PBR 28 PET and inflammatory arthritis version1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Pilot study to evaluate the feasibility of [11C]PBR28 PET-CT to image inflammation in the joints of arthritis patients.
IRAS ID
162638
Contact name
Peter Taylor
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Oxford
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 8 months, 8 days
Research summary
The importance of the detection of early inflammatory arthritis is recognised as being essential to the prevention of permanent joint damage. Furthermore, drug development in inflammatory arthritis is in increasing need of imaging that is able to sensitively and accurately detect and quantify inflammation in a reproducible and objective manner. There is an increasing body of evidence to support the role of PET-CT for these indications. However, the only PET tracer currently used in clinical practice (18FDG) is a marker of glucose uptake, and not specific to inflammation. The development of PET tracers more specific to inflammatory disease is therefore highly desirable. The PET tracer 11CPBR28 is specific to the translocator protein (TSPO) highly expressed on activated macrophages, a fundamental component of the inflammatory response. It is one of the most high affinity tracers of its kind, and unlike similar tracers, is not likely to be taken up by surrounding bone, thus is a good candidate for use in the detection of joint inflammation. In this proof of principle study, we aim to ascertain whether or not the PET tracer 11CPBR28 is taken up in inflamed joints. We also aim to explore the significance of TSPO to inflammatory arthritis, through blood and joint lining samples, a previously un-explored area, which would further our understanding of the pathogenesis of inflammation in human arthritis.
REC name
London - West London & GTAC Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/LO/0013
Date of REC Opinion
10 Feb 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion