Skip to content
Clinical Trials – home

Rare diseases

Investigational molecules

Locations

Our offerNewsroom

Recruiting

Testing 18F-DPA-714 PET scan as a marker of brain inflammation in patients with autoimmune encephalitis

Verified siteInvestigational
Clinical Trials Concierge

Prefer not to search? Our Concierge searches the trials for you.

What is this trial about?

A plain-language summary of the goals, design and what participants do

This study is looking at autoimmune encephalitis, which is a condition where the body's immune system mistakenly attacks the brain, causing inflammation. This can lead to various problems with thinking, memory, behavior, and movement. The study will use a special imaging substance called 18F-DPA-714, which is given as an injection into a vein. This substance is used during a type of brain scan called PET, which stands for positron emission tomography. The scan helps doctors see areas of inflammation in the brain by showing where certain cells that are involved in inflammation are active.

The purpose of the study is to see if this type of scan can be a good way to detect and measure brain inflammation in people with autoimmune encephalitis by comparing the scan results from patients to those from healthy people. During the study, participants will receive the imaging substance through an injection and then have a brain scan. The scan will measure how much of the substance attaches to specific areas in the brain, which indicates where inflammation might be present. The study will look at the whole brain as well as specific regions to understand the pattern of inflammation.

Researchers will compare the scan results between patients with autoimmune encephalitis and healthy individuals to see if there are clear differences. They will also look at whether the scan results match with other tests that are commonly used to diagnose this condition, such as blood tests, spinal fluid tests, and other types of brain scans. The study will examine if the amount of inflammation seen on the scan relates to how severe the symptoms are and whether certain brain regions showing inflammation correspond to specific symptoms that patients experience.

The research process

The trial runs in 5 steps – from screening to follow-up. Each step says what happens and what the team monitors.

  1. Step 1

    Initial assessment and confirmation

    Your participation in this study will begin after confirmation that you meet the required criteria. This includes being between 18 and 80 years of age, having a diagnosis of autoimmune encephalitis (a condition where the immune system mistakenly attacks the brain) with identified antibodies, and having symptoms for less than 6 months.

    A test will be performed to determine your TSPO binding affinity phenotype. This is a genetic characteristic that affects how certain imaging substances bind to proteins in your brain. Only individuals with high or mixed binding affinity will continue in the study.

    You should not have received second-line immunosuppressive treatment (advanced medications that suppress the immune system) prior to entering the study.

  2. Step 2

    PET scan preparation

    You will undergo a PET scan (Positron Emission Tomography), which is an imaging procedure that creates detailed pictures of your brain activity.

    Before the scan, you will receive an injection of a radioactive tracer called 18F-DPA-714. This substance is administered through intravenous injection (into a vein).

    The tracer is designed to bind to areas of inflammation in your brain, allowing doctors to see where inflammation is present.

  3. Step 3

    PET scan procedure

    After receiving the 18F-DPA-714 injection, you will undergo the PET scanning procedure.

    During the scan, you will lie still while the scanner takes images of your brain. The tracer will help identify areas of neuroinflammation (inflammation in the nervous system).

    The scan will measure the binding potential of the tracer throughout your brain. This measurement indicates how much inflammation is present in different brain regions.

  4. Step 4

    Clinical assessments

    You will undergo clinical severity assessments to evaluate your symptoms and their impact.

    Other standard diagnostic tests for autoimmune encephalitis will be performed. These may include blood tests, spinal fluid analysis, and other imaging studies that are routinely used to diagnose this condition.

    These assessments will help doctors understand the relationship between the PET scan results and your clinical condition.

  5. Step 5

    Data analysis and comparison

    Your PET scan results will be analyzed using an automated clustering method to calculate the binding potential across your entire brain.

    Your results will be compared to those of healthy control participants to determine if there are significant differences.

    The analysis will examine both your whole brain and specific regions of interest to identify areas with increased inflammation.

    Your scan will be classified as either positive or negative based on whether any brain region shows binding potential greater than 2 standard deviations above the average of control participants.

Who can join the trial?

5 criteria

  • You must be between 18 and 80 years old.
  • You must meet the medical criteria for possible autoimmune encephalitis, which is a condition where the body's defense system mistakenly attacks the brain, and specific antibodies (proteins made by your immune system) have been found in your blood or spinal fluid.
  • You must have been newly diagnosed with symptoms that started less than 6 months ago.
  • You must not have received second-line immunosuppressive treatment, which means you have not yet been given stronger medications that work to calm down your immune system beyond the first basic treatments.
  • You must have a high or mixed TSPO binding affinity phenotype, which is a specific genetic trait that affects how certain proteins in your body respond to the imaging scan used in this study. This will be determined through testing.

