PET/MRI scans to find causes of long-term pain after hip replacement
Novel PET/MR Imaging Approach for Persistent Postsurgical Pain Following Joint Replacement
This project uses a PET/MRI scanning technique to find inflammation or implant problems that cause ongoing pain after total hip replacement.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Wisconsin-Madison NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Madison, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11308235 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you still have pain after a total hip replacement, researchers are developing a PET/MRI scan that combines 18F-FDG PET with new metal artifact correction so images near the implant are clearer. The scans aim to light up inflammation or other prosthetic complications that current X-ray, CT, or standard MRI can miss. By pinpointing the exact source of pain earlier, doctors could choose treatments targeted to the problem. The work builds on earlier PET/MRI findings in chronic pain but adds new methods to overcome metal-related image distortion.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults who have undergone total hip arthroplasty and continue to experience persistent postsurgical hip pain who can safely undergo PET/MRI scanning are the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People without a metal hip implant or whose pain is clearly due to non-prosthetic causes may not get direct benefit from this imaging approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could enable quicker and more accurate diagnosis of inflammation or prosthetic issues after hip replacement so treatments can be better targeted to the true source of pain.
How similar studies have performed: Previous 18F-FDG PET/MRI work in chronic pain showed promising ability to find painful inflammation, but applying it to hips has been limited by metal artifacts, making the proposed artifact-correction approach relatively new for this use.
Where this research is happening
Madison, United States
- University of Wisconsin-Madison — Madison, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Biswal, Sandip — University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Study coordinator: Biswal, Sandip
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 below.