Fluoromannitol PET imaging to find bone infections in sickle cell disease
Official title: [18F]fluoromannitol: A novel imaging agent to delineate osteomyelitis in sickle cell disease
Funded at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital · NIH-11292433 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work uses a new PET tracer called fluoromannitol to help doctors tell whether bone pain in people with sickle cell disease is caused by infection or by a pain crisis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | St. Jude Children's Research Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Memphis, United States) |
| Project start | February 26, 2025 |
| Project end | January 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $898,179 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI192221-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11292433 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with sickle cell disease who are being evaluated for possible osteomyelitis or unexplained bone pain would be the ideal candidates for this work.
✕Less likely to help
People without suspected bone infection, those who cannot undergo PET imaging (for example, pregnant people), or those with infections not detectable by the tracer may not benefit.
What this research studies
Researchers are developing a radioactive tracer, [18F]fluoromannitol, that binds live bacteria so infected bone lights up on a PET scan. They will compare fluoromannitol PET images to current imaging methods and to biopsy or clinical diagnoses to see if the tracer more accurately identifies osteomyelitis. The program includes laboratory and preclinical work to refine the tracer and protocols and will involve imaging patients with sickle cell disease who have suspected bone infection. The goal is a clearer, faster way to distinguish infection from non-infectious pain without unnecessary antibiotics or invasive bone biopsies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could let clinicians diagnose bone infections in sickle cell patients more quickly and accurately, reducing needless antibiotics and invasive biopsies.
How similar studies have gone: Other bacteria-targeted PET tracers have shown encouraging early results, but applying [18F]fluoromannitol specifically to bone infections in sickle cell disease is a novel approach.
Where this research is happening
-
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Memphis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Neumann, Kiel — St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
- Study coordinator: Neumann, Kiel
Related research
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.