Who cannot join the trial?

6 criteria

  • The study does not list specific reasons why a patient cannot participate at this time
  • General safety rules for medical imaging studies may apply, such as pregnancy or breastfeeding, which means nursing a baby
  • People who cannot tolerate lying still during the scan may not be able to participate
  • Those with allergies, which are bad reactions to certain substances, to the imaging tracer used in the study may be excluded
  • Patients who have received other experimental treatments recently may not be eligible
  • Those with serious medical conditions affecting other organs may not qualify for participation
Clinical Trials Concierge

Prefer not to search? Our Concierge searches the trials for you.

Tell us about your condition – we search every trial in Europe and connect you with the right site.

We usually reply within a few days

Verified sites

All sites with verified contact details – recruitment status may not be available; ask directly

Trial locations

Where you can join this trial

Countries are shaded by recruitment status. Click a recruiting country to ask about joining there.

Recruiting
Not finding your country?

Not sure what to do next?

Joining a clinical trial can seem overwhelming. We guide you step by step, so you know exactly what to expect and how we support you through the process.

See the full process and FAQ

Investigated drugs

[18F]-DPA-714 is a radioactive tracer used during a PET scan (a type of medical imaging test). This substance helps doctors see and measure inflammation in the brain. It works by attaching to specific proteins that appear when there is inflammation, allowing the scanner to create detailed images that show where inflammation is occurring in the brain.

What is already known about the treatment

[18F]-DPA-714 – This is a radioactive tracer used in PET (positron emission tomography) imaging scans to detect and measure inflammation in the brain. It is currently being studied in clinical research to determine if it can effectively identify neuroinflammation in patients with autoimmune encephalitis, a condition where the immune system mistakenly attacks the brain. The substance works by binding to specific proteins called TSPO that appear on activated immune cells during inflammation, allowing doctors to see inflamed areas of the brain on scan images. This diagnostic agent belongs to the class of radioactive imaging compounds and is administered through injection into a vein before the PET scan is performed.

Investigated diseases

Autoimmune Encephalitis – Autoimmune encephalitis is a condition where the body's immune system mistakenly attacks healthy brain cells, causing inflammation of the brain. This inflammation can develop rapidly over days to weeks, or more gradually over several months. The disease affects various brain functions, leading to changes in behavior, memory problems, confusion, and difficulties with thinking. People with this condition may experience seizures, unusual movements, or psychiatric symptoms such as hallucinations or paranoia. Sleep disturbances and speech problems can also occur as the disease progresses. The symptoms vary depending on which parts of the brain are affected by the immune system's attack.
Trial detailsLast updated 2 Oct 2026
Age18+ yearsPhasePhase IITrial ID2025-522768-33-00Protocol codeRC31/24-0569Estimated enrolment20 patientsSponsorCentre Hospitalier Universitaire De Toulouse

sourced from the EU Clinical Trials Register and site verification

Want to learn more about this trial or check if you can participate?

Clinical Trials Concierge

Prefer not to search? Our Concierge searches the trials for you.

Tell us about your condition – we search every trial in Europe and connect you with the right site.

ClinicalTrials.eu

Every clinical trial in Europe, in plain language.

Explore the full ecosystem of clinical research in Europe.

Search trials

Legal notice · Published by CTIN POLAND sp. z o.o., ul. rtm. Witolda Pileckiego 67/109, 02-781 Warsaw, Poland · KRS 0001111334 · REGON 528919042 · NIP 9512598637

© 2026 Clinical Trials EU – European Clinical Trials Information Network

GDPR compliance, ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 certified (LL-C Certification)

On this site, “treatment” means an investigational medicine being studied in a clinical trial. Its safety and efficacy for the use being studied have not yet been confirmed, some participants may receive a placebo or a comparator medicine, and taking part does not guarantee any health benefit. The decision to take part is made by the doctor at the research site. This site is for information only and does not replace medical advice.

This service is not affiliated with the European Commission, the EMA, or the official CTIS system. Most information comes from publicly available international clinical-trial registries, supplemented by data from academic sites, national regulators and commercial sponsors. On this site, “treatment” and “therapy” mean a medicine being tested in a clinical trial. Its safety and effectiveness in the use being studied are not yet confirmed, some participants may receive a placebo or a comparator, and taking part does not guarantee a health benefit. The doctor at the research site decides who can take part. This site provides information, not medical advice. Certain content and visual elements on this website have been generated or enhanced using artificial intelligence (AI).