Incidentally detected increased FDG uptake in bowel and its correlation with hystopathological data: our experience in a case series study.

When an intense intestinal FDG accumulation occurs, especially if focal, it can be referred to either physiological intestinal activity or bowel disease, thus leading to a radical change in patient's prognosis. Within a year, we recommended a colonoscopy to 103 of 7365 patients who were subjected to a total body FDG PET/CT. In a case-series study, we re-evaluated the patients and their lesions if already investigated with colonoscopy and biopsy.

The clinical use of PET with (11)C-acetate.

The aim of this review is to evaluate clinical applications of (11)C-acetate positron emission tomography (PET). Acetate is quickly metabolized into acetyl-CoA in human cells. In this form it can either enter into the tricarboxylic acid cycle, thus producing energy, as happens in the myocardium, or participate in cell membrane lipid synthesis, as happens in tumor cells.

Role of 11C-choline PET/CT in the re-staging of prostate cancer patients with biochemical relapse and negative results at bone scintigraphy.

Aim: to evaluate the utility of (11)C-choline PET/CT in prostate cancer (PC) patients who have demonstrated a biochemical recurrence and a negative bone scintigraphy (BS).

Materials And Methods: 123 consecutive PC patients (mean age 67.6 years; range 54-83) with a biochemical relapse (mean PSA value 3.

Incidence of increased 68Ga-DOTANOC uptake in the pancreatic head in a large series of extrapancreatic NET patients studied with sequential PET/CT.

Unlabelled: The aim of our retrospective study was to assess the incidence of increased uptake of (68)Ga-DOTANOC in the head of the pancreas among a large population of patients with extrapancreatic neuroendocrine tumors studied with serial (68)Ga-DOTANOC PET/CT.

Methods: Patients who had undergone at least two (68)Ga-DOTANOC PET/CT studies over time were included. Uptake in the head of the pancreas was measured and compared with uptake in normal liver parenchyma (target-to-liver ratio).

Value of FDG PET/CT in patients with treated ovarian cancer and raised CA125 serum levels.

Purpose: Patients treated for ovarian cancer are usually referred for 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG PET/CT) in case of increased Carcinoma Antigen 125 (CA125) but negative conventional imaging. However, there is not enough in the literature to support the value of FDG PET/CT in this context. This study aimed to assess role of FDG PET/CT in a cohort of patients with treated ovarian cancer and correlate the results with serum levels of CA125.

I-123 MIBG scintigraphy and 68Ga-DOTANOC PET/CT negative but F-18 DOPA PET/CT positive pheochromocytoma: a case report.

We observed a 34-year-old man who was incidentally found to have an adrenal mass during surgical follow-up for perforated ulcer. The patient was subjected to I-123 MIBG scintigraphy, 68Ga-DOTANOC PET/CT, and F-18 DOPA PET/CT. Only F-18 DOPA PET/CT showed evidence of an avid adrenal mass.

Imaging with non-FDG PET tracers: outlook for current clinical applications.

Apart from the historical and clinical relevance of positron emission tomography (PET) with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG), various other new tracers are gaining a remarkable place in functional imaging. Their contribution to clinical decision-making is irreplaceable in several disciplines. In this brief review we aimed to describe the main non-FDG PET tracers based on their clinical relevance and application for patient care.

Is there a role for ¹¹C-choline PET/CT in the early detection of metastatic disease in surgically treated prostate cancer patients with a mild PSA increase <1.5 ng/ml?

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential usefulness of whole-body (11)C-choline PET/CT in the re-staging of prostate cancer (PC) patients previously treated with radical prostatectomy (RP), who presented a mild increase of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) <1.5 ng/ml (early biochemical relapse) during follow-up (FU).

Methods: We evaluated 102 consecutive patients (mean age = 68 years, range = 54-82 years) previously treated with RP and who presented during FU a mild increase of trigger PSA serum levels <1.

