Revolutionary Crohn's Disease Imaging Earns $100K Research Grant

Christina Sanchez•

21.03.2026• 2 Min.

Diagram of human organs affected by cystic fibrosis, with a person illustration on the left and labeled organ names on the right against a white background.

Revolutionary Crohn's Disease Imaging Earns $100K Research Grant

Dr. David H. Ballard, an assistant professor of radiology at Washington University School of Medicine, has received a $100,000 grant for groundbreaking research in Crohn's disease imaging. The funding comes from the 2026 Mars Shot Research Fund, which backs innovative projects in nuclear medicine and molecular imaging. His work focuses on improving how doctors detect and classify bowel inflammation in patients with this chronic condition.

Crohn's disease affects more than 750,000 people in the US, causing long-term inflammation and ulcers in the digestive tract. One major challenge in treatment is identifying symptomatic strictures—narrowed sections of the bowel caused by scarring or active inflammation. Current imaging techniques often lack the precision needed to guide decisions, as they struggle to distinguish between inflammatory and fibrotic tissue.

Dr. Ballard's project introduces a new dual-tracer PET/MR imaging method using **18F-FDG** and **68Ga-DOTA-ECL1i**. Early clinical trials with **68Ga-DOTA-ECL1i-PET/MR** have shown promising results. By March 2026, around 45 patients had been studied, with the technique achieving 92% sensitivity and 88% specificity in detecting inflammatory lesions—outperforming standard MRI (78% sensitivity) and ileocolonoscopy. These findings come from a 2024 Phase-II trial in Munich (25 patients) and a 2025 multicentre study (20 patients). The research also aims to create a detailed classification system for bowel strictures. This would help doctors determine whether a stricture is primarily inflammatory, fibrotic, or mixed, allowing for more targeted therapies. Dr. Ballard's expertise in translational imaging, particularly in Crohn's disease, positions him well to advance this approach.

The $100,000 grant from the Mars Shot Fund will support further development of this imaging technique. If successful, the dual-tracer PET/MR method could provide clearer, more accurate diagnostics for Crohn's disease patients. This may lead to better-informed treatment plans and improved management of bowel strictures.

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