%0 Journal Article
%T A Practical Guide to Sigma-1 Receptor Positron Emission Tomography/Magnetic Resonance Imaging: A New Clinical Molecular Imaging Method to Identify Peripheral Pain Generators in Patients with Chronic Pain.
%A Shen B
%A Yoon D
%A Castillo J
%A Biswal S
%J Semin Musculoskelet Radiol
%V 27
%N 6
%D 2023 Dec
%M 37935207
%F 1.675
%R 10.1055/s-0043-1775744
%X Accurately identifying the peripheral pain generator in patients with chronic pain remains a major challenge for modern medicine. Millions of patients around the world suffer endlessly from difficult-to-manage debilitating pain because of very limited diagnostic tests and a paucity of pain therapies. To help these patients, we have developed a novel clinical molecular imaging approach, and, in its early stages, it has been shown to accurately identify the exact site of pain generation using an imaging biomarker for the sigma-1 receptor and positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging. We hope the description of the work in this article can help others begin their own pain imaging programs at their respective institutions.