EXPLAIN (Hyperpolarised xenon magnetic resonance pulmonary imaging in patients with Long-COVID)

  • Funded by Department of Health and Social Care / National Institute for Health and Care Research (DHSC-NIHR)
  • Total publications:0 publications
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Key facts

  • Disease

    COVID-19
  • Known Financial Commitments (USD)

    $2,476,980
  • Funder

    Department of Health and Social Care / National Institute for Health and Care Research (DHSC-NIHR)
  • Principal Investigator

    Professor Fergus Gleeson
  • Research Location

    United Kingdom
  • Lead Research Institution

    University of Oxford
  • Research Priority Alignment

    N/A
  • Research Category

    Clinical characterisation and management

  • Research Subcategory

    Disease pathogenesis

  • Special Interest Tags

    N/A

  • Study Type

    Clinical

  • Clinical Trial Details

    Not applicable

  • Broad Policy Alignment

    Pending

  • Age Group

    Unspecified

  • Vulnerable Population

    Unspecified

  • Occupations of Interest

    Unspecified

Abstract

The EXPLAIN project will seek to diagnose ongoing breathlessness in coronavirus patients who were not admitted to hospital, using MRI scans to trace inhaled xenon gas moving into and out of the lungs. A 15-minute scan using low levels of the gas will display lung function and - if abnormalities are found - comparisons of data across different groups of participants recruited from Oxford and Sheffield can help assess their severity and whether they improve over time. Some EXPLAIN patients will also have a separate scan to see if heart damage can be identified. If the MRI scans separate patients with and without lung disease, further CT scans can be analysed, using artificial intelligence and blood samples to identify associated conditions and inform the development of treatments.