Can a PET scan predict who will suffer chronic leg pain after a DVT?

NCT ID NCT03195777

First seen Jan 02, 2026 · Last updated Jun 22, 2026 · Updated 27 times

Summary

This study tested whether a special PET/CT scan can predict which patients with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) will later develop post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS), a condition causing chronic leg pain, swelling, and ulcers. Researchers imaged 51 patients shortly after their DVT and followed them for up to 2 years. The goal was to see if inflammation levels in the clot could forecast PTS risk, potentially guiding future treatments.

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This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

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Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Massachusetts General Hospital

    Boston, Massachusetts, 02114, United States

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance

FDG (a radioactive tracer used in PET/CT imaging)

What this could lead to

If successful, this imaging approach could help identify DVT patients at high risk for post-thrombotic syndrome, allowing earlier and more targeted treatments.

What could go wrong

This is a small, early-stage observational study (51 participants) focused on prediction, not treatment. The imaging method may not reliably predict PTS in larger, more diverse populations.

Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

post-thrombotic syndrome Postthrombotic Syndrome venous thromboembolism Venous Thrombosis

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.