March 24, 2025
Institutional Review Board, Hospital for Special Surgery
The safety of our participants is our top priority. The trial/study is approved and periodically reviewed by the Institutional Review Board (IRB), which includes doctors, administrators, ethicists, and members of the general public. The safety of clinical trials is reviewed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Before enrolling in a clinical trial or research study, the investigator will explain the purpose of the trial/study, its expected benefits, any possible risks or side effects, and what your role will be. If you want to join the trial/study, you must sign informed consent documents. You can leave a trial/study at any time without penalty.
For further information, see Understanding Clinical Trials/Research Studies.
Delaram Shakoor, MD
Ek Tsoon Tan, PhD
Sophie C Queler
Shayna E Turbin
The purpose of this study is to optimize magnetic resonance neurography (MRN) and quantitative muscle MRI to characterize imaging features of patients with facial nerve palsy. The study will include 35 patients enrolled between October 2024 and June 2026. Study participation requires a one-time visit consisting of a 45-minute MRI of the face, a brief medical history interview, and facial photographs and videos for evaluation of the degree of weakness. The visit is fully funded by research. Participants are compensated $50 upon completion of the study requirements.
Individuals who are older than 18 and have spontaneous or traumatic facial nerve palsy may be eligible for this study. Participants must have some degree of weakness evident by either clinical exam or EMG.
Individuals with relative MRI contraindications (e.g. claustrophobia, metallic hardware within imaged field-of-view) are ineligible to participate in the study.
Darryl Sneag, MD
RadNerve@HSS.EDU