Assessment of immunological and vascular dysfunction in neuropsychiatric post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (long COVID-19) using TSPO PET and MRI

Brief description of study

The purpose of this study is to develop brain imaging (PET/MRI) techniques to accurately assess immune system and blood vessel dysfunction in the brain related to neuropsychiatric long-haul COVID-19 (neuropsychiatric post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2, or PASC). Position-emission tomography (PET) uses radiation and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) uses magnetic fields to create images to provide us information about the structure and function of different tissues in your body. PET/MRI is a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved way of providing this information simultaneously during a single imaging procedure. However, it is not considered the standard care method for evaluating neuropsychiatric post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (long COVID-19). An investigational tracer (dye) will be used during the PET-portion of the examination to image inflammation in the brain. The name of the tracer is ER176; the tracer targets cells that are active in inflamed brain regions. This tracer has been approved for use in this research study by the Radioactive Drug Research Committee (RDRC), which reviews research studies involving investigational radioactive drugs.


Clinical Study Identifier: s21-00945
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05615415
Principal Investigator: Steven H. Baete.
Other Investigators: Eytan Raz, Dan Iosifescu, Benjamin Brush, William G. Frankle, Yulin Ge, Jennifer A. Frontera, Claude Steriade, Jelle Veraart, Jean Logan, Binita Shah.


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