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Non-invasive Imaging of Muscle Structure in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Using Multispectral Optoacoustic Tomography

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
Muscular Dystrophies
Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne
Interventions
Device: Multispectral Optoacoustic Tomography
Registration Number
NCT03490214
Lead Sponsor
University of Erlangen-Nürnberg Medical School
Brief Summary

This pilot study aims to assess subcellular muscle structure in patients with Duchenne X-linked progressive Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) in comparison to healthy volunteers using multispectral optoacoustic tomography (MSOT). During MSOT, a transducer is placed on the skin similar to a conventional sonography and instead of sound, energy is supplied to the tissue by means of light flashes. This leads to a constant change of minimal expansions and contractions (thermoelastic expansion) of individual tissue constituents or molecules. The resulting sound waves can then be detected by the same examination unit.

Detailed Description

Duchenne X-linked progressive Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is one of the most common progressive childhood muscle diseases with an incidence of 1 in 3500 male newborns and is associated primarily with decreased life expectancy. From the age of 4-5 years manifest motor problems in everyday life, typical signs of proximal muscle weakness, with lab-chemical increase of the muscle enzyme (creatinine kinase, CK). Within a few years, relevant muscle and tendon shortening leading to joint malpositions and instability, as well as scoliosis and loss of walking around the age of 10 are formed. Supportive therapies can not curatively affect complications and progression of the disease. Pathogenetically, there is a deficiency of dystrophin, a structural protein of the sarcolemma, which is caused by mutations (usually deletions) of the dystrophin gene (Xp21.3-p21.2). The result of dystrophin deficiency is a necrosis of muscle cells that are replaced by connective tissue and adipose tissue. Clinical scores (6-minute walk test, 6MWT) and MRI studies to characterize the degenerative changes of skeletal muscle in the early stages are available for the quantitative assessment of the disease progression as well as therapy effects, the significance of which is controversially discussed. However, the highly sensitive assessment of gene therapy effects (e.g., PTC 124) will become increasingly important in the future. Sensitive, non-invasive methods for the detection of early muscle degeneration and muscle function in the course are of great clinical and scientific importance. The purpose of this first pilot study is to investigate whether the differences in skeletal muscle composition of healthy volunteers and ambulatory patients with early stage DMD can be quantified and characterized using multispectral optoacoustic tomography (MSOT). This could in the future generate a completely new, non-invasive method to develop non-invasive biomarkers of disease progression or therapy response.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
Male
Target Recruitment
20
Inclusion Criteria
  • Histologic or genetically proven DMD
  • Age 3-10 years
Exclusion Criteria

Healthy controls

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Male
  • Age 3-10 years

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Suspected muscular disease/myopathia
  • missing informed consent

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Muscular DystrophiaMultispectral Optoacoustic TomographyMultispectral Optoacoustic Tomography (MSOT) of muscles (left and right, total 8 sites) leg proximal: Musculus quadriceps, distal: Musculus triceps surae arm proximal: Musculus biceps, distal: Musculus brachioradialis
Healthy VolunteerMultispectral Optoacoustic TomographyMultispectral Optoacoustic Tomography (MSOT) of muscles (left and right, total 8 sites) leg proximal: Musculus quadriceps, distal: Musculus triceps surae arm proximal: Musculus biceps, distal: Musculus brachioradialis
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Muscular collagen contentSingle time point (1 day)

Quantitative collagen signal derived by transcutaneous Multispectral Optoacoustic Tomography (MSOT) in patients with DMD compared to healthy control Units: arbitrary units (a.u.)

Muscular lipid contentSingle time point (1 day)

Quantitative lipid signal derived by transcutaneous Multispectral Optoacoustic Tomography (MSOT) in patients with DMD compared to healthy control Units: arbitrary units (a.u.)

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Correlation of lipid signal with MRCSingle time point (1 day)

Quantitative lipid signal (Units: arbitrary units (a.u.)) derived by transcutaneous Multispectral Optoacoustic Tomography (MSOT) in patients with DMD correlated with Medical Research Council (MRC, scale: 0-5, lower score means less muscular strength, measured for each individual muscles) muscle scale

Signal differences left and right musclesSingle time point (1 day)

Comparison of quantitative signal levels (Units: arbitrary units (a.u.)) derived by transcutaneous Multispectral Optoacoustic Tomography (MSOT) in patients with DMD/healthy controls in right and left body muscular groups (upper and lower body)

Muscular myo-/hemoglobin contentSingle time point (1 day)

Quantitative myo-/hemoglobin signal derived by transcutaneous Multispectral Optoacoustic Tomography (MSOT) in patients with DMD compared to healthy control Units: arbitrary units (a.u.)

Correlation of lipid signal with age/disease durationSingle time point (1 day)

Quantitative lipid signal (Units: arbitrary units (a.u.)) derived by transcutaneous Multispectral Optoacoustic Tomography (MSOT) in patients with DMD correlated with individual disease duration/age (in month)

Correlation of lipid signal with 6MWTSingle time point (1 day)

Quantitative lipid signal (Units: arbitrary units (a.u.)) derived by transcutaneous Multispectral Optoacoustic Tomography (MSOT) in patients with DMD correlated with 6-minute walk test (6MWT, distance in meters, less distance means higher disease severity)

Correlation of myo-/hemoglobin signal with age/disease durationSingle time point (1 day)

Quantitative moo-/hemoglobin signal (Units: arbitrary units (a.u.)) derived by transcutaneous Multispectral Optoacoustic Tomography (MSOT) in patients with DMD correlated with individual disease duration/age (in month)

Correlation of collagen signal with 6MWTSingle time point (1 day)

Quantitative collagen signal (Units: arbitrary units (a.u.)) derived by transcutaneous Multispectral Optoacoustic Tomography (MSOT) in patients with DMD correlated with 6-minute walk test (6MWT, distance in meters, less distance means higher disease severity)

Correlation of collagen signal with MRCSingle time point (1 day)

Quantitative collagen signal (Units: arbitrary units (a.u.)) derived by transcutaneous Multispectral Optoacoustic Tomography (MSOT) in patients with DMD correlated with Medical Research Council (MRC, scale: 0-5, lower score means less muscular strength, measured for each individual muscles) muscle scale

Correlation of myo-/hemoglobin signal with 6MWTSingle time point (1 day)

Quantitative myo-/hemoglobin signal (Units: arbitrary units (a.u.)) derived by transcutaneous Multispectral Optoacoustic Tomography (MSOT) in patients with DMD correlated with 6-minute walk test (6MWT, distance in meters, less distance means higher disease severity)

Correlation of myo-/hemoglobin signal with MRCSingle time point (1 day)

Quantitative myo-/hemoglobin signal (Units: arbitrary units (a.u.)) derived by transcutaneous Multispectral Optoacoustic Tomography (MSOT) in patients with DMD correlated with Medical Research Council (MRC, scale: 0-5, lower score means less muscular strength, measured for each individual muscles) muscle scale

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital Erlangen

🇩🇪

Erlangen, Bavaria, Germany

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