LIFU for Chronic Pain
Enrolling by invitationNot applicableNCT06628180
View the official record on ClinicalTrials.gov Recruiting status changes often. Contact the study team listed on ClinicalTrials.gov, and talk to your doctor before joining a study.
This study has no listed site in Canada in this snapshot. It is included as part of the worldwide chronic pain corpus.
Brief summary (from the registry)
This research project is examining the effects of noninvasive brain stimulation on chronic pain. We believe this study will help us to better understand possible treatments for chronic pain patients. Subjects will undergo functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and a computed tomography (CT) scan, which is a way to take pictures of the brain and skull. Subjects will receive noninvasive brain stimulation using low-intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU) sound waves, to temporarily change brain activity. Subjects will undergo pain testing using a small device that will increase the temperature of their skin and will rate this pain. Brain signals (EEG), heart rate and rhythm, blood pressure, respiration rate, and skin moisture will be monitored. Subjects will complete behavioral questionnaires. Each study session is expected to take 1.5-3 hours. Total participation takes 10 weeks.
Study details
- Official title
- Investigation of Accelerated LIFU: Towards Therapeutic Use for Chronic Pain
- Conditions
- Interventions
- Device: LIFU
- Device: Sham LIFU
- Sponsor
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
- Collaborators
- Focused Ultrasound Foundation
- Start date
- 2025-01-30
- Primary completion
- 2026-10
- Sex
- All
- Age range
- from 18 Years to 65 Years
- Results posted
- No results posted in this snapshot
- Countries
- United States
- Total sites listed
- 1
Eligibility criteria
Show eligibility criteria (verbatim from the registry)
Inclusion Criteria: * Patients with a chronic pain diagnosis. Pain must be moderate-to-severe and present for at least 3 months prior to research participation. Patients of all ethnicities, who understand and speak English. Exclusion Criteria: * Claustrophobia (scanning environment may be uncomfortable). * Contraindications to MRI: including pacemaker, aneurysm clips, neurostimulators, cochlear implants, metal in eyes, steel worker, or other implants. * Contraindications to CT: pregnancy * Active medical disorder or treatment with potential CNS effects (e.g. Alzheimer\'s) * History of neurologic disorder. (e.g. Parkinson\'s, Epilepsy, or Essential Tremor) * History of head injury resulting in loss of consciousness for \>10 minutes. * History of alcohol or drug dependence (through self-report).
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov (US National Library of Medicine), snapshot October 2026. Check the registry for current recruiting status. Record: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06628180