Central Nervous System Pathology clinical trials at University of California Health

Researchers are looking for a better way to help people with known or suspected brain or spinal cord-related problems scheduled for a "contrast-enhanced" Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). MRI is used by doctors to create detailed images of the inside of the body to identify health problems. Sometimes doctors need to inject a contrast agent into a patient's vein to perform a so called "contrast-enhanced" MRI (CE-MRI). Such CE-MRI examinations may support doctors to identify certain health problems or improve the evaluation. The contrast agents commonly used in MRI are gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs). GBCAs contain a "rare earth" element called gadolinium (Gd). Gadoquatrane is a new contrast agent under development with a lower amount of Gd needed per CE-MRI. The main purpose of this study is to learn whether CE-MRI scans with gadoquatrane work better than MRI scans without the use of a contrast agent (GBCA). The researchers will compare the ability to detect brain and spinal cord-related problems in gadoquatrane-MRI scans to plain-MRI scans without the use of a contrast agent. The participants will undergo 2 MRI scans, one with gadoquatrane and one with currently used GBCA. Both contrast agents will be injected into the vein. Each participant will be in the study for between 6 and 42 days with up to 7 doctor visits. At the start or during the study, the doctors and their study team will: - take blood and urine samples - do physical examinations - check blood pressure and heart rate - review the MRI scans obtained in the study and decide on the diagnosis - ask the participants questions about how they are feeling and what adverse events they are having. An adverse event is any medical problem that a participant has during a study. Doctors keep track of all adverse events, irrespective if they think it is related or not to the study treatments.