Flare phenomenon visualized by Tc-bone scintigraphy has prognostic value for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the prognostic value of the flare phenomenon in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) using the bone scan index (BSI) derived from Tc-methylenediphosphonate (MDP) bone scintigraphy images.

Methods: We categorized 72 patients from the PROSTAT-BSI registry with mCRPC who were followed-up for 2 years after starting docetaxel chemotherapy to groups based on pre-chemotherapy BSI values of < 1, 1-4, and > 4. We assessed the effects of the flare phenomenon (defined as a > 10% increase in the BSI within 3 months of starting chemotherapy, followed by > 10% improvement within the next 3 months) on survival using Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazard analyses.

Predictive factors for the effectiveness of novel androgen receptor axis-targeted agents in patients with metastatic prostate cancer.

Objective: Novel androgen receptor axis-targeted agents (ARATAs) have been developed for mCRPC and improved overall survival (OS). Here, we aimed to find predictors who will receive the greatest benefits from ARATAs.

Methods: We previously performed a multicenter study to identify prognostic factors for metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC, n = 148) and mCRPC (n = 99), and showed that the bone scan index (BSI) was one of the significant prognostic factors for 3-year OS (PROSTAT-BSI study).

Efficacy of Androgen Receptor-targeted Drugs After Prostate Cancer Recurrence With Bone Metastases: PROSTAT-BSI Sub-analysis.

Background/aim: This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic benefit of novel androgen receptor-targeted agents (ARTAs) in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) with bone metastases in Japan.

Patients And Methods: In followup to our prospective observational study (PROSTAT-BSI) from 2012 to 2018 on metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC) and metastatic CRPC (mCRPC) before docetaxel initiation, we conducted this sub-analysis to investigate the benefit of ARTAs after clinical recurrence on overall survival (OS) in the real-world clinical setting in Japan. In this study, we compared patients who were treated with ARTA with those who received only vintage hormone therapy including docetaxel after clinical recurrence.

Prognosis of patients with prostate cancer and bone metastasis from the Japanese Prostatic Cancer Registry of Standard Hormonal and Chemotherapy Using Bone Scan Index cohort study.

Objective: To determine prognostic factors including the Bone Scan Index in prostate cancer patients receiving standard hormonal therapy and chemotherapy.

Methods: This multicenter Prostatic Cancer Registry of Standard Hormonal and Chemotherapy Using Bone Scan Index study involved 30 hospitals and enrolled 247 patients (age 71 ± 8 years) with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (n = 148) under hormone therapy and metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (n = 99) under chemotherapy. The Bone Scan Index (%) was determined by whole-body bone scintigraphy using Tc-methylenediphosphonate.

Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of lung cancer .

Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (H-MRS) has demonstrated that , lung cancer has higher lactate and choline signals than those of normal tissues. The detection of these metabolites in lung cancer by H-MRS would be useful for clinical diagnoses of lung cancer. We report the detection of lactate and choline in lung cancer by H-MRS in a 41-year-old Asian man who was diagnosed with pT4N0M0 ⅢA stage, right upper lobe lung adenocarcinoma.

Radiation with concomitant superselective intra-arterial cisplatin infusion for maxillary sinus squamous cell carcinoma.

Purpose: To assess the efficacy and prognostic factors after superselective intra-arterial chemoradiation (RADPLAT) for maxillary sinus squamous cell carcinoma (MS-SCC).

Materials And Methods: Prognostic significance of age, gender, T and N factors, gross tumor volume of the primary-site (GTV), total cisplatin dosage, and total cisplatin dosage per GTV (CDDP/GTV) for primary-site recurrence-free survival rate (PRFS) were analyzed. RADPLAT was administered to 27 patients.

[USEFULNESS OF VIVID (VISUALIZATION OF VARIOUS INTEGRATION WITH DIFFUSION) ON COGNITIVE FUSION PROSTATE BIOPSY].

(Purpose) We created an image reconstructing multiparametric MRI system called VIVID (Visualization of Various Integration with Diffusion) and examined the efficacy of VIVID in detecting prostate cancer. (Methods and materials) The subjects were 80 patients who underwent one target biopsy with reference to MRI images in addition to 8-20 biopsies. (Results) The significant cancer detection rate was 61%, the significant cancer detection rate of PI-RADS 4 or 5 was 55%, and the significant cancer detection rate of VIVID score 4 or 5 was 55%.

