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Contrast-enhanced Ultrasound in the Treatment of Acute Spinal Cord Injury

Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Biomarker for Prognostication and Guidance of Surgical Treatment in Acute Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury

Who can join

Ages 18 and older · All sexes

Inclusion Criteria:

* 18 years of age minimum
* Acute spinal cord injury fpr less than 24 hours
* Injury ranging from mild spinal cord injury where motor function is preserved (AIS A) to complete injury where there is no motor or sensory function below the leel of the injury (AIS D)
* Medically stable to undergo routine dorsal decompression, spinal realignment
* and stabilizing with segmental instrumentation

Exclusion Criteria:

* Younger than 18 years old
* Neurological lower extremity exam missing or intact
* Traumatic head injury with a Glasgow score of 11 or lower
* Cord injury level caudal to T10 (thoracic spine level 10)
* A known sensitivity to lipid microsphere or its components, such as polyethylene glycol (PEG)
* A history of anaphylactoid reactions from ultrasound enhancing agents
* A known history of cardiopulmonary conditions
* Cardiac shunt

About the study

Patients with traumatic spinal cord injury (tSCI) often suffer from spinal cord swelling inside the thecal sac, which contains the spinal cord and surrounding fluid, leading to increased pressure on the spinal cord tissue and decreased spinal cord blood flow at the site of injury. The combination of increased pressure and decreased blood flow causes vascular hypoperfusion of the spinal cord and exacerbates the severity of injury. This is also referred to as secondary injury. Thus, knowledge of spinal cord hypoperfusion would allow the treating physician to optimize the hemodynamic condition of the patient with acute spinal cord injury and potentially improve functional outcomes.

What is being tested

• Perflutren lipid (drug)

Sponsor: University of Washington · Participants: 50 · Started: Sep 28, 2023

Contact the study team

• Amy Anderson · Phone: 206-744-9364

Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT06654804

Locations in the U.S.

From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Oct 2, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.