RecruitingOBSERVATIONAL

Anonymous Data Sharing for Small Bowel

This project is developing new computer software to help doctors understand and manage small bowel conditions like Crohn's disease. Currently, doctors have to manually measure things like bowel wall thickness from MRI scans, which takes a lot of time and can be difficult. This software will use anonymous small bowel MRI scans from patients who had them in the past at University College Hospital (UCLH) since 2005. The goal is to train the software to quickly and accurately identify and measure important features related to these conditions. This will help doctors make better decisions about diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring the progress of the disease for future patients. No new patient involvement is needed for this study; it only uses information from past, anonymised scans and medical records.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Sponsor

University College, London

Enrolment target

1,500

Start

24 Apr 2011

Estimated completion

31 Aug 2027

Small Bowel Disease Gastrointestinal Diseases

What is this study about?

Crohn's disease is a condition that affects the small bowel, causing problems like the bowel wall becoming thick, narrow, or forming unusual connections. Doctors often use a special scan called an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) to see these changes. MRI scans are safe and don't use radiation, making them a good way to check the small bowel, see how bad a condition is, and decide on the best treatment. However, radiologists (the doctors who read the scans) have to do a lot of manual measurements, which takes time and can be tricky.

Researchers at University College Hospital (UCLH), working with experts at University College London (UCL) and other European partners, are developing smart computer software to make this process much faster and more accurate. This software will learn to quickly identify and measure important features on small bowel MRI scans that show whether a disease is present, how severe it is, and if treatment is working. The aim is to give doctors a powerful new tool to better understand what's happening inside a patient's bowel.

To develop this software, the researchers are using existing, anonymous small bowel MRI scans and related medical information from patients who had these scans at UCLH since 2005 as part of their routine care. This means no new patients are being asked to have scans or take part directly. All patient information is anonymised, meaning it can't be traced back to any individual. This project has been carefully reviewed and approved by an ethics committee, ensuring that patients' privacy and confidentiality are protected while helping to improve future medical care.

Key takeaways

This study uses existing, anonymous MRI scans, not new patients.
It aims to build software to help doctors analyse small bowel MRIs faster.
The software could improve future diagnosis and treatment for conditions like Crohn's.
All patient data is completely anonymous and cannot be traced back to individuals.
No direct patient participation, visits, or medicines are involved.

Who may be eligible?

This project is not recruiting new patients. Instead, it is using data from past small bowel MRI scans conducted at University College Hospital (UCLH) between 2005 and September 2010. They are looking for scans from two types of patients:

Firstly, patients who had a small bowel MRI and also had other tests, like blood tests or an endoscopy, within six weeks of their MRI. These additional tests help confirm what was seen on the MRI. Secondly, they are also interested in scans from patients who had a normal small bowel MRI and whose other tests showed no bowel problems. These 'normal' scans are important for the software to learn what a healthy bowel looks like.

Patients who were under 16 years old at the time of their MRI or whose records don't fit the above descriptions are not included in this data sharing project. Remember, this project only uses existing, anonymous data and does not involve any current patients.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Did you have a small bowel MRI at UCLH between 2005 and September 2010?
Did you also have other tests (like certain blood tests or an endoscopy) within 6 weeks of that MRI scan?
Were you 16 years old or older at the time of your MRI scan?
Did your MRI show either a normal bowel or a bowel condition that was also confirmed by other tests?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

You will not be asked to participate directly in this study. This research uses information from past small bowel MRI scans (from 2005-2010) and related health records that were collected during routine patient care at UCLH. All information used in the study is completely anonymous, meaning it cannot be linked back to you personally. There are no study visits, assessments, medications, or follow-up required from patients, as the study is solely based on reviewing existing, anonymous data.

Potential risks and benefits

Since this study uses anonymous information from past medical records and MRI scans, there are no direct risks or benefits to individual patients. The potential benefit is for future patients, as the software being developed could lead to quicker and more accurate diagnosis and management of small bowel conditions like Crohn's disease. This could ultimately improve patient care for many. Because there is no direct patient involvement, there is no need to withdraw from the study.

Locations (1)

Some site locations are approximate. We're improving this — please verify with the trial team before travelling.

University College London Hospital
Verified postcode
London, United Kingdom· Recruiting

Common questions

Am I being asked to take part in this study?

No, this study is using existing, anonymous MRI scans and medical records from the past, so no new patient involvement is needed.

What kind of patient information is being used?

The study uses anonymous small bowel MRI scans and some related medical details, such as certain blood test results or endoscopy findings, all from routine NHS care.

Is my personal information kept private?

Yes, all patient information used in this study is completely anonymous. It's impossible to identify any individual from the data shared.

How will this study help patients?

The goal is to develop computer software that can help doctors analyse MRI scans faster and more accurately, leading to better diagnosis and treatment for future patients with small bowel conditions.

Will I get any results from this study?

No, as this study uses anonymous, historical data and doesn't involve current patients, there are no individual results to share.

How to find out more

Neela Ramchurn

n.ramchurn1@nhs.net Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.