Imaging Biomarkers of Pancreatic Function and Disease

Conditions

• Diabetes Mellitus
• Pancreatitis

Eligibility Criteria

Sex

ALL

Age

5 Years - 21 Years

Healthy Volunteers

Accepted

Interventions

• Research MRI without administration of intravenous secretin — DIAGNOSTIC_TEST
  Participants will undergo a research MRI examination. MRI images will be quantitatively analyzed and will be compared to / used to predict diabetes.
• Research MRI with administration of intravenous secretin — DIAGNOSTIC_TEST
  Participants will undergo a research MRI examination with intravenous administration of secretin. MRI images will be quantitatively analyzed and will be compared to / used to predict exocrine and endocrine pancreatic insufficiency based on the reference standards of ePFTs or fecal elastase and blood hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and fasting glucose, respectively.
• Genetic Sequencing — GENETIC
  Blood will be drawn to enable gene sequencing for gene mutations associated with heritable pancreatitis. We will assess the association between identified gene variants and the presence of diabetes and will construct models based on identified variants to predict progression to diabetes.
• Blood Tests — DIAGNOSTIC_TEST
  Research blood draw (for markers of pancreatic endocrine insufficiency)
• Stool Tests — DIAGNOSTIC_TEST
  Research stool collection (for fecal elastase as a marker of exocrine insufficiency)
• Survey Completion — OTHER
  Participants will be contacted to complete a survey and their charts will be reviewed annually after research MRI to identify any evidence of subsequent development of pancreatic endocrine insufficiency or progression of pancreatitis. Survey and chart review will occur within +/- 14 days of the anniversary date.
• Endoscopic pancreatic function tests (ePFTs) — DIAGNOSTIC_TEST
  At least two duodenal fluid aspirates will be collected over 15 minutes following secretin administration. Aspirates will be immediately pH tested and will be submitted for analysis of bicarbonate, enzyme (trypsin, amylase, lipase, chymotrypsin) activity, and total protein.
• Secretin — DRUG
  Participants enrolled in Aim 1, Aim 3, and Aim 4 will receive intravenous secretin at a dose of 0.2 mcg/kg (maximum 16 mcg). Participants in Aim 1 will receive two doses (1 during endoscopy and 1 during MRI). Participants in Aim 3 will receive one dose during MRI. Participants in Aim 4 will receive two doses (1 during each MRI). Secretin for intravenous use is FDA-approved for stimulation of pancreatic secretions, including bicarbonate, to aid in the diagnosis of exocrine pancreas dysfunction. Safety and effectiveness of secretin in pediatrics have not been established. However, secretin is routinely used in children at CCHMC at the same dose at which it will be administered for this study.

Study Details

This study seeks to understand the performance of MRI to characterize pancreatitis and predict chronic complications (endocrine and exocrine) of pancreatitis. Through multiple aims, the investigators will benchmark MRI against relevant reference standards (e.g. endoscopic pancreatic function tests, laboratory data). The investigators will also characterize repeatability of the imaging findings and will work to develop methods to simplify and automate analysis of the MRI images. Research interventions depend on the Aim(s) participants enroll in but include: endoscopic pancreatic function testing (added on to clinically indicated upper GI endoscopy), blood tests, stool tests, gene sequencing, and survey completion. All participants will undergo research MRI examinations, a subset of which will include administration of intravenous secretin.

Key Dates

Start date

Jan 18, 2023

Status verified

Sep 2025

Primary completion

Dec 31, 2026

Completion

Dec 31, 2027

Study Design

Enrollment

195 participants (estimated)

Allocation

NON_RANDOMIZED

Intervention model

PARALLEL

Primary purpose

DIAGNOSTIC

Arms

• Experimental: Imaging markers of exocrine and endocrine insufficiency
  We will prospectively enroll 85 participants; 40 with known or suspected EPI and 45 controls (no known organic gastrointestinal pathology and no history of pancreatic disease) in this aim. Participants will be undergoing clinically-indicated endoscopy and will have endoscopic pancreatic function tests (ePFTs) collected for research during the clinically-indicated endoscopy examination. A research blood draw and a research stool collection will also be collected from all participants. Participants will undergo a research MRI examination with administration of intravenous secretin within 2 weeks of their clinical endoscopy but no sooner than 2 hours before or after endoscopy.
• Experimental: Imaging markers of diabetes and prediction of progression to diabetes
  We will prospectively enroll 30 participants; 10 with a single episode of acute pancreatitis, 10 with acute recurrent pancreatitis, and 10 with pancreatitis-related diabetes in this aim. Participants will undergo a research MRI examination. Participants will also undergo a research blood draw for laboratory analysis and to enable gene sequencing for gene mutations associated with heritable pancreatitis. We will assess the association between identified gene variants and the presence of diabetes and will construct models based on identified variants to predict progression to diabetes.
• Experimental: Imaging stratification of stages of pancreatitis
  We will prospectively enroll 60 participants; 15 healthy controls, 15 participants with a single episode of acute pancreatitis, 15 participants with acute recurrent pancreatitis, and 15 participants with chronic pancreatitis. A research blood draw and a research stool collection will be collected from all participants. Participants will undergo a research MRI examination with administration of intravenous secretin.
• Experimental: Imaging reproducibility
  We will prospectively enroll up to 20 participants enrolled in Aims 1 or 3 (up to 5 controls and 15 patients with pancreatic disease) to undergo repeat research MRI imaging between 24 hours and 14 days after their first research MRI. Participants will undergo a research MRI examination with administration of intravenous secretin, identical to the research MRI performed under Aims 1 or 3. MRI images will be quantitatively analyzed and agreement between the two MRI examinations (1st and repeat MRI) will be assessed.
• No Intervention: Automated or semi-automated image analysis
  We will use images prospectively collected under Aims 1-3, as well as existing images that had been obtained for clinical care of children with pancreatitis at CCHMC to develop and optimize image processing pipelines for MRI images. Performance of these pipelines will be benchmarked against manual segmentation performed by multiple observers.

Primary Outcome Measure

Pancreas volume as a predictor of pancreas health and function (including endocrine and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency). [ Time Frame: 5 years ]

Locations (1)

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