Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42315638›Full record

ArticleEuropean journal of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging2026

In vivo bacteria-targeted imaging with vancomycin-based positron emission tomography and optical tracers in an orthopaedic trauma implant infection model.

Gerbren B Spoelstra, Lisanne M Braams, Frank F A IJpma, Sjouke Piersma, Carolien S Braams, Nicholas M Bernthal, Kevin P Francis, Andor W J M Glaudemans, Marleen van Oosten, Ben L Feringa and 3 more

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In one paragraph

Article in European journal of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Gerbren B Spoelstra *Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, Groningen, 9713GZ, The Netherlands.
Lisanne M Braams *Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, Groningen, 9713GZ, The Netherlands.
Frank F A IJpmaDepartment of Trauma Surgery, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, Groningen, 9713GZ, The Netherlands.
Sjouke PiersmaDepartment of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, Groningen, 9713GZ, The Netherlands.
Carolien S BraamsDepartment of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, Groningen, 9713GZ, The Netherlands.
Nicholas M BernthalDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
Kevin P FrancisDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
Andor W J M GlaudemansDepartment of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, Groningen, 9713GZ, The Netherlands.
Marleen van OostenDepartment of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, Groningen, 9713GZ, The Netherlands.
Ben L FeringaStratingh Institute for Chemistry, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, Groningen, 9747AG, The Netherlands.
Wiktor SzymanskiDepartment of Radiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, Groningen, 9713GZ, The Netherlands.
Philip H Elsinga *Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, Groningen, 9713GZ, The Netherlands.
Jan Maarten van Dijl *Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, Groningen, 9713GZ, The Netherlands. j.m.van.dijl01@umcg.nl.ORCID 0000-0002-5688-8438

Funding

Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek 16895Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek ZonMW grant 91111.006
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeProsthetic joint- and fracture-related infections are major postoperative complications. Early, specific, and preferably non-invasive diagnostic tools, such as bacteria-targeting imaging agents, are essential for optimal treatment, since current approaches, including white blood cell scintigraphy and [¹⁸F]FDG-PET, are accurate, but may lack specificity. Vancomycin, an antibiotic targeting Gram-positive bacteria, has been successfully applied as a molecular scaffold for bacteria-specific tracer development. This study evaluated two novel vancomycin-based PET tracers, [¹⁸F]BODIPY-FL-vancomycin and [¹⁸F]VE1-PQ-vancomycin, along with the fluorescent tracer vancomycin-IRDye800CW, for diagnosing biofilm-associated orthopaedic implant infections.

methodsWe employed a preclinical in vivo model of orthopaedic implant infection, where C57BL/6 mice (n = 72) received stainless-steel Kirschner (K)-wire implants in the distal femur, which were inoculated with bioluminescent Staphylococcus aureus or Escherichia coli bacteria, or with PBS (sterile control). At days 13-14 post-implant infection, animals were injected with one of the vancomycin tracers or [¹⁸F]FDG (benchmark control) and underwent PET/CT or fluorescence imaging. Tracer accumulation at the infection site was quantified, followed by biodistribution analysis and bacterial load assessment.

resultsBoth vancomycin-based PET tracers showed significantly higher uptake in S. aureus-infected legs compared to sterile controls. The differences in binding between S. aureus or E. coli were less distinct. In this model, [

conclusionVancomycin-based PET and optical tracers differentiated bacterial infection from the sterile K-wire controls in a murine model. Optical imaging distinguished Gram-positive from Gram-negative bacterial infection, whereas PET tracers did not. These preclinical findings support further investigation of vancomycin-based tracers for non-invasive imaging of prosthetic joint and fracture-related infections.

Indexed as

Positron-Emission TomographyProsthesis-Related InfectionsStaphylococcal InfectionsStaphylococcus aureusVancomycinAnimalsDisease Models, AnimalEscherichia coliMaleMiceMice, Inbred C57BLOptical ImagingRadioactive TracersRadioactive TracersVancomycin18F-vancomycinBacterial infection imagingOptical imagingPositron emission tomographyProsthetic joint infectionVancomycin-800CW

Identifiers

PMID42315638
PMCPMC13421359

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.