the body’s defense system that is vital for immune responses and maintaining tissue and body fluid levels. When the lymphatic system fails, accumulation of protein rich fluid (lymph) in the tissues creates chronic swelling, oedema, in an area of the body.
Primary lymphatic dysplasia are a varied group of conditions due to an underlying abnormality in the lymphatic system which can affect its function and structure. Imaging the lymphatic vessels will allow greater understanding of the issues affecting the lymphatic system and how the disease manifests. There is already a clinical standard investigation for imaging the lymphatic system, lymphoscintigraphy, however limitations in this technique mean that only course image detail can be achieved. Magnetic Resonance Lymphography (MRL) may be able to provide, in much greater detail, information relating to the structure and function of the lymphatic vessels. We also plan to compare and combine the findings of MRL with other imaging techniques to see how they can be used together to build up a fuller picture of the lymphatic system.
Examination of patients (recruited at St George's NHS foundation Trust (SGH), Lymphovascular outpatient clinic) with known genetic abnormality which alters their lymphatic system, will provide additional knowledge of how these genetic variations effect their lymphatic system. We also hope that by imaging affected individuals without a genetic diagnosis that we may be able to uncover new groups of lymphatic disorders which may then assist the search for a genetic cause and subsequently guide therapeutic interventions. We aim to recruit 30 affected individuals. These images will be compared to those that are not affected (e.g healthy individuals)-we aim to recruit 20 unaffected individuals. All scans will take place at SGH, by NHS staff, but in St George's University bought scanner time. This has been a long standing collaboration/agreement.REC name
London - Camden & Kings Cross Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/LO/0237
Date of REC Opinion
6 Apr 2020
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion