# Imaging Bacterial Infections in Vivo: First in Man Studies

> **NIH NIH R42** · MICROBIAL IMAGING, LLC · 2021 · $228,484

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
 Infection is the major complication of virtually all medical devices. It is estimated that 2 million patients
acquire a nosocomial infection in the US every year and the CDC estimates that the financial impact of these
infections exceeds 5 billion dollars annually. At least half of these infections are directly associated with medical
devices. Most commonly, the diagnosis of an infection associated with a medical device is made on the basis of
clinical criteria including the physical exam and microbial cultures, which is problematic because it can only
detect late stage infections that are challenging to treat. Directly imaging bacterial infections has been difficult
as current imaging technologies (e.g., ultrasound, CT, MRI, PET) are limited to imaging either soft tissue changes
or inflammation consistent with, but not diagnostic of, infection. Microbial Medical Inc. is an emerging company
focused on the development of novel imaging and antibiotic compounds that will lead to improved patient care
in the diagnosis and therapy of bacterial infections. The current technology to be addressed in this proposal is a
new maltodextrin fluorine-18 imaging agent that will be able to detect infections associated with orthopedic
implants by PET imaging. The goal of this proposal is to perform first in man studies MH18F. We have selected
imaging of infections associated with orthopedic implants as an initial business strategy. If successful, the
technology commercialized will allow clinicians to identify patients with bacterial infections at an earlier stage,
permitting treatment, and thus reduce morbidity, mortality and healthcare costs.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10155704
- **Project number:** 1R42AI157552-01
- **Recipient organization:** MICROBIAL IMAGING, LLC
- **Principal Investigator:** Mark Myron Goodman
- **Activity code:** R42 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $228,484
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-01-15 → 2022-04-18

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10155704

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10155704, Imaging Bacterial Infections in Vivo: First in Man Studies (1R42AI157552-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10155704. Licensed CC0.

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