Prognostic value of pretreatment tumor-to-blood standardized uptake ratio (SUR) in rectal cancer.

Objectives: The prognostic value of SUV on pretreatment F-18 FDG PET/CT imaging in patients with rectal cancer is a matter of debate. SUR is of prognostic value for survival in different cancers. In this study, we aimed to examine the potential prognostic value of SUR and other parameters in pretreatment F-18 FDG PET/CT for non-metastatic rectal cancer.

The impact of PET/CT imaging performed in the early postoperative period on the management of breast cancer patients.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate the role of F-fluorodeoxyglucose ((18)F-FDG) PET/computed tomography (CT) in the early postoperative staging of breast cancer and to document (18)F-FDG PET/CT-based stage alterations and any subsequent impact on management.

Materials And Methods: Between January 2009 and June 2012, PET/CT images of patients with histopathologically proven breast cancer who underwent surgery with no previous chemotherapy or radiotherapy were retrospectively reviewed. Any stage alteration due to a change in nodal or metastatic status on PET/CT was noted.

The clinical value of incidental 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-avid foci detected on positron emission tomography/computed tomography.

Objective: This study was performed to show the malignant potential and clinical value of incidental focal 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) uptake on positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) with the confirmation of histopathologic findings or with a series of consequent correlative imaging methods.

Methods: A total of 2370 18F-FDG-PET/CT studies performed over a 16-month period in patients with various malignant diseases were retrospectively reviewed. Unexpected PET foci that were in an unusual site for metastatic spread of known malignancy and not considered to be physiologic uptake were evaluated by histopathologic findings or follow-up with correlative imaging methods for a period of 1 year or longer.

Comparison of SPECT findings and neuropsychological sequelae in carbon monoxide and organophosphate poisoning.

Abnormal regional cerebral blood flow in patients with acute carbon monoxide (CO) and organophosphate (OP) poisoning was examined using (99m)Tc-hexamethylpropylene amine oxime (HMPAO) brain single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) in fourteen patients. We evaluated the predictive significance of acute phase brain SPECT findings for long-term neuropsychological sequelae. Changes were found in the frontal, temporal, parietal lobes within the first week after both types of poisoning.

Contribution of 99mTc-sestamibi infusion SPECT to the characterization of fixed perfusion defects.

In patients with coronary artery disease, the distinction between scar and viable myocardium by means of myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) sometimes can be difficult because of the equivocal meaning of fixed perfusion defects. In this study we examined whether addition of a 99mTc-sestamibi infusion study to the standard MPI could provide extra information regarding the fixed defects. Thirty-seven patients underwent standard MPI and an extra SPECT study in which 99mTc-sestamibi was given as a prolonged constant infusion.

Hand involvement in Behçet's disease.

Aims: To study the clinical hand findings in Behçet's disease (BD) and to observe scintigraphic changes of these areas.

Methods: Fifty-seven randomly selected BD patients and the patients in the control group (N=40) were evaluated by two blind rheumatologists. The hands were examined for the presence of pain, tenderness, swelling, effusion, erythema, warmth, range of motion and limitation of motion, deformities and muscle atrophy.

Diagnosis of orotracheal aspiration using radionuclide salivagram.

There are two main Nuclear Medicine techniques, the gastroesophageal reflux scintigraphy with late lung imaging and the nuclear salivagram, for diagnosis of pulmonary aspiration. Each of the techniques can document the two different, antegrade and retrograde, routes of pulmonary aspiration. In this report, we presented a patient with recurrent respiratory problems and emphasized the importance of concomitant use of the two techniques in the radionuclide diagnosis of aspiration.