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Peripheral Pulmonary LesionsNCT07827326

Clinical Utility of Needle-Based Confocal Laser Endomicroscopy for Peripheral Pulmonary Lesions

An observational study of Peripheral Pulmonary Lesions, run by First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University at 3 sites in China.

Not yet recruiting

Opening soon. The study is approved but enrolment has not started yet. Sites may already take enquiries.

Sites and contacts
Official record
Search all trials

Trial summary

This prospective, multicenter diagnostic accuracy study will evaluate the clinical utility of needle-based confocal laser endomicroscopy (nCLE) for differentiating malignant from benign peripheral pulmonary lesions (PPLs). Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and older
Conditions the study is for
Peripheral Pulmonary Lesions
What is being tested?
Confocal Laser Endomicroscopy
How many people
100 participants
Where
3 sitesChina
Study dates
1 Oct 2026to 31 Oct 2027
How long will I take part?
6 Months
Phase
Observational
Are there results?
Not yet: the study is under way

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
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Study population: The study population will consist of adults aged 18 years or older with peripheral pulmonary lesions detected on chest computed tomography who are referred to the respiratory endoscopy units of three participating tertiary hospitals in China for clinically indicated diagnostic bronchoscopy and tissue sampling. Eligible patients will be prospectively screened and invited to participate. Participants must be willing to undergo radial probe endobronchial ultrasound localization and needle-based confocal laser endomicroscopy and must provide written informed consent. Patients with lesions ultimately diagnosed as either malignant or benign will be included.

Who may be able to join

  • Age 18 years or older.
  • A peripheral pulmonary lesion identified on chest CT.
  • Bronchoscopic biopsy considered clinically necessary by the treating physician to establish a pathologic diagnosis.
  • Willingness to undergo r-EBUS and nCLE examinations.
  • Voluntary participation with written informed consent.

Who cannot join

  • A contraindication to bronchoscopy, including severe cardiopulmonary disease,coagulation disorder, failure to discontinue anticoagulant therapy or anticoagulant medication for at least 5 days before the procedure, poor tolerance of anesthesia,psychiatric illness, or severe neurosis.
  • Pregnancy or breastfeeding.
  • Known allergy to fluorescein sodium.
  • Coagulation disorder.
  • A known allergic disorder, history of asthma, hepatic failure, renal failure, or another contraindication to fluorescein sodium injection.
  • Continued use of a systemic beta-blocker on the day of the procedure, or inability to discontinue the beta-blocker safely as assessed by the investigator and anesthesiologist.
  • Inability to cooperate with the study for any reason, or any other condition that the investigator considers unsuitable for enrollment.

Trial locations and contacts

3 sites in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.

Zhongbo Chen contact

86+13777125910

leonczb@163.com

China3 sites
  • Anhui Chest Hospital

    Hefei, Hefei, 230022

    Fei Tang, +86-13505696936, tangfei1205@163.com

  • Shanghai Chest Hospital

    Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, 200030

    Jiayuan Sun, +86-18017321598, jysun1976@163.com

  • The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University

    Zhejiang, Ningbo, 315000

    ZHongbo Chen, +86-13777125910, leonczb@163.com

Other trials in China

About this study

This prospective, multicenter diagnostic accuracy study will evaluate the clinical utility of needle-based confocal laser endomicroscopy (nCLE) for differentiating malignant from benign peripheral pulmonary lesions (PPLs). A total of 100 participants undergoing bronchoscopic evaluation of PPLs will be enrolled at three hospitals in China.

Following successful lesion localization using radial endobronchial ultrasound, nCLE imaging will be performed after intravenous administration of fluorescein, followed by standard bronchoscopic tissue sampling. nCLE findings will be compared with the final diagnosis established by histopathology, surgical pathology, or six-month clinical and imaging follow-up when necessary.

The primary outcomes are the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and overall diagnostic accuracy of nCLE. Procedure duration and procedure-related adverse events will also be recorded. The investigators hypothesize that nCLE can accurately distinguish malignant from benign PPLs in real time.

Being tested
Confocal Laser Endomicroscopy
Keywords
Peripheral Pulmonary Lesions, Bronchoscopy, Confocal Laser Endomicroscopy

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Confocal Laser EndomicroscopyDevice

    After successful localization of the peripheral pulmonary lesion using radial probe endobronchial ultrasound, a needle-based confocal laser endomicroscopy probe will be advanced through the same guide sheath. Following intravenous administration of 200 mg fluorescein sodium diluted in 8 mL of normal saline, the probe will be placed in gentle contact with the target lesion to acquire real-time microscopic images. A 1.4-mm probe will be used whenever feasible; a 0.8-mm probe may be used when the larger probe cannot pass through the working channel or guide sheath. The probe position may be adjusted to obtain diagnostically meaningful images. Images will be recorded before bronchoscopic tissue sampling and subsequently evaluated using predefined criteria for malignant and benign lesions. The nCLE findings will be compared with the final diagnosis established by histopathology and follow-up when necessary.

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Diagnostic Accuracy of Needle-Based Confocal Laser Endomicroscopy for Differentiating Malignant From Benign Peripheral Pulmonary Lesions

    Measured: Up to 6 months after the index bronchoscopy

Secondary outcomes (2)
  1. Incidence and Severity of Procedure-Related Adverse Events

    Measured: Periprocedural

  2. Duration of the nCLE Procedure

    Measured: Periprocedural

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted18 Sep 2026
  2. Study start1 Oct 2026 (estimated)
  3. Primary completion31 Oct 2027 (estimated)
  4. Study completion31 Oct 2027 (estimated)

Resources

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
100 participants (estimated)
Target duration
6 Months
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT07827326
Sponsor's protocol ID
2026-R324-01
Status last verified
Sep 2026
First submitted
14 Sep 2026
Last updated
21 Sep 2026
Results posted
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
Yes

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

An observational study of Peripheral Pulmonary Lesions, run by First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University at 3 sites in China.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 7 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 21 Sep 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 3 sites in China. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

Contact Zhongbo Chen (86+13777125910, leonczb@163.com), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Diagnostic Accuracy of Needle-Based Confocal Laser Endomicroscopy for Differentiating Malignant From Benign Peripheral Pulmonary Lesions (time frame: Up to 6 months after the index bronchoscopy). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 21 Sep 2026.

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