Skip to content

FDG PET/MR Imaging of Peripheral Pain Generators

FDG PET/MR Imaging of Peripheral Pain Generators in Persistent Post-Surgical Pain (PPSP)

Status
Recruiting
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Observational
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT06171659
Enrollment
128
Registered
2023-12-15
Start date
2024-11-19
Completion date
2028-06-01
Last updated
2026-07-17

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Nociceptive Pain, Pain

Brief summary

The purpose of this research is to determine if a PET/MRI scan using FDG can accurately identify the source of chronic pain. Identifying the source of pain may help doctors treat chronic pain more effectively. Approximately 128 participants will be enrolled and can expect to be on study for up to 12 months.

Detailed description

The investigators aim to precisely localize sites of increased inflammation and potentially pain generation and improve understanding of nociception and inflammation using a unique, hybrid PET/MRI approach in conjunction with intravenously, administered fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG), which has been shown with PET imaging to be an sensitive surrogate marker of inflammation. The Primary Objective of this pilot prospective, observational research is to determine whether this approach, which combines PET/MRI and an FDA-approved radiotracer, 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG), can accurately localize the sites of painful inflammation in individuals with persistent pain. * Determine if increased FDG uptake on PET as measured by standard uptake value (SUV) or target-to-background (TTB) measurements is increased in area of pain symptoms when compared to same corresponding areas in healthy, asymptomatic volunteers. * Determine whether amount of FDG uptake as measured on PET is able to localize to abnormalities when compared to MR imaging (T2 signal intensity, morphologic aberrations) Secondary Objectives: * Verify that the standard administered adult dose of FDG (0.14 mCi/kg/patient) used currently in the clinics can also be used to detect peripheral pain generators. * Verify that FDG uptake in asymptomatic, healthy controls will be significantly less than their chronic pain cohorts at the same anatomic location. * Determine whether longitudinal FDG PET/MR imaging findings in individual patients directly correlate with symptoms as they evolve over time in joint arthroplasty subjects with PPSP. * Determine if FDG PET/MR imaging findings spatially differ between different pain types.

Interventions

Fludeoxyglucose F 18 Injection is a positron emitting radiopharmaceutical containing no-carrier added radioactive 2-deoxy-2-\[18F\]fluoro-D-g1ucose, which is used for diagnostic purposes in conjunction with Positron Emission Tomography (PET). It is administered by intravenous injection. Dosage planned 0.14 mCi/kg/patient.

DEVICEPET/MRI

positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging

DEVICEPET/CT imaging

positron emission tomography and computed tomography imaging

Sponsors

University of Wisconsin, Madison
Lead SponsorOTHER
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
CollaboratorNIH
Arthroscopy Association of North America
CollaboratorOTHER

Study design

Observational model
COHORT
Time perspective
PROSPECTIVE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 85 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

Persistent Post-Surgical Pain Patients * 18-85 years old * Presents with persistent pain with pain score of ≥4 on Numerical Rating Scale \[0:10\] for at least 6 months following joint arthroplasty or arthroscopy. * Able and willing to provide informed consent * Willing and able to undergo PET/MRI (arthroplasty and arthroscopy participants) and PET/CT (arthroplasty participants only) Inclusion Criteria: Asymptomatic controls * 18-85 years old * Asymptomatic (pain score of ≤2 on the NRS) for at least 6 months following joint arthroplasty or arthroscopy. * Able and willing to provide informed consent * Willing and able to undergo PET/MRI

Exclusion criteria

* Inability to understand and communicate with the investigators to complete the study-related questionnaires. * Any co-morbidity which results in severe systemic disease limiting function as defined by the American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) physical status classification \> 3, such as the presence of current or past (6 months) pulmonary, hepatic, renal disease, arthritis, hematopoietic, and neurological diseases not related to chronic pain. * Pregnant or breastfeeding. (Individuals with childbearing potential will be asked to verbally confirm they are not pregnant. If they cannot confirm, they will have a urine pregnancy test either at the imaging study visit or within 7 days prior to the imaging study visit.) * Subject with contraindication(s) to or inability to undergo PET/MRI * Current diagnosis of malignancy of any kind. Participants in remission for at least two years and not undergoing any treatment may be considered per investigator discretion * Current enrollment in a scientific interventional or treatment study. * Subject unable or unwilling to provide informed consent

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frame
Change in SUVmax (chronic pain)baseline (6 months post-op), 12 months post-op, 18 months post-op
SUVmax (chronic pain vs healthy)baseline
Location of Pain Compared to Target-to-Background (TTB) or SUVmaxbaseline

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Number of Participants Where Standard FDG dose was sufficient to detect region of pain (symptomatic groups)baselineThe standard administered adult dose of FDG currently used in clinics is 0.14 mCi/kg/patient.
Variation of the maximum ratio of SUV (SUVRmax) in asymptomatic controls vs symptomaticbaseline
Variation of the maximum ratio of SUV (SUVRmax) in symptomatic participantsbaseline (6 months post-op), 12 months post-op, 18 months post-op
Radiology Review Scoresup to 18 months post-opRadiologists will evaluate MRI and CT images from each exam, and assign 1 point to any abnormality detected in the following compartments: prosthesis itself, bone, joint space, joint capsule, muscle, subcutaneous fat, and skin, for a total of 7 possible points. Differences in scoring from MRI vs CT images will be further investigated with a t-test.
Change in Pain Scores (chronic pain)baseline (6 months post-op), 12 months post-op, 18 months post-opPain will be evaluated on a scale of 0 (no pain) to 10 (worse possible pain).

Countries

United States

Contacts

CONTACTRadiology Studies
Radstudy@uwhealth.org608-282-8349
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORSandip Biswal, MD

University of Wisconsin, Madison

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Jul 18, 2026