RecruitingNot Applicable

FDG PET/MRI Imaging of Patellofemoral Joint Osteoarthritis

United States50 participantsStarted 2025-02-19

Plain-language summary

This project aims to develop an \[18F\] fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) / magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method to locate the painful inflammation in PFJ OA associated with joint loading. \[18F\] FDG PET/MRI is an emerging pain imaging approach with enhanced sensitivity to painful hypermetabolic inflammation through evaluation of intracellular glucose utilization rate via (\[18F\]FDG PET) and fine anatomy details (MRI). The investigative group has shown its promise in revealing previously unidentified or unspecified pain generators in various musculoskeletal pain conditions. The investigators have also demonstrated the feasibility of visualizing the structural changes between unloaded and loaded knee joints with MRI, which can be easily adopted in the current PET/MRI setting. The main challenge in the proposed \[18F\]FDG PET/MRI approach is to differentiate the normal uptake of FDG for metabolic changes by weight-bearing from abnormal changes indicating eventual pain aggravation by weight-bearing and knee-flexion. The investigators have garnered the following two aims to validate the proposed method by comparing unloaded and loaded knee imaging results between PFJ OA pain patients and asymptomatic, matched controls.

Who can participate

Age range

18 Years

Sex

ALL

See this in plain English?

AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

Inclusion Criteria: * Adult with the capacity to give informed consent * Ability to perform 25 single-leg squats * No traumatic knee injuries/surgeries since last visit for the parent study (IRB #21-34763) * No investigational drugs since last visit for the parent study (IRB #21-34763) * No contraindications to MRI or PET tracer since last visit for the parent study (IRB #21-34763) * Not taking steroid injections * Not pregnant * Additional inclusion criteria for healthy volunteers: Minimal pain (VAS=0-1) during a series of 25 single-leg squats on one or both legs Exclusion Criteria: * Inability to consent for themselves * Inability to perform 25 single-leg squats with the study leg * New traumatic knee injuries/surgeries since last visit for the parent study (IRB #21-34763) * Taking investigational drugs since last visit for the parent study (IRB #21-34763) * New contraindications to MRI or PET tracer since last visit for the parent study (IRB #21-34763) * Taking steroid injections * Pregnant * Diabetic * Additional exclusion criteria for healthy volunteers: VAS of 2 or greater during a series of 25 single-leg squats on both legs

Questions worth asking your doctor

Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.

1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?

Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.

Questions for the trial coordinator

The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.

1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?

A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.

What they're measuring

Maximum Standardized Uptake Value (SUVmax) of [18F]FDG in PFJ Tissues, Pre-Loading

Timeframe: baseline, pre-loading

Maximum Standardized Uptake Value (SUVmax) of [18F]FDG in PFJ Tissues, Post-Loading

Timeframe: baseline, post-loading

Trial details

NCT IDNCT07625150

SponsorUniversity of California, San Francisco

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeOBSERVATIONAL

Primary completion2028-02

Contact for this trial

Eric Hammond

415-502-6470 eric.hammond@ucsf.edu

View on ClinicalTrials.gov More Patellofemoral Osteoarthritis trials