Descending Aortic AneurysmTHORUSNCT07752654
TransThoracic Ultrasound for Descending Aortic Aneurysms
An observational study of Descending Aortic Aneurysm and Ultrasound, run by Imperial College London at 1 site in United Kingdom.
Trial summary
The goal of this observational study is to assess the applicability of non-invasive ultrasound in aneurysms of the descending thoracic aorta. The main question it aims to answer is: What is the feasibility of Ultrasound to visualise the Descending Thoracic Aorta, and can this imaging modality accurately measure the… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Descending Aortic Aneurysm, Ultrasound, Accuracy
- How many people
- 60 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited Kingdom
- Study dates
- 7 Sep 2026to 3 Apr 2028
- Phase
- Observational
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Study population: All Participants will receive a single Ultrasound scan as part of this study. All Patients had at least one CT scan of the thoracic aorta prior to the study as part of their standard of care. No additional radiation or invasive imaging techniques will be used in the Thorus study. The data obtained from the CT will be analysed by an independent reviewer and compared with Ultrasound measurements. Participants will be recruited prospectively from a single NHS Trust in London - Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust.
Who may be able to join
- Patients with diagnosed AAA or other vascular condition attending the vascular scanning department for routine ultrasound and confirmed healthy DTA (Control group).
- Patients with known DTAA (including Type B dissection) or patients who had TEVAR previously (Case group).
- Patients who have had CT as part of their standard of care.
- Patients able to tolerate the scan (Lying in supine position).
- Adults aged 18 or over.
- Willing to provide consent.
Who cannot join
- Patient under 18 years of age.
- Previous thoracic surgery or body deformity (severe kyphosis, scoliosis, pleural effusion or chest wall trauma).
- Patients without previous imaging of the thoracic aorta.
- Life expectancy <2 years.
- Pregnant Women.
- Patients unwilling to provide consent or unable to comply with study requirements.
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- Patients too frail to travel to routine outpatient appointments.
- Inability to attend the appointment due to time constraints or other commitments.
- Although rare, ultrasound contraindications as described in the scanning protocol are also exclusion criteria.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United Kingdom1 site
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust - St Mary's Hospital
London, London, W2 1NY
Carlos Pinho, PhD Student, +44 20 3312 3374, cv1026@ic.ac.uk
Cheuk Fund Wong, +44 20 7594 9832, rgit@imperial.ac.uk
About this study
Official title: Feasibility, Accuracy and Reproducibility of Ultrasound in Aneurysms of the Descending Thoracic Aorta
The goal of this observational study is to assess the applicability of non-invasive ultrasound in aneurysms of the descending thoracic aorta.
The main question it aims to answer is:
What is the feasibility of Ultrasound to visualise the Descending Thoracic Aorta, and can this imaging modality accurately measure the maximum size of aneurysms and residual sacs with acceptable reproducibility?
Participants are having their diagnosis confirmed or excluded by conventional imaging techniques (CT scans). Participants receive exactly the same standard of care regardless of their participation. The study offers an additional ultrasound scan, and the results will be compared with previous imaging.
Read the detailed description
Aneurysms of the aortic artery are a significant public health issue. The number of newly diagnosed aneurysms of the thoracic aorta is on the rise, and aneurysm rupture is a catastrophic event associated with high mortality rates. The most proximal sections of the aorta (ascending and the aortic arch) are routinely scanned by echocardiography practitioners. The abdominal aorta is also easily visualised on transabdominal ultrasound, and there is a screening programme in the UK that is highly cost-effective and reduced the aneurysm-related number of deaths. However, the portion of the aorta in the chest (descending thoracic aorta) is not routinely assessed by ultrasound practitioners.
The diagnosis of descending thoracic aneurysms relies mostly on imaging techniques that use ionising radiation. In addition, these techniques are expensive and may not be widely available in some regions. In contrast, ultrasound is a non-invasive technique that allows visualisation of most parts of the body. Ultrasound machine suppliers have invested in better systems and transducers over the years and visualisation of the descending thoracic aorta may now be possible.
