FDG PET/MRI to Find Painful Inflammation in the Patellofemoral Joint

Is this trial a fit for you?

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This observational project uses 18F-FDG PET/MRI to identify hypermetabolic inflammation in the patellofemoral joint under loading conditions. It combines metabolic imaging with high-resolution anatomy to distinguish pain generators from incidental findings. The study builds on prior work showing PET/MRI can reveal previously unidentified pain sources and track structural changes between unloaded and loaded knee states. Participants include adults with PFJ OA or related knee pain who can perform 25 single-leg squats and meet safety criteria for MRI and PET imaging. The investigation aims to improve understanding of pain origins to guide future diagnostics and interventions.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

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

Where it's running

• UCSF Radiology China Basin
  San Francisco, California, United States Recruiting

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Richard Souza, PhD, PT — University of California, San Francisco
• Study coordinator: Eric Hammond
• Email: eric.hammond@ucsf.edu
• Phone: 415-502-6470

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How to take part

1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.