Diagnostic value and therapeutic impact of (18)F-FDG-PET/CT in differentiated thyroid cancer. Results of a German multicentre study.

Unlabelled: The clinical significance of (18)F-FDG-PET/CT in the follow-up of patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma was evaluated and the results were compared with those of (18)F-FDG-PET, (131)I-whole-body scintigraphy including SPECT/CT (WBS) and ultrasound. In addition, it was the aim to investigate the impact of (18)F-FDG-PET/CT on the therapeutic management.

Patients, Methods: 327 patients (209 women, 118 men; mean age 53 ± 18 years) with differentiated thyroid cancer (242 papillary, 75 follicular, 6 mixed, 1 Hürthle cell and 3 poorly differentiated tumours) were analyzed retrospectively at four tertiary referral centres.

[Endovascular brachytherapy (EVBT) with Rhenium-188 for restenosis prophylaxis after angioplasty of infrainguinal lesions: early experience].

Purpose: Restenosis remains a major problem in percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) of peripheral arteries. The aim of this feasibility study was to evaluate the technical feasibility and safety of a new endovascular brachytherapy (EVBT) device with Rhenium-188 in restenosis prophylaxis of infrainguinal arteries.

Materials And Methods: From March 2006 to April 2009, 52 patients with 71 infrainguinal arterial lesions were treated with Re-188 to prevent restenosis after PTA.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy affects staging of colorectal liver metastasis--a comparison of PET, CT and intraoperative ultrasound.

Purpose: Surgery for colorectal liver metastasis facilitates long-term survival, and neoadjuvant chemotherapy improves resectability but may also alter staging accuracy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of neoadjuvant chemotherapy on the efficacy of positron emission tomography (PET), PET-computed tomography (CT), CT and intraoperative ultrasound (IUS) in the detection of liver metastasis.

Methods: Between January 2007 and January 2010, 34 patients with resectable colorectal liver metastasis were included in this retrospective analysis.

[Procedure guideline for sentinel lymph node diagnosis].

The authors present a procedure guideline for scintigraphic detection of sentinel lymph nodes in malignant melanoma and other skin tumours, in breast cancer, in head and neck cancer, and in prostate and penile carcinoma. Important goals of sentinel lymph node scintigraphy comprise reduction of the extent of surgery, lower postoperative morbidity and optimization of histopathological examination focussing on relevant lymph nodes. Sentinel lymph node scintigraphy itself does not diagnose tumorous lymph node involvement and is not indicated when lymph node metastases have been definitely diagnosed before sentinel lymph node scintigraphy.