Assessment of Treatment Response to Lenvatinib in Thyroid Cancer Monitored by F-18 FDG PET/CT Using PERCIST 1.0, Modified PERCIST and EORTC Criteria-Which One Is Most Suitable?

Background: We aimed to compare the established metabolic response criteria PERCIST and EORTC for their applicability and predictive value in terms of clinical response assessment early after the initiation of lenvatinib therapy in patients with metastatic radioiodine-refractory (RAI) thyroid cancer (TC). Methods: In 25 patients treated with lenvatinib, baseline and 4-month follow-up F-18 FDG PET/CT images were analyzed using PERCIST 1.0, modified PERCIST (using SUVpeak or SUVmax) and EORTC criteria.

Diagnostic Reference Levels for nuclear medicine imaging in Austria: A nationwide survey of used dose levels for adult patients.

Purpose: To assess dose levels in routine nuclear medicine (NUC) procedures in Austria as a prior to a legislative update of the National Diagnostic Reference Levels (NDRL).

Method: As part of a nationwide survey of common NUC-examinations between June 2019 and November 2019, data sets were collected from 33 Austrian hospitals with NUC equipment. All hospitals were asked to report the NUC imaging devices in use (model, type, year of manufacture, detector material, collimators), the standard protocol parameters for selected examinations (standard activity, collimator, average acquisition time, reconstruction type, use of time-of-flight) and to report data from 10 representative examinations (e.

Real-World Data for Lenvatinib in Radioiodine-Refractory Differentiated Thyroid Cancer (RELEVANT): A Retrospective Multicentric Analysis of Clinical Practice in Austria.

Background: Lenvatinib has proven efficacy in progressive, radioiodine- (RAI-) refractory thyroid cancer (TC). Dose reductions are commonly performed due to decreased tolerability and adverse effects. This retrospective multicenter study analyzed overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) and tolerability in the Austrian patient population treated with lenvatinib.

Fine-Needle Aspiration with Immunohistochemistry Using a Modified Scrape Cell Block Technique for the Diagnosis of Thyroid and Parathyroid Nodules.

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of a modified scrape cell block (SCB) technique in a large series of patients. The technique was especially developed and tested for fine-needle aspiration of thyroid and parathyroid nodules.

Study Design: Eighty-two ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration specimens with the sonographic aspect of a thyroid (n = 33) or a possible parathyroid nodule (n = 49) were studied.

Performance evaluation of the Biograph mCT Flow PET/CT system according to the NEMA NU2-2012 standard.

Background: The purpose of the study is to evaluate the physical performance of a Biograph mCT Flow 64-4R PET/CT system (Siemens Healthcare, Germany) and to compare clinical image quality in step-and-shoot (SS) and continuous table motion (CTM) acquisitions.

Methods: The spatial resolution, sensitivity, count rate curves, and Image Quality (IQ) parameters following the National Electrical Manufactures Association (NEMA) NU2-2012 standard were evaluated. For resolution measurements, an (18)F point source inside a glass capillary tube was used.

FDG PET and FDG PET/CT in patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumours.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs) are fairly rare neoplasms, constituting less than 3 % of all gastrointestinal malignancies. The integration of molecularly targeted treatment regimes (i.e.

Nuclear medicine in NET.

Neuroendocrine tumors (NET) are, despite increasing incidence, still rare, usually slow growing neoplasms with resemblance to nerve cells and the endocrine capability of hormone production. In contrast to commonly used conventional imaging procedures, nuclear imaging is feasible to visualize the presence of molecular biomarkers, particularly the overexpression of somatostatin receptors (sstr) with high diagnostic accuracy which has led to the establishment of somatostatin receptor scintigraphy (SRS) as essential component and gold standard of functional imaging in the workup of NET. Another major feature is the selection of patients with inoperable or metastasized tumors showing sufficient uptake for peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT).

[Thyroid and pregnancy].

Screening for thyroid dysfunction is recommended among certain groups of women, who plan a pregnancy, for example women with history of hyperthyroid or hypothyroid disease, with type 1 diabetes or other autoimmune disorders or women with previous therapeutic head or neck irradiation, in the case of infertility. Management of thyroid disease during pregnancy requires special consideration because pregnancy induces major changes in thyroid function, and maternal thyroid disease can have adverse affects on the pregnancy and the foetus. Under ideal conditions there is a cooperation among several healthcare professionals, such as endocrinologists, nuclear medicine physicians, gynaecologists, neonatologists and if necessary surgeons.

Posttherapeutic (131)I SPECT-CT offers high diagnostic accuracy when the findings on conventional planar imaging are inconclusive and allows a tailored patient treatment regimen.

Purpose: The purpose of this prospective study was to determine the diagnostic impact and influence on patient treatment of posttherapeutic (131)I SPECT-CT when the findings on planar posttherapeutic whole-body scintigraphy (ptWBS) were inconclusive.

