A randomized study of the effect of carbonated water prior to myocardial SPECT.

Objective: In myocardial perfusion single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), abdominal activity often interferes with the evaluation of perfusion in the inferior wall, especially after pharmacological stress. In this randomized study, we examined the effect of carbonated water intake versus still water intake on the quality of images obtained during myocardial perfusion images (MPI) studies.

Methods: A total of 467 MIBI studies were randomized into a carbonated water group and a water group.

In vivo measurements of blood flow and bone metabolism in osteoarthritis.

With increasing age, there may be a decrease in femoral blood flow. In some patients, this may result in local ischaemia, which subsequently may lead to local degenerative changes. Consequently, bone blood flow may play an important role in the aetiology of osteoarthritis of the hip.

Effect of the positron range of 18F, 68Ga and 124I on PET/CT in lung-equivalent materials.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of positron range on visualization and quantification in (18)F, (68)Ga and (124)I positron emission tomography (PET)/CT of lung-like tissue.

Methods: Different sources were measured in air, in lung-equivalent foams and in water, using a clinical PET/CT and a microPET system. Intensity profiles and curves with the cumulative number of annihilations were derived and numerically characterized.

Multimodality imaging of carotid artery plaques: 18F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging.

Background And Purpose: This study's objective was to compare (18)F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography ((18)F-FDG PET), CT, and MRI of carotid plaque assessment.

Materials And Methods: Fifty patients with symptomatic carotid atherosclerosis underwent (18)F-FDG PET/CT and MRI. Correlations and agreement between imaging findings were assessed by Spearman and Pearson rank correlation tests, t tests, and Bland-Altman plots.

Identification of a shine-through artifact in the trachea with (124)I PET/CT.

Unlabelled: The presence of (124)I in tissue near the trachea can cause a phenomenon that might be called shine-through. The effect is due to high-energy positrons that cross the air-filled trachea and annihilate at the opposite tracheal wall, incorrectly suggesting uptake at that location.

Methods: We investigated shine-through using (124)I, (68)Ga, and (18)F PET/CT scans of a neck phantom.

Bone metabolism after total hip revision surgery with impacted grafting: evaluation using H2 15O and [18F]fluoride PET; a pilot study.

Purpose: To evaluate bone blood flow and bone formation in patients after total hip revision surgery with impacted bone grafting using H2 15O and [18F]fluoride positron emission tomography (PET).

Procedures: To asses bone blood flow and bone metabolism in bone allograft after impaction grafting, four patients treated with total hip revision surgery were enrolled prospectively in this study. Six patients scheduled for primary hip arthroplasties were included as a control group.

Is subendocardial ischaemia present in patients with chest pain and normal coronary angiograms? A cardiovascular MR study.

Aims: On the basis of an MRI study it has been suggested that subendocardial hypoperfusion is present in patients with cardiac syndrome X. However, further work is required to test whether these findings can be generalized.

Methods And Results: MRI was used to visually and semi-quantitatively assess subendocardial and subepicardial perfusion, at rest and during an infusion of adenosine, in 20 patients with angina pectoris and normal coronary angiograms.

Attenuation-corrected vs. nonattenuation-corrected 2-deoxy-2-[F-18]fluoro-D-glucose-positron emission tomography in oncology: a systematic review.

Purpose: To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the diagnostic accuracy of attenuation-corrected (AC) vs. nonattenuation-corrected (NAC) 2-deoxy-2-[F-18]fluoro-D-glucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) in oncological patients.

Procedures: Following a comprehensive search of the literature, two reviewers independently assessed the methodological quality of eligible studies.

Acquisition settings for PET of 124I administered simultaneously with therapeutic amounts of 131I.

Unlabelled: Radiation dosimetry of thyroid cancer therapy with 131I can be performed by coadministration of 124I followed by longitudinal PET scans over several days. The photons emitted by 131I may affect PET image quality. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of large amounts of 131I on PET image quality and accuracy with various acquisition settings.

Traditional versus up-front [18F] fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography staging of non-small-cell lung cancer: a Dutch cooperative randomized study.

Purpose: We investigated whether application of positron emission tomography (PET) immediately after first presentation might simplify staging while maintaining accuracy, as compared with traditional strategy in routine clinical setting.

Methods: At first presentation, patients with a provisional diagnosis of lung cancer without overt dissemination were randomly assigned to traditional work-up (TWU) according to international guidelines or early PET followed by histologic/cytologic verification of lesions, or imaging and follow-up. Patients with [18F] fluorodeoxyglucose (18FDG) -avid, noncentral tumors without suspicion of mediastinal or distant metastases on PET proceeded directly to thoracotomy.

Diagnostic accuracy and interobserver variability of plain radiography, subtraction arthrography, nuclear arthrography, and bone scintigraphy in the assessment of aseptic femoral component loosening.

Background: Plain radiography, subtraction arthrography, nuclear arthrography, and bone scintigraphy are imaging techniques commonly used to identify aseptic femoral component loosening. Controversy exists about the relative utility of these techniques.

Patients And Methods: We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy and interobserver reliability of the four techniques in 78 consecutive patients (mean age 70 years, range 29-88 years) referred for evaluation of their femoral hip prostheses.

The value of contrast and subtraction arthrography in the assessment of aseptic loosening of total hip prostheses: a meta-analysis.

Objective: To summarize and compare the diagnostic accuracy of contrast and subtraction arthrography in the assessment of aseptic loosening of total hip arthroplasties.

