An observational study in Arthritis, Rheumatoid, sponsored by University of Michigan. Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-01-23.
Sponsored by University of Michigan · Observational
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.
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.
2,888 studies on the registry are indexed under Arthritis, Rheumatoid; 390 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 113 is below the median of 176 across 824 observational studies indexed under Arthritis, Rheumatoid.
Browse Arthritis, Rheumatoid studies →University of Michigan is the lead sponsor of 1,475 studies on the registry; 196 are open to participants now.
Of its 162 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 128 (79%) have results posted.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
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.
Exclusion Criteria:
Patients who have active disease affecting the joints in the hand will have Laser Based Photoacoustic Tomography (PAT), MRI, Ultrasound
Procedure: Laser Based Photoacoustic Tomography, MRI, Ultrasound
Healthy volunteers who do not have arthritis will also have Laser Based Photoacoustic Tomography (PAT), MRI, Ultrasound on the joints of their hand
Procedure: laser based photoacoustic tomography, MRI, ultrasound
Healthy subjects will have scans on finger joints with any of the scanning methods described above.
Also known as: MRI,magnetic resonance imaging, US, ultrasound, PAT, laser based photoacoustic tomography
Subjects with arthritis will have scans on finger joints with any of the scanning methods described above.
Also known as: laser based photoacoustic tomography, MRI, Ultrasound
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.
Time frame: 10 weeks
Plan to share: No
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
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University of Michigan