Materials And Methods: A total of 53 SPECT-CT scans were performed in 41 patients with thyroid cancer after high-dose (131)I therapy (2.944 to 7.

Is there a role for scintigraphic imaging of bone manifestations in Gaucher disease? A review of the literature.

Gaucher disease is the most prevalent inherited, lysosomal storage disease and is caused by deficient activity of the enzyme beta-glucocerebrosidase. Bone and bone marrow alterations are frequent in the most prevalent non-neuronopathic form of Gaucher disease. Imaging of bone manifestations in Gaucher disease is performed by a variety of imaging methods, conventional X-ray and MRI as the most frequently and most important ones.

High cathepsin K levels in men with differentiated thyroid cancer on suppressive L-thyroxine therapy.

Background: Thyroid hormone administration is associated with low bone density in some studies. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence L-thyroxine, in doses used to treat patients with a history of thyroid carcinoma, on serum cathepsin K and other markers of bone metabolism. Cathepsin K is thought to have a role in osteoclast mediated bone resorption.

The value of 18F-choline PET/CT in patients with elevated PSA-level and negative prostate needle biopsy for localisation of prostate cancer.

Purpose: Patients with persistent elevated PSA and repeated negative prostate biopsy, that means having the prostate biopsied at multiple times, were investigated with 18F-choline PET/CT to delineate prostate cancer and guide renewed prostate biopsy.

Methods: Twenty patients with elevated PSA and negative prostate biopsies underwent 18F-choline PET/CT. We performed an early examination of the pelvic region 3-5 min after application.

Sentinel node SPECT-CT in breast cancer. Can we expect any additional and clinically relevant information?

Unlabelled: The AIM of this study was to determine the additional value of SPECT/CT in sentinel node scintigraphy in breast cancer. Furthermore, it was our question to determine, whether the low-dose computed tomography component (LD-CT) can be used for axillary lymph node staging of clinically negative patients.

Patients, Methods: 51 patients with invasive breast cancer <3 cm in diameter were included in our prospective investigation.

Is there a role for sandostatin treatment in patients with progressive thyroid cancer and iodine-negative but somatostatin-receptor-positive metastases?

Introduction: The aim of our study was to determine whether treatment with a long-acting somatostatin-receptor analogue is effective in patients with (131)I-negative but somatostatin-receptor-positive metastases from dedifferentiated and anaplastic thyroid cancer.

Materials And Methods: Twelve patients were screened for the study. All of them showed progressive disease confirmed by radiologic evaluation, increasing serum thyroglobulin (Tg), and negative diagnostic or posttherapeutic (131)I whole-body scans (WBS).

Combined PET/CT in the follow-up of differentiated thyroid carcinoma: what is the impact of each modality?

Purpose: 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) is a well-established method in the follow-up of patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC), elevated thyroglobulin (Tg) and negative 131I scans. This retrospective clinical study was designed to evaluate the impact of computed tomography (CT) and that of FDG-PET in combined FDG-PET/CT examinations on the restaging of DTC patients.

Methods: Forty-seven FDG-PET/CT scans of 33 patients with a history of DTC, elevated Tg levels and negative 131I uptake or additionally suspected 131I-negative lesions were studied.

Receptor activator of nuclear factor kappaB ligand and osteoprotegerin in men with thyroid cancer.

Background: Suppressive thyroid hormone therapy is generally a lifelong treatment for patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). However, long-standing thyrotropin (TSH) suppression is a risk factor for osteoporosis. Osteoprotegerin (OPG) and receptor activator of nuclear factor kappaB ligand (RANKL) are central regulators of bone turnover.

Role of Fluorodeoxyglucose PET in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Review.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) requires a complex diagnostic workup. In contrast to endoscopy and cross-sectional imaging methods, scintigraphy enables a complete survey of the whole small and large bowel intestinal tract with a single noninvasive examination. For detection of IBD, 80% to 90% sensitivity and 92% to 100% specificity can be found for conventional scintigraphy.

Descriptive epidemiology of thyroid carcinoma in Carinthia, Austria: 1984-2001. Histopathologic features and tumor classification of 734 cases under elevated general iodination of table salt since 1990: population-based age-stratified analysis on thyroid carcinoma incidence.

Introduction: The aim of the study was to investigate the current thyroid carcinoma (TC) incidence in Carinthia, a former iodine-deficient, goiter-endemic region in Austria with approximately 550,000 inhabitants from 1984 to 2001. Using age-cohort analysis we analyzed the TC incidence under the impact of two regional risk factors: the contamination of Austrian soils by the radioactive fallout in from Chernobyl 1986 and the increased iodination of table salt in a general program of goiter prophylaxis begun in 1991. To evaluate the characteristics of TC incidence, we compared the results of the periods 1984-1989, 1990-1995, and 1996-2001.