The Role of 18-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) in the Diagnosis and Evaluation of Spondylodiscitis.

Spondylodiscitis, characterized by inflammation of the intervertebral disc and adjacent vertebral bodies, presents a diagnostic challenge due to its nonspecific clinical manifestations and variable imaging findings. This review examines the role of PET-CT with FDG, in the evaluation of spondylodiscitis, focusing on its utility in diagnosis, assessment of disease extent, treatment response monitoring, and prognostication. FDG PET-CT, by combining metabolic and anatomical imaging modalities, offers superior sensitivity and specificity compared to conventional imaging techniques in detecting infectious foci, distinguishing between infection and post-treatment changes, and identifying occult sources of infection.

Optimizing PSMA scintigraphy for resource limited settings - a retrospective comparative study.

Background: PSMA PET/CT is the most sensitive molecular imaging modality for prostate cancer (PCa), yet much of the developing world has little or no access to PET/CT. [Tc]Tc-PSMA scintigraphy (PS) is a cheaper and more accessible gamma camera-based alternative. However, many resource-constrained departments have only a single camera without tomographic or hybrid imaging functionality, and camera time is frequently in high demand.

Towards a More Inclusive Future: A Comprehensive Assessment of Gender Diversity in Nuclear Medicine Education, Training and Workforce.

The field of nuclear medicine has undergone remarkable advances, particularly with the introduction of new devices, radionuclides for imaging and therapy, new clinical applications, and emergence of medical evidence. As this dynamic field continues its rapid expansion, there is an urgent need to increase the number of well-trained professionals globally. Consequently, advocating for nuclear medicine as a thriving field of study and work for women becomes paramount in ensuring the establishment of a robust workforce capable of meeting the growing demands.

Case report: Peptide receptor radioligand therapy in metastatic pediatric neuroendocrine tumors.

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are not commonly diagnosed in children. Metastatic NETs tend to have poor outcomes, and this is seen in adult and pediatric populations. The role of somatostatin receptor imaging using [Ga]Ga-DOTA-TATE for imaging and peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) with [Lu]Lu-DOTA-TATE in children is currently not well established.

The Impact of PET/CT on Paediatric Oncology.

This review paper will discuss the use of positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in paediatric oncology. Functional imaging with PET/CT has proven useful to guide treatment by accurately staging disease and limiting unnecessary treatments by determining the metabolic response to treatment. F-Fluorodeoxyglucose (2-[F]FDG) PET/CT is routinely used in patients with lymphoma.

Outcomes of patients undergoing lung resection for drug-resistant TB and the prognostic significance of pre-operative positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in predicting treatment failure.

Background: Surgery remains an adjunctive treatment for drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) treatment failure despite the use of bedaquiline. However, there are few data about the role of surgery when combined with newer drugs. There are no outcome data from TB endemic countries, and the prognostic significance of pre-operative PET-CT remains unknown.

SARS-CoV-2 vaccination site as possible pitfall on somatostatin receptor imaging.

SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) vaccination numbers are globally increasing. Therefore, an increased chance exists that patients undergoing Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy (PRRT) or diagnostic radionuclide imaging for Neuroendocrine Tumours (NETs) may have recently received vaccination. We report the imaging findings of two NETs patients, A-following [Lu] Lu-DOTATATE PRRT post therapy planar scintigraphy and single photon emission computed tomography with computed tomography (SPECT/CT), and B-following [ Ga]Ga-DOTA-NOC positron emission tomography with computed tomography (PET/CT) respectively.

Validation of Convolutional Neural Networks for Fast Determination of Whole-Body Metabolic Tumor Burden in Pediatric Lymphoma.

F-FDG PET/CT quantification of whole-body tumor burden in lymphoma is not routinely performed because of the lack of fast methods. Although the semiautomatic method is fast, it is not fast enough to quantify tumor burden in daily clinical practice. Our purpose was to evaluate the performance of convolutional neural network (CNN) software in localizing neoplastic lesions in whole-body F-FDG PET/CT images of pediatric lymphoma patients.

Pitfalls of Radionuclide Renal Imaging in Pediatrics.

Renal radionuclide imaging has been a mainstay in the pediatric nuclear medicine field for many years. A better understanding of the pathophysiological basis of renal obstruction has led to a shift in the approach to image interpretation of diuresis renography. The clinical background, images, curves and drainage parameters are interpreted as a whole.

Renogram image characteristics and the reproducibility of differential renal function measurement.

