Corticotrophin-releasing Hormone (CRH) Stimulation for 18F-FDG-PET Detection of Pituitary Adenoma in Cushing s Disease

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Trial end date: 2025-12-31

Summary

Background:

Cushing s disease is caused by a pituitary gland tumor. Patients with Cushing s disease suffer obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis, weakness, and hypertension. The cure is surgery to remove the pituitary tumor. Currently, MRI is the best way to find these tumors. But not all tumors can be seen with an MRI. Researchers hope giving the hormone CRH before a PET scan can help make these tumors more visible.

Objective:

To test whether giving CRH before a PET scan will help find pituitary gland tumors that might be causing Cushing s disease.

Eligibility:

People ages 8 and older with Cushing s disease that is caused by a pituitary gland tumor that cannot be reliably seen on MRI

Design:

Participants will be screened with their medical history, a physical exam, an MRI, and blood tests.

Participants will have at least one hospital visit. During their time in the hospital, they will have a physical exam and a neurological exam. They will have a PET scan of the brain. A thin plastic tube will be inserted into an arm vein. A small amount of radioactive sugar and CRH will be injected through the tube. Participants will lie in a darkened room for about an hour and be asked to urinate. Then they will lie inside the scanner for about 40 minutes. After the scan, they will be asked to urinate every 2-3 hours for the rest of the day. Blood will be drawn through a needle in the arm.

Participants will have surgery to remove their tumor within 3 months after the scan.

Participants will then continue regular follow-up in the clinic.

• Phase: N/A

Details

• Lead Sponsor: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)