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Ultrasound and Respiratory Physiological Signals in Lung Diseases

Study Purpose

The use of lung ultrasound is instrumental in the evaluation of many chest pathologies and its ability to detect pleuro-pulmonary pathology is widely accepted. However, the use of ultrasound to explore the state of the peripheral lung parenchyma, when the organ is still aerated, is a relatively new application. Horizontal and vertical artifacts are separate and distinct artifacts that can be seen during ultrasound examination of the lungs. While the practical role of lung ultrasound artifacts is accepted to detect and monitor many conditions, further research is needed for the physical interpretation of ultrasound artifacts. These artifacts are diagnostic signs, but we don't fully understand their origin. The artifactual information deriving from the surface acoustic interaction, beyond the pleural line, in the ultrasound images of the normally aerated and non-deflated lung, represents the final result of complex interactions of acoustic waves with a specific three-dimensional structure of the biological tissue. Thus, the umbrella term "vertical artifacts" oversimplifies many physical phenomena associated with a pathological pleural plane. There is growing evidence that vertical artifacts are caused by physiological and pathological changes in the superficial lung parenchyma. Therefore, the need emerges to explore the physical phenomena underlying the artifactual ultrasound information deriving from the surface acoustic interaction of ultrasound with the pleuro-pulmonary structures.

Recruitment Criteria

Accepts Healthy Volunteers Healthy volunteers are participants who do not have a disease or condition, or related conditions or symptoms	No
Study Type An interventional clinical study is where participants are assigned to receive one or more interventions (or no intervention) so that researchers can evaluate the effects of the interventions on biomedical or health-related outcomes. An observational clinical study is where participants identified as belonging to study groups are assessed for biomedical or health outcomes. Searching Both is inclusive of interventional and observational studies.	Interventional
Eligible Ages	18 Years and Over
Gender	All

More Inclusion & Exclusion Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

- inpatients admitted to the hospital due to diffuse interstitial lung diseases during exacerbation OR infectious interstitial pneumonia not caused by SARS-CoV-2 OR acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

- Outpatients with pulmonary paraseptal and/or panlobular emphysema and/or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease during stable phase.

- Patients able to give written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

- history of skin irritation, redness, itching or allergic cutaneous symptoms.

- Allergic reactions to adhesives or hydrogels.

- Family history of adhesive skin allergies.

- Presence of severe skin conditions such as wounds, burns or on any damaged skin.

- Presence of strong magnetic fields in the study setting.

- Presence of electromagnetic disturbances or significant ionizing radiation sources which might lead to signal artifacts.

- Use of external cardiac defibrillators.

- Use of diaphragmatic pacers.

- Use of extra cardiac stimulators.

- Pregnancy.

- Pediatric population.

Trial Details

Trial ID: This trial id was obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, providing information on publicly and privately supported clinical studies of human participants with locations in all 50 States and in 196 countries.	NCT06068647
Phase Phase 1: Studies that emphasize safety and how the drug is metabolized and excreted in humans. Phase 2: Studies that gather preliminary data on effectiveness (whether the drug works in people who have a certain disease or condition) and additional safety data. Phase 3: Studies that gather more information about safety and effectiveness by studying different populations and different dosages and by using the drug in combination with other drugs. Phase 4: Studies occurring after FDA has approved a drug for marketing, efficacy, or optimal use.	N/A
Lead Sponsor The sponsor is the organization or person who oversees the clinical study and is responsible for analyzing the study data.	Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS
Principal Investigator The person who is responsible for the scientific and technical direction of the entire clinical study.	Riccardo Inchingolo, MD, PhDAndrea Smargiassi, MD, PhD
Principal Investigator Affiliation	Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, IRCCSFondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, IRCCS
Agency Class Category of organization(s) involved as sponsor (and collaborator) supporting the trial.	Other, Industry
Overall Status	Recruiting
Countries	Italy
Conditions The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied.	Interstitial Lung Disease, Interstitial Lung Diseases, Interstitial Pneumonia, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Emphysema or COPD, Ultrasonography, Ultrasound Imaging, Ultrasound

Additional Details

In the last years, lung ultrasonography has gained ever-growing clinical interest and curiosity because of its peculiar ability to acquire clinical information at bedside, its non-invasiveness and low cost. In particular settings (emergency medicine, intensive care unit) its utility has been well demonstrated. Clinicians use chest ultrasound for detecting pleural diseases, consolidations, bronchiolitis, interstitial lung pathology and critical pulmonary conditions of adults, children, and infants. However, the development of lung ultrasonography for exploring non-consolidated organs, has been not supported by a strong knowledge of the physical mechanisms that underlie pulmonary artifacts. Lung ultrasonography is comparable to a standard morphological sonography only when assessing a pulmonary consolidation, a tissue without air, which is in direct contact with the visceral pleural. In this case, the clinicians evaluate anatomic images, representing the real structure of the diseased organ. Differently, when the lung surface is denser but not yet consolidated, the large acoustic impedance gradient between the chest wall and the pulmonary tissue containing air prevents every anatomic representation, and the scan results in the visualization of many kinds of vertical artifacts known as B-Lines. Even though the practical role of lung ultrasound artifacts is accepted for detecting and monitoring many conditions, many of the published studies are empirical and further research is needed to clarify the physical genesis of vertical artifacts. These artifacts are diagnostic signs, but we do not fully understand their origin. The artifactual information beyond the pleura line in ultrasonographic images of the normal and of the not critically deflated lung represents the ultimate outcome of complex interactions of a specific acoustic wave with a specific three-dimensional structure of the biological tissue. There is growing evidence that vertical artifacts are caused by physiological and pathological changes in the superficial lung parenchyma. The study intends to explore the relationship among ultrasound, tomographic and patch-based cardio-respiratory data, obtained from a heterogeneous population of patients suffering from: 1) pre-consolidative pulmonary changes such as diffuse interstitial lung diseases during exacerbation, 2) infectious interstitial pneumonia and 3) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease during both stable phase and exacerbations.

Arms & Interventions

Arms

Experimental: Thoracic ultrasonographic, tomographic and patch-based cardio-respiratory evaluations

Ultrasonographic findings will be obtained with clinical machines. Additionally, ultrasonographic scans as acquired with research platform will also be gathered. Metal cutaneous landmarks will be positioned and left during computed tomography scans, indicating the areas of ultrasonographic assessment. This method will support a more accurate comparison between ultrasonographic patterns and CT scans peripheral lung findings. Finally, on the same day of enrolment, a wearable system for measuring physiological signals, will be applied. The sensors will be applied to the upper chest. The following information will be collected by each sensor: ECG, respiratory effort, respiratory flow, activity, position, and sound pressure level.

Interventions

Diagnostic Test: - Lung ultrasound, computed tomographic scan and patch-based cardio-respiratory evaluations

Ultrasonographic findings will be obtained with machines supplied with clinical Units. Additionally, US scans as acquired with open research platform will also be gathered. For both scanners, ultrasonographic scans will be performed and videos will be recorded and stored in each landmark. Metal cutaneous landmarks will be positioned and left during computed tomographic (CT) scans, indicating the areas of ultrasonographic assessment. Finally, on the same day of enrolment, a wearable system for measuring physiological signals, will be applied. Within the scope of this study, sensors will be applied to the upper chest. The following information will be collected by each sensor: electrocardiography, respiratory effort, respiratory flow, activity, position, and sound pressure level.

Contact a Trial Team

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