NCT07419048

Artificial Intelligence or Human Hand? Evaluating Inferior Vena Cava Imaging for Hydration Status

Artificial Intelligence or Human Hand? A Pilot Study Evaluating Inferior Vena Cava Imaging for Hydration Status - The THAP2 Study

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: —
• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 50 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

This observational pilot project is to compare AI-guided sonographic IVC measurements with those of human operators (experienced sonographer, beginner sonographer) in two commonly used views (Subcostal (SC)), Right Intercostal (RI)) in healthy, euvolemic participants before and after PLR, which mimics hypervolemia, in order to assess the possible role of AI-guided sonographic IVC measurements by assessing its feasibility and reliability. Each participant will undergo a SC and a RI IVC US assessment before and after PLR by both sonographers, resulting in a total of 8 IVC US examinations with 8 additional AI-guided IVC indices assessments.

Detailed description

This observational pilot project is to compare AI-guided sonographic IVC measurements with those of human operators (experienced sonographer, beginner sonographer) in two commonly used views (SC, RI) in healthy, euvolemic participants before and after PLR, which mimics hypervolemia, in order to assess the possible role of AI-guided sonographic IVC measurements by assessing its feasibility and reliability. US assessment will be performed by two sonographers, one beginner (BS) and one experienced (ES), blinded to each other's measurements. The BS is defined as a doctor who has not performed more than 20 US assessments of the IVC and has not performed clinical US of the abdominal region (at least 1x/week) in the past 6 months. The ES is defined as a doctor who has performed at least 20 US assessments of the IVC and uses US at least 1x/week in the past 6 months. Both BS and ES will perform a 2-hour training session in IVC sonography in two views (SC, RI) with a US-experienced doctor and will have full access to the protocol and measurement techniques during the assessments. The study consists of a screening visit and a study visit, which can be performed on the same day, with at least 2 hours interval between the two.

Conditions

• Inferior Vena Cava Imaging

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DIAGNOSTIC_TEST	Part 1 (US assessment in the supine position)	IVC US assessment consists of two parts, repeated for both SC and RI views. The IVC is visualized according to either SC or RI view. A video capturing two complete respiratory cycles is recorded in B-mode and stored. Subsequently, the "Smart IVC" preset is selected, and an AI-guided measurement is obtained at the same anatomical point under identical conditions. For each examination, the sonographer places the probe to obtain an optimal assessment point for both human- and AI-guided measurements. The time from examination start to achieving a satisfactory imaging window for both SC view and RI view in the supine position is recorded using a stopwatch.
DIAGNOSTIC_TEST	Part 2 (US assessment after PLR)	The participant's legs are elevated to 45° while the upper body remains horizontal (0°). After 2 minutes, the sonographer performs the US assessment following the same protocol as in Part 1. For each examination, the sonographer places the probe to obtain an optimal assessment point for both human- and AI-guided measurements. The time from examination start to achieving a satisfactory imaging window for both SC view and RI view in the supine position is recorded using a stopwatch.

Timeline

• Start date: 2026-02-02
• Primary completion: 2026-12-31
• Completion: 2026-12-31
• First posted: 2026-02-18
• Last updated: 2026-02-27

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Switzerland