Design: This meta-analysis was performed using methods described by the Cochrane Methods Group on Systematic Reviews of Screening and Diagnostic Tests. We included original, English-language papers published between January 1975 to October 2004 that examined contrast-enhanced arthrography with or without subtraction for diagnosis of loosening of total hip prostheses.

A comparison of radiographic and scintigraphic techniques to assess aseptic loosening of the acetabular component in a total hip replacement.

Background: The diagnosis of a loose total hip prosthesis is often established with use of radiographic and nuclear medicine techniques, but there is controversy about the relative utility of plain radiography, subtraction arthrography, nuclear arthrography, and bone scintigraphy. In this retrospective study, we evaluated the sensitivity, specificity, and interobserver reliability of these imaging modalities in patients suspected of having aseptic loosening of the acetabular component.

Methods: From 1994 to 1999, eighty-six consecutive patients with pain after a total hip arthroplasty were evaluated for possible loosening of the components.

The sentinel node in cervical cancer: scintigraphy and laparoscopic gamma probe-guided biopsy.

The sentinel node (SN) procedure has been proven to be a valuable technique in the staging and treatment of a number of solid tumours. We evaluated the feasibility of SN biopsy with a laparoscopic gamma probe and dye guidance in 34 patients with clinically localised cervical cancer. After peritumoural injection of 140 MBq 99mTc colloidal albumin, dynamic and late static images were obtained.

The performance of( 18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in small solitary pulmonary nodules.

Solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN, intraparenchymal lung mass <3 cm) is often a diagnostic challenge. This study was performed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of( 18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET) in radiologically indeterminate SPN < or =10 mm on spiral CT. Between August 1997 and March 2001, we identified all patients with radiologically indeterminate SPNs < or =10 mm who were referred for FDG PET imaging at the VU University Medical Centre.

18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose positron emission tomography in staging of locally advanced breast cancer.

Purpose: To prospectively evaluate the effect of adding whole-body (18)F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) to conventional screening for distant metastases in patients with locally advanced breast cancer (LABC).

Patients And Methods: All women with LABC referred for participation in the LABC Spinoza trial were considered eligible for this study. Patients were included if chest x-ray, bone scan, liver ultrasound, or computed tomography scan performed by the referring physician failed to reveal distant metastases.

Initial experience with a prototype dual-crystal (LSO/NaI) dual-head coincidence camera in oncology.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vivo performance of a prototype dual-crystal [lutetium oxyorthosilicate (LSO)/sodium iodide (NaI)] dual-head coincidence camera (DHC) for PET and SPET (LSO-PS), in comparison to BGO-PET with fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) in oncology. This follows earlier reports that LSO-PS has noise-equivalent counting (NEC) rates comparable to partial ring BGO-PET, i.e.

18FDG positron emission tomography versus 67Ga scintigraphy as prognostic test during chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

A prospective study was performed, comparing gallium scintigraphy (67Ga) and positron emission tomography (PET) using fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (18FDG), to monitor the response of aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma during treatment. 67Ga and 18FDG scans were performed in 26 patients after two cycles of CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone) therapy. The scans were reviewed independently by four experienced nuclear physicians, who were blinded for the alternative scan technique and follow-up.

Cost-effectiveness of FDG-PET in staging non-small cell lung cancer: the PLUS study.

Currently, up to 50% of the operations in early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are futile owing to the presence of locally advanced tumour or distant metastases. More accurate pre-operative staging is required in order to reduce the number of futile operations. The cost-effectiveness of fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography ((18)FDG-PET) added to the conventional diagnostic work-up was studied in the PLUS study.

Cell cycle perturbations and radiosensitization effects in a human prostate cancer cell line.

Purpose: To test the hypothesis that radiation-induced, transient G2/M arrest could potentially sensitize tumor cells to a subsequent, well-timed radiation dose.

Methods: PC-3 human prostate cancer cells were treated using either radiotherapy or (186)Re-labeled hydroxyethylidene diphosphonate ((186)Re-HEDP) treatment in different combinations. The resulting cell cycle shift and clonogenic cell death were analyzed by DNA flow cytometry and colony forming cell assay, respectively.

Determinants of diagnostic performance of [F-18]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography for axillary staging in breast cancer.

Objective: To prospectively investigate determinants of the accuracy of staging axillary lymph nodes in breast cancer using [F-18]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET).

Methods: Patients with primary operable breast cancer underwent FDG PET of the chest followed by sentinel node biopsy (SNB, n = 47) and/or complete axillary lymph node dissection (ALND, n = 23). PET scans were independently interpreted by three observers in a blinded fashion with respect to the FDG avidity of the primary tumor and the axillary status.

How to use a gestalt interpretation for ventilation-perfusion lung scintigraphy.

Unlabelled: The use of a so-called gestalt interpretation, an integration of different sets of criteria and the physician's own experience, has been advocated in the interpretation of lung scintigraphs of patients with clinically suspected pulmonary embolism. However, data on the reliability of this approach are limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the observer variability and accuracy of the gestalt interpretation of perfusion scintigraphy (combined with chest radiography) as well as the impact of adding ventilation scintigraphy and clinical pretest information.

Effectiveness of positron emission tomography in the preoperative assessment of patients with suspected non-small-cell lung cancer: the PLUS multicentre randomised trial.

Background: Up to 50% of curative surgery for suspected non-small-cell lung cancer is unsuccessful. Accuracy of positron emission tomography (PET) with 18-fluorodeoxyglucose (18FDG) is thought to be better than conventional staging for diagnosis of this malignancy. Up to now however, there has been no evidence that PET leads to improved management of patients in routine clinical practice.