The main aims of this study are to assess the feasibility (Part 1), accuracy (Part 2) and reproducibility (Part 3) ultrasound in the diagnosis and monitoring of descending thoracic aortic aneurysms. Participants will be recruited from the vascular lab and outpatient clinics, and diameters of the descending thoracic aorta will be measured with non-invasive ultrasound. Data obtained from study measurements will be compared with computed tomography scans that patients had as part of their standard of care.
If the feasibility, accuracy and reproducibility of Ultrasound are clearly demonstrated, routine ultrasound scans of the descending thoracic aorta may be suggested.
- Conditions
- Descending Aortic Aneurysm, Ultrasound, Accuracy, Feasibility, Reproducibility
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| CONTROLS | Patients with healthy DTA (30 patients) | |
| CASES | Patients with DTAA or TEVAR (30 patients) |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Part 1 - Feasibility - Proportion of participants with successful ultrasound measurement of the diameter of the descending thoracic aorta
Number and percentage of participants in whom the descending thoracic aortic diameter can be obtained by transthoracic ultrasound. The units of Measure are total number and percentages.
Measured: Day 1 - At the single ultrasound study visit.
Part 1 - Feasibility - Length of the descending thoracic aorta by Ultrasound
Total length of the descending thoracic aorta from the aortic isthmus to the coeliac axis. The unit of Measure is Centimetres (cms).
Measured: Day 1 - At the single ultrasound study visit.
Part 1 - Feasibility - Ultrasound Quality Score
Number of ultrasound windows that allow visualisation of the descending thoracic aorta (0 to 3 windows) and allocation of a quality score.
The Unit of Measure is a score created for this study (0-Windows: No views; 1 window: Poor; 2 windows: Moderate; 3 windows: Good). Higher scores mean better image quality.
Measured: Day 1 - At the single ultrasound study visit.
Part 2 - Accuracy - Comparision between Transthoracic Ultrasound and CT
Calculate mean differences and limits of agreement between TUS and CT. Achieve high sensitivity and specificity.
Measured: Day 1 - At the single ultrasound study visit.
Part 3 - Reproducibility - Intraclass correlation coefficient
Calculate inter- and intra-operator variability by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). The study aims to achieve good or excellent reliability.
Measured: Day 1 - At the single ultrasound study visit.
Secondary outcomes (3)
Part 1 - Feasibility - Factors limiting visualisation of the Descending Thoracic Aorta
Number and percentages of participants in whom limiting factors such as body habitus or rib shadowing are reported after the ultrasound test. The units of measure are the number of participants with raised BMI (kg/m^2) and acoustic shadowing due to bone density.
Measured: Day 1 - At the single ultrasound study visit.
Part 1 - Feasibility - Duration of Ultrasound Examination
Total time needed to complete the ultrasound scan of the descending thoracic aorta. The unit of measure is minutes.
Measured: Day 1 - At the single ultrasound study visit.
Part 1 - Feasibility - Patient Feedback Questionnaire
Scores are obtained from the patient feedback questionnaire that was created specifically for this study and consists of 5 questions relating to comfort, tolerability and overall experience of the ultrasound scan. The unit of measure is a score ranging from 1-Strongly Disagree to 5-Strongly Agree. Higher scores mean better patient satisfaction.
Measured: Day 1 - At the single ultrasound study visit.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted7 Aug 2026
- Study start7 Sep 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion5 Apr 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion3 Apr 2028 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Descending Aortic AneurysmStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Imperial College LondonThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Imperial College London
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Professor Colin Bicknell, Study chair, Imperial College London
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07752654
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 199470
- Other IDs
- IRAS Project ID: 365629
- Acronym
- THORUS
- Status last verified
- Aug 2026
- First submitted
- 28 Jul 2026
- Last updated
- 7 Aug 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: Sharing IPD is not required to answer the research question.