Japanese Expert Panel Meeting on the Management of Prostate Cancer with Bone Metastases.

Introduction: The incidence of prostate cancer in Japan continues to increase, necessitating the continued development of effective therapies and strategies. Recent advances in treatments have improved the prognosis of metastatic disease and highlighted the importance of treating bone metastases to reduce the incidence of skeletal complications and improve patients' quality of life. With the increasing number of treatment options that have become available, including bone-targeted therapy with the alpha emitter radium-223 dichloride (Ra-223), Japanese clinicians are faced with making difficult decisions on the choice of optimal treatment strategy.

Early predictive value of non-response to docetaxel in neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer using 18F-FDG-PET.

Background: The aim of this prospective study of patients with breast cancer was to identify non-responders to docetaxel in neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) using fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography ((18)F-FDG-PET).

Patients And Methods: We analyzed the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of (18)F-FDG-PET before and after the first course and the reduction rate in tumor size shown by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) before the first and after the fourth course of docetaxel.

Results: None of the eight patients (0%) whose SUVmax decrease was less than 18% revealed a clinical partial response or clinical complete response; Seven out of the sixteen patients (44%) with an SUVmax decrease over 45% achieved a complete response.

Enhanced diagnostic accuracy for quantitative bone scan using an artificial neural network system: a Japanese multi-center database project.

Background: Artificial neural network (ANN)-based bone scan index (BSI), a marker of the amount of bone metastasis, has been shown to enhance diagnostic accuracy and reproducibility but is potentially affected by training databases. The aims of this study were to revise the software using a large number of Japanese databases and to validate its diagnostic accuracy compared with the original Swedish training database.

Methods: The BSI was calculated with EXINIbone (EB; EXINI Diagnostics) using the Swedish training database (n = 789).

Diffusion-weighted imaging and positron emission tomography in various cytological subtypes of primary lung adenocarcinoma.

The purpose of the study was to retrospectively characterize diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) and positron emission tomography for differentiating among the various cytological subtypes of primary lung adenocarcinomas. The maximum diffusion signal intensities and the maximum standardized uptake value (SUV max) of 31 lesions were analyzed after delineation of regions of interest on the images. Diffusion intensities were 0.

Immediate cytology improves accuracy and decreases complication rate in real-time computed tomography-guided needle lung biopsy.

Computed tomography-guided percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy (CTNB) of the lung is a well-established diagnostic technique for the evaluation of thoracic lesions. At our institution, we have performed real-time CTNB using automated biopsy needles since 1998 and we introduced immediate cytology in 2004. We evaluate immediate cytology in CTNB to increase the diagnostic accuracy and to reduce the number of inadequate specimens.

Automated segmentation of the skeleton in whole-body bone scans: influence of difference in atlas.

Aim: Automated segmentation of the skeleton is the first step for quantitative analysis and computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) of whole-body bone scans. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of differences in skeletal atlas on the automated segmentation of skeletons in a Japanese patient group.

Methods: The study was based on a bone scan CAD system that included a skeletal atlas obtained using 10 normal bone scans from European patients and 23 normal bone scans from Japanese patients.

Computer-aided diagnosis system for bone scintigrams from Japanese patients: importance of training database.

Aim: Computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) software for bone scintigrams have recently been introduced as a clinical quality assurance tool. The purpose of this study was to compare the diagnostic accuracy of two CAD systems, one based on a European and one on a Japanese training database, in a group of bone scans from Japanese patients.

Method: The two CAD software are trained to interpret bone scans using training databases consisting of bone scans with the desired interpretation, metastatic disease or not.

The detection of pCR after PST by contrast-enhanced ultrasonography for breast cancer.

Background: Primary systemic therapy (PST; such as chemotherapy) has been approved as the standard therapy. Breast-conserving surgery is involved in 60-70% of breast cancer operations, and cancer can spread in the period between the initial treatment and preoperative chemotherapy. To reduce the residual tumor in persistent disease of breast tissue, determining the margin including normal tissue when removing the tumor is very difficult.

Evaluation of the maximum depth of intraluminal appendiceal fluid to diagnose appendicitis with a 64-detector row CT scanner.

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate whether the criterion "maximum depth of intraluminal appendiceal fluid greater than 2.6 mm" ("DEPTH >2.6 mm"), with the use of 64-detector row computed tomography, is useful to diagnose appendicitis.

