Arthritis, RheumatoidNCT00748254
Laser-based Photoacoustic Tomography of Human Inflammatory Arthritis
An observational study of Arthritis, Rheumatoid, run by University of Michigan at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The purpose of this feasibility study is to determine if a new emerging technology called photoacoustic tomography (PAT) can be adapted for use in humans for the detection of chronic rheumatoid arthritis. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Arthritis, Rheumatoid
- What is being tested?
- Laser Based Photoacoustic Tomography, MRI, Ultrasound
- Type of treatment
- Surgery or procedure
- How many people
- 113 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 1 Dec 2011to Jan 2027
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Study population: Subjects are 1) people who are either healthy volunteers or have patients who have rheumatoid arthritis for more than 2 years and who have a rheumatologist who referred them to this study.
Who may be able to join
- Men and women 18 years of age or older can participate in this study.
- Patients can participate in this study if they have had rheumatoid arthritis for more than 2 years and their rheumatologist has referred them to this study.
- Patients can participate as a healthy volunteer with a known history of rheumatoid arthritis.
Who cannot join
- Patients, who have electrically, magnetically or mechanically activated implants such as heart pacemaker, magnetic surgical clips, prostheses or implanted neurological stimulator.
- Pregnant patients.
- Patients who is claustrophobic.
- Patients with impaired renal function cannot participate in this study such as elevate creatinine clearance, patients on kidney dialysis etc.
- Patients with shock hypotension or unstable low blood pressure.
- Patients with Rhabdomyolysis.
- Patients who have had a contrast enhanced (with gadolinium) MRA (magnetic resonance angiography)/ or MRI within the last 3 months. (Contrast is a medication injected into a vein during a imaging examination that helps produce clearer images/pictures).
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Universtity of Michigan Health System
Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109
Xueding Wang, PHD
About this study
The purpose of this feasibility study is to determine if a new emerging technology called photoacoustic tomography (PAT) can be adapted for use in humans for the detection of chronic rheumatoid arthritis.
Read the detailed description
The objective of this proposal is to adapt photoacoustic tomography (PAT), a novel, nonionizing, noninvasive, laser-based technology, for structural and functional imaging of human peripheral joints affected by inflammatory arthritis.
Combining the advantages of both light and ultrasound scanning, PAT holds promise to present objective optical information in subsurface joint tissues with high sensitivity and high spatial resolution.
This could be of considerable help in the early detection of inflammatory joint diseases. PAT may also prove useful in further understanding the pathophysiology of these disorders and assisting with therapeutic decisions, including assessment of new pharmacological therapies.
In January 2026, the decision was made to reopen recruitment for this study to collect additional data to support future clinical trial work and funding.
- Conditions
- Arthritis, Rheumatoid
- Being tested
- Laser Based Photoacoustic Tomography, MRI, Ultrasound
- Keywords
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Medical subject headings
- Arthritis, Rheumatoid
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Laser Based Photoacoustic Tomography, MRI, UltrasoundProcedure or surgery
Also called MRI,magnetic resonance imaging, US, ultrasound, PAT, laser based photoacoustic tomography
Healthy subjects will have scans on finger joints with any of the scanning methods described above.
laser based photoacoustic tomography, MRI, ultrasoundProcedure or surgery
Also called laser based photoacoustic tomography, MRI, Ultrasound
Subjects with arthritis will have scans on finger joints with any of the scanning methods described above.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Rheumatoid Arthritis | Patients who have active disease affecting the joints in the hand will have Laser Based Photoacoustic Tomography (PAT), MRI, Ultrasound Receives: Procedure: Laser Based Photoacoustic Tomography, MRI, Ultrasound | |
| Normal controls | Healthy volunteers who do not have arthritis will also have Laser Based Photoacoustic Tomography (PAT), MRI, Ultrasound on the joints of their hand Receives: Procedure: laser based photoacoustic tomography, MRI, ultrasound |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Photoacoustic Imaging
To determine if photoacoustic imaging (PAT) can accurately assist in the diagnosis of chronic rheumatoid arthritis, with data collected every 2 weeks for a maximum of 10 weeks.
