Standing CT scan could spot arthritis years earlier after ankle breaks
NCT ID NCT03809520
First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tested whether a low-dose standing CT scanner can detect early signs of arthritis in people who had an ankle fracture. Researchers followed 97 adults for up to 5 years, measuring joint space changes and pain. The goal was to see if this imaging method could predict osteoarthritis risk better than standard tools, which could help guide treatment and test new prevention strategies.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this imaging method could help doctors detect early arthritis signs and test new treatments to prevent post-traumatic osteoarthritis.
- What could go wrong
- This is an observational imaging study, not a treatment trial. The method may not prove better than existing techniques, and results may not apply to all patients.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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97 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Feb 2017
- Finished
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Mar 2022
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 70 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Individuals 18 to 70 years old Sustained an intra-articular fracture of the tibial plafond Indicated for operative treatment Present for treatment within 4 weeks of injury Exclusion Criteria: * Women who are pregnant or planning on becoming pregnant Individuals younger than 18 and older than 70
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics
Iowa City, Iowa, 52242, United States
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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