Comparison of [F]-FDOPA PET and [I]-FP-CIT SPECT acquired in clinical practice for assessing nigrostriatal degeneration in patients with a clinically uncertain parkinsonian syndrome.

Purpose: Two commonly used imaging techniques to aid in the diagnosis of neurodegenerative parkinsonian syndromes are dopamine transporter (DAT) imaging with [I]-FP-CIT single-photon emission computed tomography (DAT-SPECT) and positron emission tomography with [F]-FDOPA (FDOPA-PET). This paper provides a unique series of parkinsonian patients who received both FDOPA-PET and DAT-SPECT in routine clinical practice and compares the reported results to assess potential differences between these two imaging techniques.

Methods: We present 11 patients with a clinically uncertain parkinsonian syndrome (CUPS), who received both FDOPA-PET and DAT-SPECT.

Acceleration of neuromelanin-sensitive MRI sequences in the substantia nigra using standard MRI options.

Purpose: Neuromelanin MRI (NM-MRI) is applied as a proxy measurement of dopaminergic functioning of the substantia nigra pars compacta (SN). To increase its clinical applicability, a fast and easily applicable NM-MRI sequence is needed. This study therefore compared accelerated NM-MRI sequences using standard available MRI options with a validated 2D gradient recalled echo NM-MRI sequence with off-resonance magnetization transfer (MT) pulse (2D-MToffRes).

Imaging Dopaminergic Neurotransmission in Neurodegenerative Disorders.

Imaging of dopaminergic transmission in neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson disease (PD) or dementia with Lewy bodies plays a major role in clinical practice and in clinical research. We here review the role of imaging of the nigrostriatal pathway, as well as of striatal receptors and dopamine release, in common neurodegenerative disorders in clinical practice and research. Imaging of the nigrostriatal pathway has a high diagnostic accuracy to detect nigrostriatal degeneration in disorders characterized by nigrostriatal degeneration, such as PD and dementia with Lewy bodies, and disorders of more clinical importance, namely in patients with clinically uncertain parkinsonism.

Reliability and Reproducibility of Neuromelanin-Sensitive Imaging of the Substantia Nigra: A Comparison of Three Different Sequences.

Background: Neuromelanin-sensitive MRI (NM-MRI) of the substantia nigra provides a noninvasive way to acquire an indirect measure of dopamine functioning. Despite the potential of NM-MRI as a candidate biomarker for dopaminergic pathology, studies about its reproducibility are sparse.

Purpose: To assess the test-retest reproducibility of three commonly used NM-MRI sequences and evaluate three analysis methods.

New WHO recommendations on intraoperative and postoperative measures for surgical site infection prevention: an evidence-based global perspective.

Surgical site infections (SSIs) are the most common health-care-associated infections in developing countries, but they also represent a substantial epidemiological burden in high-income countries. The prevention of these infections is complex and requires the integration of a range of preventive measures before, during, and after surgery. No international guidelines are available and inconsistencies in the interpretation of evidence and recommendations in national guidelines have been identified.

A systematic review and meta-analysis including GRADE qualification of the risk of surgical site infections after prophylactic negative pressure wound therapy compared with conventional dressings in clean and contaminated surgery.

Objective: Systematically review and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) studies on prophylactic negative pressure wound therapy (pNPWT) to prevent surgical site infections (SSIs).

Introduction: pNPWT has been suggested as a new method to prevent wound complications, specifically SSIs, by its application on closed incisional wounds.

Methods: This review was conducted as part of the development of the Global Guidelines for prevention of SSIs commissioned by World Health Organization in Geneva.