A Phase 1 interventional study of [18F]NOS in Smoking, Cigarette, Smoking E-cigarette and Healthy Volunteer, sponsored by University of Pennsylvania. Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 45 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-09-24.
Sponsored by University of Pennsylvania · Phase 1, Interventional, and Other
The purpose of this research is to measure the extent of lung inflammation between different groups of participants using a radioactive tracer called [18F]NOS. A radioactive tracer is a type of imaging drug that is labeled with a radioactive tag and injected into the body.
This study will see how the tracer is taken up in the lungs using an imaging scan called Positron Emission Tomography / Computed Tomography (PET/CT). [18F]NOS is an experimental radioactive molecule used in PET imaging to measure inflammation in various organs in the body. Investigators are interested in studying whether there are differences in lung inflammation between E-cigarette users (vapers) cigarette smokers and non-smokers. [18F]NOS has not yet been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use except in a research study. The use of [18F]NOS in this study is allowed under an Investigational New Drug Application approved by the FDA.
Investigators are also going to be studying how the information from the PET/CT scan compares to other markers of inflammation in the blood. During the PET scan, Investigators will image Brain and Lungs in order to see if there is a difference between inflammation seen in the brain and the lungs and if these differences change depending on whether a subject is a smoker, e-cigarette user or non-smoker.
Consented participant in this study will undergo one (1) experimental [18F]NOS PET/CT scan. During the scan, PET/CT images will be taken of participant chest/torso in order to capture their lungs and a short image will be taken of their brain. Blood samples will be taken at various time points to test for markers of inflammation and to measure the concentration of the tracer in participants blood during the scan and participants will undergo some specific psychological questionnaires and tasks.
475 studies on the registry are indexed under Cigarette Smoking; 86 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 100 is close to the median of 96 across 406 interventional studies indexed under Cigarette Smoking.
Browse Cigarette Smoking studies →University of Pennsylvania is the lead sponsor of 1,668 studies on the registry; 235 are open to participants now.
Of its 158 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 109 (69%) have results posted.
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Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Subject must meet one of the following criteria:
NIC vapers: current e-cigarette use of nicotine at least 5 days per week for the past year, no current combustible cigarette use, cannabis vaping, or cannabis smoking during the 30 days prior to study enrollment
CAN vapers: current e-cigarette use of cannabis at least 5 days per week for the past year, no current combustible cigarette use, cannabis smoking, or nicotine vaping during the 30 days prior to study enrollment
Cigarette smokers: current cigarette smoking of at least 5 cigarettes per day, 4 days per week for the past year with no e-cigarette use (cannabis or nicotine) during the 30 days prior to study enrollment
Dual combustible and e-cigarette users: current e-cigarette use of cannabis and/or nicotine at least 5 days per week for the past year with cigarette or cannabis smoking during the 30 day prior to study enrollment
Non-Smokers: reported non-smoking history or \< 100 lifetime cigarettes, \< 100 e-cigarette use episodes, and \< 100 lifetime cannabis use episodes
Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
A drug or device being studied in a clinical trial.
It may be new, or already approved and being studied for another use, dose or form. Criteria often leave out people who took part in another study of one within a recent period, commonly 30 days or five half-lives.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Able to become pregnant: from the first period until menopause, unless permanently unable to through surgery (removal of the womb, or of both ovaries or both fallopian tubes).
Criteria for people of childbearing potential usually ask for a negative pregnancy test and for contraception during the study and for a time after it.
Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.
Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.
Investigational drug or device
A drug or device being studied in a clinical trial.
It may be new, or already approved and being studied for another use, dose or form. Criteria often leave out people who took part in another study of one within a recent period, commonly 30 days or five half-lives.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Childbearing potential
Able to become pregnant: from the first period until menopause, unless permanently unable to through surgery (removal of the womb, or of both ovaries or both fallopian tubes).
Criteria for people of childbearing potential usually ask for a negative pregnancy test and for contraception during the study and for a time after it.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Corticosteroids (steroids)
Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.
Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Reported current cigarette smoking of at least 5 cigarettes per day, 5 days per week for the past 1 year with no history of e-cigarette use (cannabis or nicotine) during the 30 days prior to study enrollment
Drug: [18F]NOS
Reported non-smoking history or \< 100 lifetime cigarettes, \< 100 e-cigarette use episodes and \< 100 lifetime cannabis use episodes
Drug: [18F]NOS
Reported current e-cigarette use of nicotine at least 5 days per week for the past year with no current combustible cigarette use, cannabis vaping or cannabis smoking during the 30 days prior to study enrollment
Drug: [18F]NOS
Reported current e-cigarette use of cannabis at least 5 days per week for the past year, no current combustible cigarette use, cannabis smoking or nicotine vaping during the 30 days prior to study enrollment
Drug: [18F]NOS
Reported current e-cigarette use of cannabis and/or nicotine at least 5 days per week for the past year with cigarette or cannabis smoking during the 30 days prior to study enrollment
Drug: [18F]NOS
Poly-use nicotine and cannabis group: current e-cigarette use of nicotine and/or cigarette use (5 cigarettes per day) and/or use of cannabis, at least 4 days per week during the 30 days prior to study enrollment.
Drug: [18F]NOS
\[18F\]NOS is an investigational radiotracer which each subject will have one \[18F\]NOS positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scan performed.
Also known as: [18F]-6-(2-fluoro-propyl)-4-methylpyridin-2-amine
lung inflammation using [18F]NOS PET/CT
lung inflammation using \[18F\]NOS PET/CT and compare uptake in ENDS users to traditional cigarette smokers and non-smokers.
Time frame: 3 years
relationship between [18F]NOS uptake and peripheral inflammatory biomarkers
relationship between \[18F\]NOS uptake measures and established peripheral inflammatory biomarkers (e.g. C-reactive protein and Il-6).
Time frame: 3 years
differences in brain inflammation between three cohort using [18F]NOS PET/CT]
Using \[18F\]NOS PET/CT to explore relative differences in brain inflammation between ENDS users, traditional cigarette smokers and non-smokers.
Time frame: 3 years
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Studies of the drug tested here: NOS F-18