Measured: 10 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted8 Sep 2008 (estimated)
- Study start1 Dec 2011
- Primary completionJan 2027 (estimated)
- Study completionJan 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Arthritis, RheumatoidStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of MichiganThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Enrolment
- 113 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Michigan
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Xueding Wang, University of Michigan
- Investigators
- Xueding Wang, Ph.D, Principal investigator, University of Michigan
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT00748254
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- HUM00003693
- Other IDs
- R01AR060350
- Status last verified
- Jan 2026
- First submitted
- 4 Sep 2008
- Last updated
- 23 Jan 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 23 Jan 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Laser-based Photoacoustic Tomography of Human Inflammatory Arthritis
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT00748254
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- HUM00003693
- Conditions
- Arthritis, Rheumatoid
- Keywords
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 113 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of MichiganUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
- Study start
- 1 Dec 2011 (actual)
- Primary completion
- Jan 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Jan 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 8 Sep 2008 (estimated)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The purpose of this feasibility study is to determine if a new emerging technology called photoacoustic tomography (PAT) can be adapted for use in humans for the detection of chronic rheumatoid arthritis.
Detailed description
The objective of this proposal is to adapt photoacoustic tomography (PAT), a novel, nonionizing, noninvasive, laser-based technology, for structural and functional imaging of human peripheral joints affected by inflammatory arthritis.
Combining the advantages of both light and ultrasound scanning, PAT holds promise to present objective optical information in subsurface joint tissues with high sensitivity and high spatial resolution.
This could be of considerable help in the early detection of inflammatory joint diseases. PAT may also prove useful in further understanding the pathophysiology of these disorders and assisting with therapeutic decisions, including assessment of new pharmacological therapies.
In January 2026, the decision was made to reopen recruitment for this study to collect additional data to support future clinical trial work and funding.
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Rheumatoid Arthritis | – | Procedure: Laser Based Photoacoustic Tomography, MRI, UltrasoundPatients who have active disease affecting the joints in the hand will have Laser Based Photoacoustic Tomography (PAT), MRI, Ultrasound |
| Normal controls | – | Procedure: laser based photoacoustic tomography, MRI, ultrasoundHealthy volunteers who do not have arthritis will also have Laser Based Photoacoustic Tomography (PAT), MRI, Ultrasound on the joints of their hand |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- Subjects are 1) people who are either healthy volunteers or have patients who have rheumatoid arthritis for more than 2 years and who have a rheumatologist who referred them to this study.
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Men and women 18 years of age or older can participate in this study.
- Patients can participate in this study if they have had rheumatoid arthritis for more than 2 years and their rheumatologist has referred them to this study.
- Patients can participate as a healthy volunteer with a known history of rheumatoid arthritis.
Key exclusion criteria (7 listed)
- Patients, who have electrically, magnetically or mechanically activated implants such as heart pacemaker, magnetic surgical clips, prostheses or implanted neurological stimulator.
- Pregnant patients.
- Patients who is claustrophobic.
- Patients with impaired renal function cannot participate in this study such as elevate creatinine clearance, patients on kidney dialysis etc.
- Patients with shock hypotension or unstable low blood pressure.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Laser Based Photoacoustic Tomography, MRI, UltrasoundAlso: MRI,magnetic resonance imaging, US, ultrasound, PAT, laser based photoacoustic tomographyHealthy subjects will have scans on finger joints with any of the scanning methods described above. | Procedure or surgery | Rheumatoid Arthritis |
| laser based photoacoustic tomography, MRI, ultrasoundAlso: laser based photoacoustic tomography, MRI, UltrasoundSubjects with arthritis will have scans on finger joints with any of the scanning methods described above. | Procedure or surgery | Normal controls |
Primary outcome
Photoacoustic Imaging
Time frame: 10 weeks
To determine if photoacoustic imaging (PAT) can accurately assist in the diagnosis of chronic rheumatoid arthritis, with data collected every 2 weeks for a maximum of 10 weeks.
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 23 Jan 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Xueding Wang, Ph.D principal investigator
University of Michigan
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Arthritis, Rheumatoid, run by University of Michigan at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 7 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 23 Jan 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Safa Mohamed (734 615-1646, safam@med.umich.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Photoacoustic Imaging (time frame: 10 weeks). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 23 Jan 2026.