NCT07113665

Magnetic Resonance-Guided Focused Ultrasound Bilateral Capsulotomy for Refractory Anorexia Nervosa With Comorbid Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or Major Depressive Disorder

Phase I Trial of MR-guided Focused Ultrasound (MRgFUS) Bilateral Capsulotomy for the Treatment of Refractory Anorexia Nervosa With Co-morbid Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or Major Depressive Disorder

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: Phase 1
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 10 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate the safety and initial clinical effectiveness of MRI-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) thermal ablation (capsulotomy) in patients with treatment-refractory anorexia nervosa (AN) and comorbid obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and major depressive disorder (MDD). The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Can MR-guided focused ultrasound capsulotomy be safely delivered through an intact skull in patients with treatment-refractory anorexia nervosa and comorbid OCD and/or MDD, with a safety and side-effect profile comparable to traditional radiofrequency neurosurgical approaches? 2. Does MRgFUS capsulotomy produce clinical outcomes comparable to open surgical ablative procedures-specifically, improvements in anxiety, mood, quality of life, anorexia nervosa psychopathology, habit formation, and weight-in patients with treatment-refractory anorexia nervosa? Participants will: 1. Undergo baseline imaging and clinical assessments 2. Receive a single MRgFUS capsulotomy targeting the ALIC 3. Be monitored for 24 months post-treatment to assess adverse events, quality of life, and symptom changes using standardized clinical and neuropsychiatric measures

Detailed description

This is a single-centre, prospective, single-arm, non-randomized Phase I study evaluating the safety, feasibility, and preliminary clinical benefit of MRI-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) for the treatment of treatment-refractory anorexia nervosa (AN) with comorbid obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and/or major depressive disorder (MDD). A total of 10 patients will be enrolled and treated with a single MRgFUS capsulotomy targeting the anterior limb of the internal capsule (ALIC). Participants will undergo comprehensive pre-treatment evaluations, including psychiatric assessment, physical and nutritional status review, MRI imaging, and surgical eligibility screening. The treatment will be performed using the ExAblate 4000 system under continuous MRI guidance and real-time thermometry. Participants will be followed at regular intervals, including immediately post-treatment and at 1, 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months post-procedure, to evaluate safety and changes in clinical symptoms.

Conditions

• Anorexia Nervosa (DSM-IV Revised Criteria)

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DEVICE	ExAblate Neuro 4000	The ExAblate Neuro 4000 is an MRI-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) system designed to perform noninvasive thermal ablation of targeted brain tissue. In this study, the ExAblate Neuro 4000 will be used to perform a bilateral capsulotomy by ablating the anterior limb of the internal capsule (ALIC) in patients with treatment-refractory anorexia nervosa (AN) and comorbid obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and/or major depressive disorder (MDD). The procedure will be conducted under real-time MRI guidance and thermometry to ensure accurate targeting and controlled thermal delivery. This study aims to evaluate the safety, feasibility, and preliminary clinical benefit of MRgFUS in improving psychiatric symptoms and quality of life in this patient population.

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-08-01
• Primary completion: 2028-08-01
• Completion: 2028-08-01
• First posted: 2025-08-11
• Last updated: 2025-08-14

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Canada