Purpose: Patient factors such as age and glomerular filtration rate (GFR), have been implicated as causes for poor reproducibility of differential renal function (DRF) estimates on 99mTc-mercaptoacetyltriglycine (99mTc-MAG3) renography. This study aims to investigate factors associated with the reproducibility of DRF measurements.

Methods: The association between age, GFR and imaged derived image characteristics and reproducibility of repeated DRF estimates calculated using the area under the curve method and the Rutland Patlak method was analysed for cohort 1 (n = 127).

Renal cortical transit time as a predictor for pyeloplasty in pediatric patients with unilateral hydronephrosis.

Majority of patients with unilateral hydronephrosis (HN) detected on ultrasound do not require pyeloplasty. The measurement of the cortical transit time (CTT) has been demonstrated by several authors to predict the need for patients who may require pyeloplasty. The study aimed to assess if CTT would have predicted a drop in differential renal function (DRF) in patients with unilateral HN on the affected side and to assess whether CTT would differ on the first renogram between those patients who had a pyeloplasty and those who did not have a pyeloplasty.

Estimated glomerular filtration rate in children: adapting existing equations for a specific population.

Background: Creatinine-based glomerular filtration rate (GFR)-estimating equations frequently do not perform well in populations that differ from the development populations in terms of mean GFR, age, pathology, ethnicity, and diet. After first evaluating the performance of existing equations, the aim of this study was to demonstrate the utility of an in-house modification of the equations to better fit a specific population.

Methods: Estimated GFR using 8 creatinine-based equations was first compared to 2-sample Cr-ethylenediaminetetra-acetic acid plasma clearance in non-cancer and cancer groups independently.

Is True Whole-Body F-FDG PET/CT Required in Pediatric Lymphoma? An IAEA Multicenter Prospective Study.

Guidelines recommend true whole-body F-FDG PET/CT scans from vertex to toes in pediatric lymphoma patients, although this suggestion has not been validated in large clinical trials. The objective of the study was to evaluate the incidence and clinical impact of lesions outside the "eyes to thighs" regular field of view (R-FOV) in F-FDG PET/CT staging (sPET) and interim (iPET) scans in pediatric lymphoma patients. True whole-body sPET and iPET scans were prospectively obtained in pediatric lymphoma patients (11 worldwide centers).

Correlation of 99mTc sucralfate scan and endoscopic grading in caustic oesophageal injury.

Purpose: To determine a correlation between the 99mTc sucralfate scan and the endoscopy findings in children with caustic oesophageal injury.

Methods: This is an observational analytic study of children who had both 99mTc sucralfate scan and endoscopy after caustic substance ingestion at our institution in a period between January 2009 and September 2016. The oesophageal injury was classified into low grade and high grade according to the degree of adhesion on 99mTc sucralfate scan and modification of Zargar endoscopic grading.

Appropriate indications for positron emission tomography/computed tomography, 2015.

These recommendations are intended to serve an important and relevant role in advising referring physicians on the appropriate use of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) and non-18F-FDG positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT), which can be a powerful tool in patient management in oncology, cardiology, neurology and infection/inflammation. PET is a non-invasive molecular imaging tool that provides tomographic images and quantitative parameters of perfusion, cell viability, proliferation and/or metabolic activity of tissues. These images result from the use of different substances of biological interest (sugars, amino acids, metabolic precursors, hormones) labelled with positron-emitting radionuclides (PET radiopharmaceuticals).

Metastatic papillary carcinoma of the thyroid in a patient previously treated for Graves' disease.

Incidental papillary carcinoma of the thyroid in patients treated surgically for benign thyroid diseases including Graves' disease is a known phenomenon. However, the management of these patients remains an issue of concern and controversy for those who care for them. We report a case of metastatic papillary carcinoma of the thyroid in a patient previously treated for Graves' disease.

The reproducibility of measurements of differential renal function in paediatric 99mTc-MAG3 renography.

Objectives: The aims of this study were to establish the reproducibility of estimates of differential renal function (DRF) obtained using the software supplied by different vendors, assess the effects of age, glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and degree of asymmetry of renal function on reproducibility and ascertain whether the software gives the same estimates of DRF.

Methods: A stratified sample of 172 renograms covering a wide range of DRF estimates, age and renal function was drawn from an electronic archive containing raw data from 1416 renograms. The renograms were processed by one operator using seven different methods, five times for each method.

Treatment of sydenham chorea with intravenous immunoglobulin.

Sydenham chorea is a post-streptococcal, autoimmune, neuropsychiatric, movement disorder. There is no effective treatment. In a randomized study, comparison was made of the outcomes of 10 children treated with standard management alone compared to 10 who received additional intravenous immunoglobulin.