Whole‑body PET scans to look for sources of myofascial (muscle and fascia) pain
Total-body PET for assessing myofascial pain
This project uses whole‑body PET/CT scans to detect changes in muscle and connective tissue in adults with chronic low back myofascial pain.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California at Davis NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Davis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11369497 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
We will use total‑body PET/CT imaging to measure metabolism, blood flow, and fatty changes in the muscles and fascia of the lower back. Adults with chronic low back myofascial pain will have imaging along with symptom tracking and follow‑up after treatments. The researchers will compare the imaging measures to patients' pain and functional changes to see which signals line up with improvement. The aim is to develop objective imaging markers that could help guide or monitor treatments for myofascial pain.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults (age 21 and older) with chronic low back myofascial pain who can travel to the study site and undergo PET/CT scans and follow‑up visits are the best candidates.
Not a fit: People whose low back pain is not primarily myofascial (for example due to clear structural spine disease, neuropathy, or other non‑myofascial causes) or those unable to have PET/CT scans may not benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could give doctors objective imaging markers to better target and track treatments for chronic myofascial low back pain.
How similar studies have performed: Some prior imaging work shows PET can detect metabolic and inflammatory changes in musculoskeletal tissues, but using total‑body PET/CT specifically to track myofascial pain and predict treatment response is largely new.
Where this research is happening
Davis, United States
- University of California at Davis — Davis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chaudhari, Abhijit J — University of California at Davis
- Study coordinator: Chaudhari, Abhijit J
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.