Yttrium-90 ibritumomab tiuxetan as a single agent in patients with pretreated B-cell lymphoma: evaluation of the long-term outcome.

Background: Based on historical data on the role of radioimmunotherapy (RIT) in pretreated non-Hodgkin lymphoma, we reviewed our hospital's clinical database.

Patients And Methods: Between 2005 and 2008, 57 patients previously treated with at least 1 rituximab-containing chemotherapy were treated with Yttrium-90-labeled ibritumomab tiuxetan ((90)Y-IT). The median number of pretreatments was 3 (range, 1-9 pretreatments).

Phase II trial of short-course R-CHOP followed by 90Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan in previously untreated high-risk elderly diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the treatment with (90)Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan following a short-course of rituximab with cyclophosphamide-adriamycin-vincristine-prednisone (R-CHOP) in high-risk elderly patients with previously untreated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).

Experimental Design: From December 2006 to October 2008, 55 high-risk elderly (age > or =60 years) untreated DLBCL patients were treated in seven Italian institutions with a short-course of chemotherapy consisting of four cycles of R-CHOP21 followed by (90)Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan 6 to 10 weeks later.

Results: Of the 55 patients, 48 underwent radioimmunotherapy.

68Ga-DOTANOC PET/CT clinical impact in patients with neuroendocrine tumors.

Unlabelled: Several authors reported the superiority of (68)Ga-DOTANOC PET/CT to conventional imaging (CI) for the assessment of neuroendocrine tumors (NET). However, the detection of a higher number of lesions is not necessarily followed by a modification of disease stage or therapeutic approach. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of (68)Ga-DOTANOC PET/CT on the clinical management of NET patients.

68Ga-DOTA-NOC: a new PET tracer for evaluating patients with bronchial carcinoid.

Background: Conventional imaging techniques [computed tomography (CT), ultrasound, magnetic resonance] and somatostatin receptor scintigraphy are often insufficient to make a conclusive diagnosis of bronchial carcinoid (BC). PET is commonly used for the assessment of lung cancer but 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose, the most frequently used PET tracer, presents a low sensitivity for the detection of neuroendocrine tumours (NETs). New PET radiopharmaceuticals such as 68Ga-DOTA peptides, which directly bind to somatostatin receptors and are usually expressed on NET cell surfaces, have been reported to be superior to both morphological and somatostatin receptor scintigraphy imaging for gastroenteropancreatic NETs.

Durable complete response to frontline docetaxel in an advanced prostate cancer patient with favourable CYP1B1 isoforms: suggestion for changing paradigms?

Docetaxel is currently indicated for androgen-independent, metastatic prostate cancer; there is also evidence demonstrating the role of CYP1B1 in modulating the activity of the drug. We present the case of a man with residual disease after radical prostatectomy treated successfully with docetaxel chemotherapy. After only two cycles of therapy, a complete remission was obtained and then consolidated with additional cycles of docetaxel and radiotherapy.

11C-choline vs. 18F-FDG PET/CT in assessing bone involvement in patients with multiple myeloma.

Background: Multiple Myeloma (MM) is a B cell neoplasm causing lytic or osteopenic bone abnormalities. Whole body skeletal survey (WBSS), Magnetic resonance (MR) and 18F-FDG PET/CT are imaging techniques routinely used for the evaluation of bone involvement in MM patients.

Aim: As MM bone lesions may present low 18F-FDG uptake; the aim of this study was to assess the possible added value and limitations of 11C-Choline to that of 18F-FDG PET/CT in patients affected with MM.

Somatostatin receptor scintigraphy for bronchial carcinoid follow-up.

Purpose: Somatostatin receptor scintigraphy (SRS) has been used to diagnose bronchial carcinoids (BC) and is a valuable tool for accurate staging of BC. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of SRS in restaging BC and following patients after treatment.

Methods: Thirty-one patients (18 male, 13 female) with confirmed BC who were referred during the last 7 years were included.