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A Prospective Diagnostic Trial of Al[¹⁸F]F-NOTA-folate PET in Patients With Suspected Cardiac Sarcoidosis and Infective Endocarditis

A Prospective Diagnostic Trial of Al[¹⁸F]F-NOTA-folate PET in Patients With Suspected Cardiac Sarcoidosis and Infective Endocarditis (FOL-CARD)

Status
Not yet recruiting
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT07814222
Acronym
FOL-CARD
Enrollment
143
Registered
2026-09-10
Start date
2026-09-14
Completion date
2030-12-31
Last updated
2026-09-10

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

Conditions

Cardiac Sarcoidosis, Infective Endocarditis

Keywords

folate, positron emission tomography, pet, infective endocarditis, cardiac sarcoidosis, diagnostic study

Brief summary

The goal of this prospective diagnostic study is to evaluate the imaging characteristics, diagnostic performance, radiation dosimetry, and safety of Al\[¹⁸F\]F-NOTA-folate PET imaging in patients with suspected cardiac sarcoidosis and infective endocarditis, and healthy volunteers. The study is non-interventional with respect to clinical management, and all diagnostic and therapeutic decisions are made according to routine clinical practice independent of study participation. The main aims are to evaluate quantitative uptake of Al\[¹⁸F\]F-NOTA-folate measured by PET imaging in the left ventricular myocardium of patients with suspected cardiac sarcoidosis, and in cardiac valves or prosthetic valve regions in patients with suspected infective endocarditis. Participants will undergo PET imaging with Al\[¹⁸F\]F-NOTA-folate tracer at the Turku PET Centre. Participants with suspected cardiac sarcoidosis will undergo a second PET imaging study after initiation of immunosuppressive therapy.

Interventions

DIAGNOSTIC_TESTAl[¹⁸F]F-NOTA-folate PET imaging

Imaging is performed in all study groups to assess myocardial, valvular, and extracardiac tracer uptake using a total-body PET/CT system (Siemens Quadra, Siemens Healthcare, Erlangen, Germany). Imaging will cover the region from head to mid-thighs to enable assessment of both cardiac and extracardiac tracer uptake. Serum and plasma samples, ECG and vital signs are collected during the imaging study visit.

DIAGNOSTIC_TEST[15O]water PET imaging

Resting myocardial perfusion imaging using \[15O\]water PET is performed only in patients with suspected cardiac sarcoidosis to assess myocardial perfusion and support interpretation of Al\[18F\]F-NOTA-folate uptake.

DIAGNOSTIC_TESTEchocardiography

Transthoracic echocardiography (GE Vivid 95, GE Healthcare, Hjorten, Norway) will be performed in patients with suspected cardiac sarcoidosis to assess left ventricular structure and function. Acquisition and analysis will follow standard clinical protocols. Echocardiography will be performed during the same visits as PET imaging.

Sponsors

Turku University Hospital
Lead SponsorOTHER_GOV
Helsinki University Central Hospital
CollaboratorOTHER
Satasairaala
CollaboratorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
DIAGNOSTIC
Masking
NONE

Intervention model description

In this diagnostic interventional study, there are three different subgroups, who all get the same intervention (diagnostic test: folate PET). The analysis are conducted within the subgroups.

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* Ability to provide written informed consent * Suspected cardiac sarcoidosis group: clinical suspicion of cardiac sarcoidosis requiring diagnostic evaluation, including cardiac magnetic resonance and/or \[¹⁸F\]FDG PET * Suspected infective endocarditis group: clinical suspicion of native or prosthetic valve infective endocarditis requiring diagnostic evaluation * Healthy volunteers group: * Age above 50 and post-menopausal (women) * No history of cardiovascular disease, systemic inflammatory disease, malignancy, and no active infection

Exclusion criteria

* Pregnancy or breastfeeding * Known hypersensitivity to folate-based compounds or investigational medical product excipients * Unwillingness or inability to use effective contraception during the study participation period, in participants of childbearing potential * Severe renal impairment (CKD-EPI GFR \<20ml/min) * Clinically unstable condition that, in the opinion of the investigator, would make study imaging unsafe or not feasible (e.g., haemodynamic instability, decompensated heart failure, uncontrolled clinically significant arrhythmia, suspicion of acute coronary syndrome) * Systemic immunosuppressive therapy for more than 7 days prior to baseline Al\[18F\]F-NOTA-folate PET imaging * Inability to complete protocol-defined study procedures * Women of childbearing potential must have a negative pregnancy test prior to tracer administration

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Quantitative uptake of Al[¹⁸F]F-NOTA-folate measured by PET in the left ventricular myocardium in patients with suspected cardiac sarcoidosis.Visit 2 (baseline imaging), no later than 7 days after initiation of systemic immunosuppressive therapy.Quantitative uptake of Al\[¹⁸F\]F-NOTA-folate on PET in the left ventricular myocardium (global and regional standardized uptake value (SUV) measures derived from polar map analysis) in suspected cardiac sarcoidosis.
Quantitative uptake of Al[¹⁸F]F-NOTA-folate measured by PET in infected versus non-infected cardiac valves or prostheses in patients with suspected infective endocarditisVisit 2 (baseline imaging), performed within 14 days of enrolment and no later than 14 days after initiation of intravenous antibiotic therapy.Quantitative uptake of Al\[¹⁸F\]F-NOTA-folate on PET in the valve/prosthesis region in suspected infective endocarditis (SUVmax and TBR = SUVmax valve/prosthesis / SUVmean blood pool).

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Diagnostic performance of Al[¹⁸F]F-NOTA-folate PET for cardiac sarcoidosis and native or prosthetic valve infective endocarditisFrom enrollment to study completion at 2 years.
Change in myocardial Al[¹⁸F]F-NOTA-folate uptake following immunosuppressive therapy in cardiac sarcoidosisFrom Visit 2 (baseline imaging) to Visit 3 (follow-up imaging). Visit 2 is performed 7 days after initiation of systemic immunosuppressive therapy and Visit 3 is performed approximately 3 months after baseline imaging.Patients with confirmed CS may undergo optional follow-up static PET imaging with Al\[¹⁸F\]F-NOTA-folate and \[¹⁵O\]water approximately 3 months after baseline imaging to assess changes in inflammatory activity following initiation of immunosuppressive therapy.
Biodistribution and radiation dosimetry of Al[¹⁸F]F-NOTA-folateVisit 2 (imaging), performed 7-14 days after Visit 1 (screening and enrolment).Healthy volunteers will undergo extended imaging, including dynamic imaging for 120 min starting at the time of tracer injection + static imaging for 10 minutes at 150 min after tracer injection to support analysis of tracer kinetics and biodistribution, and radiation dosimetry calculations.
Incidence and severity of adverse events related to Al[¹⁸F]F-NOTA-folateSuspected sarcoidosis and infective endocarditis groups: from Visit 2 (baseline imaging) to study completion at 2 years. Healthy volunteers: from Visit 2 to 48-72 hours, when safety laboratory tests will be obtained and AEs assessed by phone interview.Incidence and severity of adverse events (AE) and adverse reactions; clinically significant changes in vital signs or ECG; changes in safety laboratory parameters (healthy volunteers); clinically indicated laboratory assessments performed in the event of an adverse event (as applicable); and investigator assessment of relationship to Al\[¹⁸F\]F-NOTA-folate.

Countries

Finland

Contacts

CONTACTAntti Saraste, Professor
antti.saraste@utu.fi00358 50 4499979
CONTACTTuija Vasankari, MSc
tuija.vasankari@varha.fi

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Sep 11, 2026