Non-invasive assessment of skeletal kinetics using fluorine-18 fluoride positron emission tomography: evaluation of image and population-derived arterial input functions.

To measure regional skeletal kinetics using fluorine-18 fluoride positron emission tomography (PET) it is necessary to know the concentration of radioactive tracer being delivered to bone by arterial plasma with relation to time, the arterial input function (IFa). Methods by which IFa can be derived without arterial sampling are attractive because of their relative technical simplicity and the reduction in possible morbidity to the subject. We have compared the use of a scaled population input function (IFp) and a corrected image-derived input function from the aorta (IFi) with an IFa directly measured from a radial artery line in ten normal postmenopausal women.

Speech-related visualization of laryngeal muscles with fluorine-18-FDG.

Unlabelled: This study describes the physiological uptake of 18F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (FDG) by the laryngeal muscles secondary to activation of the patient's vocal folds and related laryngeal muscles during speech.

Methods: Twenty-four patients undergoing routine PET scans were randomized into two groups to ascertain the relationship between FDG uptake in the laryngeal region and speech. One group was assigned to talk and the other group remained silent during the injection and uptake period of FDG.

The use of low-dose intravenous insulin in clinical myocardial F-18 FDG PET scanning.

The effectiveness of low-dose intravenous insulin boluses to improve study quality in F-18 FDG myocardial scans is investigated. Seventeen patients were imaged using a protocol in which only diabetic patients with fasting blood glucose levels > 8 mmol/l were given insulin. Fifty-three patients were imaged using a protocol in which all patients were given 1-3 IU intravenously of insulin immediately before F-18 FDG injection, based on fasting blood glucose levels.

Salivary gland scintigraphy--a suitable substitute for sialography?

By comparing 27 patients who had both scintigraphy and sialography in the assessment of salivary gland disease, scintigraphy has been shown to correlate well with abnormal sialograms. It is suggested that scintigraphy could become the initial screening procedure in the assessment of salivary gland disease. A normal scintiscan is unlikely to miss significant pathology (as demonstrated by sialography), but sialography must always be performed if there is a suspicion of duct obstruction on scintigraphy.