[Three (3) cases of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated successfully by transcatheter arterial infusion of cisplatin followed by gelatin particles].

Hepatic artery chemotherapy with transarterial infusion (TAI) of a cisplatin formulation designed for intra-arterial injection (IA-call®) is recognized as an established treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We experienced three patients whose multiple HCC(Stage III) was successfully treated by TAI using IA-call combined with embolization by porous gelatin particles (Gelpart®), after a series of treatments such as hepatectomy, radiofrequency ablation (RFA), transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE), and TAI. Cisplatin-based TAI was not effective, but porous gelatin particles showed a therapeutic effect in one patient by reducing his hepatic arterial blood flow.

Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging in differentiating the invasiveness of small lung adenocarcinoma.

Background: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with several sequences may provide a valuable additional modality for evaluating the grade of invasiveness lesions. Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) represents the biological characteristics of tissues.

Purpose: To retrospectively evaluate the usefulness of DWI for evaluating the invasiveness of small lung adenocarcinomas.

Computed tomography criterion for the diagnosis of appendicitis without periappendiceal inflammation in children using the maximum depth of intraluminal appendiceal fluid.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate whether maximum depth of intraluminal appendiceal fluid (DEPTH) is useful in differentiating appendicitis without periappendiceal inflammation from enlarged normal appendices in children.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 826 intravenously enhanced abdominal-pelvic computed tomographic examinations in children (aged 0-18 years) using the following criteria for appendicitis: (1) appendiceal wall thickness greater than 3 mm, (2) appendiceal wall enhancement, (3) focal cecal wall thickening, (4) adjacent adenopathy, (5) appendicolith, and (6) DEPTH. Of 826, 192 were classified into the noncomplicated-normal appendix group (85 enlarged normal appendices [diameter >6 mm] without adjacent lesions), the complicated-normal appendix group (44 enlarged normal appendices with adjacent lesions), or the our-appendicitis group (63 operatively proved appendicitis without periappendiceal inflammation).

Outcome of cephalic vein cut-down approach: A safe and feasible approach for totally implantable venous access device placement.

This study aimed to evaluate the safety and feasibility of the venous access via the cephalic vein cut-down (CVCD) approach for totally implantable venous access device (TIVAD) placements. A total of 79 patients who received TIVAD for the treatment of unresectable or recurrent colorectal carcinomas were recruited. The operation time and the complications were evaluated.

Evaluation of noncirrhotic hepatic parenchyma with and without significant portal vein stenosis using diffusion-weighted echo-planar MR on the basis of multiple-perfusion-components theory.

To determine whether diffusion-weighted echo-planar MR images are sensitive to liver perfusion difference. Noncirrhotic livers of 71 patients (43 males, 28 females; age range, 22-87 years; mean, 61 years) without (n=51) and with (n=20) significant (>70%) portal vein stenosis (accompanying proximal hepatic arterial stenosis and/or biliary tract obstruction in 10) by tumors were examined with diffusion-weighted echo-planar sequences (modified for b factors of 1, 28, 66, 288 and 600 s/mm²). On the basis of multiple-perfusion-components theory, i.

Prospective examination of patients suspected of having appendicitis using new computed tomography criteria including "maximum depth of intraluminal appendiceal fluid greater than 2.6 mm".

Objective: The objective of this study was to perform prospective computed tomography (CT) examination of patients suspected of having appendicitis to determine whether our criteria (which include the new criterion "maximum depth of intraluminal appendiceal fluid greater than 2.6 mm") are useful for improving sensitivity and/or specificity in comparison with conventional major criteria.

Methods: Two hundred eighty consecutive patients older than 15 years old and suspected of having appendicitis were examined using CT.

Magnetic resonance imaging in peripheral lung adenocarcinoma: correlation with histopathologic features.

Objective: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with various technologic advancements has generally been used to elevate the accuracy of diagnosis for several malignant tumors. This study retrospectively evaluated the efficacy of newer MRI techniques for differentiating among the different types of invasiveness in lung adenocarcinoma by comparing the MRI findings with the pathologic findings.

Materials And Methods: From May 2005 to April 2007, 46 patients with lung adenocarcinoma measuring 3 cm or less across the greatest dimension underwent a surgical operation including preoperative MRI study in this hospital.