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ICHOR 4: Anesthesia and Brain Blood Flow in Children

This study, called ICHOR 4, is looking at how two common anesthesia medications, Propofol and Dexmedetomidine, affect blood flow and oxygen use in the brain of young children. You could be eligible if you are between birth and 7 years old, need anesthesia for a clinical MRI scan at the study's location, and have a condition that isn't expected to change your brain's oxygen use or blood flow. The researchers want to see if there are differences in how these two anesthetics impact brain blood flow and oxygen metabolism. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either Propofol or Dexmedetomidine. The study is currently unclear on its recruitment status.

Study design
This is an interventional study with 130 planned participants, where you would be randomly assigned to receive one of two anesthetics.
What's involved
You would receive three minutes of research imaging before anesthesia, and then three minutes of imaging immediately after anesthesia induction during your MRI.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Changes in brain blood flow and oxygen use will be measured over an average of 60 minutes, from the start of the MRI to its completion.

AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.

NCT07103616

Individual Cerebral Hemodynamic Oxygenation Relationships - ICHOR 4

Not Yet Recruiting
PHASE4Up to 7InterventionalBasic science
Children's Hospital Los Angeles
~130 participants
Updated 2025-08-05 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Randomization of Propofol or Dexmedetomidine

At a glance

Recruiting sites
0 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Change in cerebral blood flow (ml blood/100g/min)
Measured over Time points over which the change is assessed: change from (1) start of MRI, (2) after induction of anesthesia, (3) MRI completion, an average of 60 minutes.
+1 more outcome measured

Conditions

Anesthesia; Reaction
Anesthesia

Explore related trials

Anesthesia Procedure

Where it's being run

1 sites across 1 states
California1

Study leadership

  • Matthew Borzage, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · Children's Hospital Los Angeles

Who to contact

Hannah Wiseman
[email protected]
323-361-3963
Email the study team

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Do you actually qualify for this trial?

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

Patients who are scheduled for a clinically indicated MRI at the sponsor institution.
Patients who are able to tolerate an MRI.
Patients who require clinical anesthesia for their MRI.
Patients with conditions not believed to alter oxygen metabolism or blood flow in the brain, including but not limited to patients with orthopedic indications, undescended testicles, hernia repairs, term equivalent age scans.
Patients who have no medical conditions that make the use of propofol or dexmedetomidine better for their clinical outcome.
Patients between birth and up-to 7 year of age.
Patients with conditions known to alter oxygen metabolism or blood flow in the brain, e.g. traumatic brain injury, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, tumor.

Exclusion

Patients with an MRI-incompatible device or implant (e.g. pacemakers, stents)
Preterm infants less than 25 weeks postmenstrual age (PMA) at the time of the scan.
Patients who are clinically too unstable to extend their MRI by up-to 10 minutes.
Patients who do not require clinical anesthesia.
Patients at risk for propofol infusion syndrome (known severe metabolic acidosis, hyperkalemia, lipemia, rhabdomyolysis, hepatomegaly, renal failure, ECG ST segment elevation, and/or cardiac failure)
Patient at risk for sensitivity to volatile halogenated anesthetic agents (known congenital Long QT Syndrome or patients taking drugs that can prolong the QT interval),
Patients with Perioperative Hyperkalemia (known neuromuscular disease, particularly Duchenne muscular dystrophy)

What this trial measures

  • Change in cerebral blood flow (ml blood/100g/min)Time points over which the change is assessed: change from (1) start of MRI, (2) after induction of anesthesia, (3) MRI completion, an average of 60 minutes.

    Phase contrast (PC) acquisition via MRI will be used to assess any impact of anesthesia on cerebral blood flow.

  • Change in cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (ml O2/100g/min)Time points over which the change is assessed: change from (1) start of MRI, (2) after induction of anesthesia, (3) MRI completion, an average of 60 minutes

    T2 relaxation under spin tagging (TRUST) acquisition via MRI will be used to assess any impact of anesthesia on cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen.