Prognostic value of volumetric metabolic parameter changes determined by during and after radiotherapy-based F-FDG PET/CT in stage III non-small cell lung cancer.

The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the prognostic value of volumetric metabolic parameters assessed by during and after radiation-based therapy F-FDG PET/CT in patients with stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We enrolled stage III NSCLC patients who had planned to receive definitive chemo-radiation or radiotherapy (RT) and underwent F-FDG PET/CT before treatment (PET1), during RT (at the fifth week, PET2) and after treatment (3 months later, PET3). By comparing with PET1, percentage changes of metabolic tumor volume (ΔMTV) and tumor total lesion glycolysis (ΔTLG) of PET2 and PET3 were calculated.

SH3BGRL3 Protein as a Potential Prognostic Biomarker for Urothelial Carcinoma: A Novel Binding Partner of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor.

Purpose: Mass spectrometry-based biomarker discovery has clinical benefit. To identify novel biomarkers for urothelial carcinoma, we performed quantitative proteomics on pooled urine pairs from patients with and without urothelial carcinoma.

Experimental Design: Shot-gun proteomics using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and stable isotope dimethyl labeling identified 219 candidate proteins.

Differences of various region-of-interest methods for measuring dopamine transporter availability using 99mTc-TRODAT-1 SPECT.

This study was to investigate whether various region-of-interest (ROI) methods for measuring dopamine transporter (DAT) availabilities by single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) are statistically different, whether results of medical research are thereby influenced, and causes of these differences. Eighty-four healthy adults with (99m)Tc-TRODAT-1 SPECT and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were included. Six major analysis approaches were compared: (1) ROI drawn on the coregistered MRI; (2) ROIs drawn on the SPECT images; (3) standard ROI templates; (4) threshold-ROIs; (5) atlas-based mappings with coregistered MRI; and (6) atlas-based mappings with SPECT images.

The increment in standardized uptake value determined using dual-phase 18F-FDG PET is a promising prognostic factor in non-small-cell lung cancer.

Purpose: We aimed to determine whether the increment in the maximal standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of the primary lung tumour between the initial and delayed imaging by dual-phase (18)F-FDG PET has prognostic value in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods: We reviewed the records of patients with NSCLC who underwent pretreatment dual-phase (18)F-FDG PET/CT scans acquired at 1 h and 2 h after injection. The SUVmax increment (SUVinc) of the primary lung tumour was the 2-h SUVmax minus the 1-h SUVmax.

Value of case-based learning in a nuclear medicine clerkship.

Purpose: Medical imaging, including nuclear medicine, is a powerful tool for supporting learning in human morphology and physiology and understanding the nature of disease and response to treatment. The purposes of this study were to create a new case-based learning (CBL) model and to compare CBL and the traditional instructional approach (TIA) in a nuclear medicine clerkship.

Methods: Internal consistency and expert validity were assessed for the instrument.

Prognostic value of whole-body total lesion glycolysis at pretreatment FDG PET/CT in non-small cell lung cancer.

Purpose: To determine whether whole-body total lesion glycolysis (TLG), which combines volumetric and metabolic information from fluorine 18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT), can provide a better evaluation of the prognosis for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Materials And Methods: The institutional review board approved this retrospective study, and the requirement to obtain informed consent was waived. The authors identified 105 consecutive patients with NSCLC who underwent staging FDG PET/CT before any therapy.

Tc-99m-HL91 imaging in the early detection of neuronal injury in a neonatal rat model of hypoxic ischemia.

Objective: Hypoxic-ischemic insult in newborns results in progressive neuronal loss. For neuroprotective therapy to be effective, it is important to identify high-risk neonates soon after birth. 99mTc-labeled imaging agent, Tc-99m-HL91, developed as a putative hypoxic reagent, has been reported to demonstrate increased uptake in ischemic myocardium.

Review analysis of the association between the prevalence of activated brown adipose tissue and outdoor temperature.

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is important for regulating body weight. Environmental temperature influences BAT activation. Activated BAT is identifiable using (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography ((18)F-FDG PET/CT).

Angiographic-CT-FDG-Pathologic Correlations of the Incidentally Discovered Adrenal Mass.

During abdominal ultrasonography of a 37-year-old man a 3.2 cm hypoechoic mass in the right hepatic lobe was found incidentally. This prompted an abdominal CT, an FDG PET/CT, and an angiography to evaluate the nature of the mass.

The relationship between brown adipose tissue activity and neoplastic status: an (18)F-FDG PET/CT study in the tropics.

Background: Brown adipose tissue (BAT) has thermogenic potential. For its activation, cold exposure is considered a critical factor though other determinants have also been reported. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between neoplastic status and BAT activity by 2-deoxy-2-[(18)F]fluoro-D-glucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in people living in the tropics, where the influence of outdoor temperature was low.

Relationship between striatal dopamine transporter availability and sleep quality in healthy adults.

Purpose: Our previous study using (123)I-iodo-benzamide single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) showed a positive relationship in healthy adults between striatal postsynaptic D(2)/D(3) receptor availability and sleep duration in good sleepers. To further investigate the role of dopamine (DA) in the sleep-wake cycle, we explored the correlation between presynaptic dopamine transporter (DAT) availability and sleep quality in healthy volunteers.

Methods: A total of 83 healthy volunteers (33 males, 50 females; mean age, 34.

A false positive F-FDG PET/CT scan caused by breast silicone injection.

We present here the case of a 40-year-old woman with a greater than 10 year prior history of bilateral breast silicone injection and saline bag implantation. Bilateral palpable breast nodules were observed, but the ultrasound scan was suboptimal and the magnetic resonance imaging showed no gadolinium-enhanced tumor. The (18)F-FDG PET/CT scan showed a hypermetabolic nodule in the left breast with a 30% increase of (18)F-FDG uptake on the delayed imaging, and this mimicked breast cancer.

Accumulation of Tc-99m HL91 in tumor hypoxia: in vitro cell culture and in vivo tumor model.

Hypoxic cells within a tumor can account, in part, for resistance to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Indeed, the oxygenation status has been shown to be a prognostic marker for the outcome of therapy. The purpose of this study was to determine whether Tc-99m HL91 (HL91), a noninvasive imaging tracer, detects tumor hypoxia in vitro in cell culture and in vivo in a tumor model.

Peritoneal tuberculosis with elevated serum CA125 mimicking peritoneal carcinomatosis on F-18 FDG-PET/CT.

18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (F-18 FDG-PET) plays an important role in differentiating benign from malignant tumors. However, some false-positive findings, such as tuberculosis, may occur. We report a case referred for F-18 FDG whole-body PET computed tomography (PET/CT) scan owing to an elevated serum cancer antigen 125 (CA125).

Dual-phase 18F-FDG PET in the diagnosis of pulmonary nodules with an initial standard uptake value less than 2.5.

Objective: A cutoff standard uptake value (SUV) of 2.5 has been commonly adopted for (18)F-FDG PET to evaluate pulmonary lesions, but false results can occur. Studies have shown the usefulness of delayed PET for improving accuracy.

Evaluation of Tc-99m (V) DMSA binding to human plasma proteins.

As a critical step toward elucidating the mechanism of localization of Tc-99m (V) dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA), we investigated its binding and transport in blood in comparison with Ga-67 citrate. The studies were performed in vitro by incubating Tc-99m (V) DMSA with blood (one sample at 4 degrees Celcius and another at 37 degrees Celcius) to assess its binding to plasma proteins using ultrafiltration, dialysis, electrophoresis, gel filtration chromatography and affinity chromatography. A parallel experiment for determining the blood binding of Ga-67 citrate was performed using the same procedures.

The relation between striatal dopamine D2/D3 receptor availability and sleep quality in healthy adults.

Purpose: Increasing evidence, primarily from animal studies and patients with compromised neurotransmitter systems, indicates a possibly important role for dopamine in modulating sleep. We therefore conducted this study to explore the relation between sleep and dopamine in healthy adults.

Methods: We used the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) to assess sleep quality.

Renal scarring sequelae in childhood Kawasaki disease.

To assess renal inflammation and its sequelae in Kawasaki disease (KD) patients, we conducted a prospective study in a university medical center setting in Taiwan. From June 2002 to January 2005, 50 children with KD were enrolled, and after admission, all received technetium-99m dimercaptosuccinic acid scintigraphy single photon emission computed tomography (DMSA renal SPECT), the results of which were used as the reference standard for determining renal inflammation. Patients with renal inflammation underwent another DMSA renal SPECT more than 6 months later to evaluate the sequelae.

Educational level influences regional cerebral blood flow in patients with Alzheimer's disease.

Unlabelled: We tested the hypothesis that educational level influences regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients.

Methods: The severity of AD was measured with the Cognitive Ability Screening Instrument (age and education adjusted). rCBF was assessed using (99m)Tc-hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime brain SPECT; differences in rCBF between groups with different educational levels were determined using statistical parametric mapping (SPM).

Single photon emission computerized tomography in children with developmental language disorder--a preliminary report.

Developmental language disorder (DLD) is a diagnosis given to a nonautistic child who has inadequate language acquisition despite adequate hearing, sensorimotor, and cognitive skills. We used high-resolution single photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT) with labeled technetium-99m-D, L-hexamethyl-propylene amine oxime (99mTc-HMPAO) to measure regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in 11 children with DLD. Their mean age was 5 years 10 months (range, 4 yr 2 mo to 10 yr 9 mo) and mean nonverbal IQ was 107 (range, 82-137).

Clinical significance of solitary rib hot spots on bone scans in patients with extraskeletal cancer: correlation with other clinical manifestations.

Purpose: Bone scans showing solitary hot spots in the ribs pose diagnostic problems in patients with proved extraskeletal cancers. The authors wanted to determine the importance of solitary rib lesions and their correlation with other clinical manifestations.

Materials And Methods: The study included 199 patients with solitary rib hot spots on their bone scans.

Changes in bone mineral density of lumbar spine after pelvic radiotherapy.

Bone mineral densities (BMDs) of L2 to L5 were measured on 40 cervical cancer patients with radiotherapy and 40 matched controls. We found no significant difference in the BMDs between the two groups and no significant change in BMDs 1-7 years after the therapy in the patient group.