Temperature-controlled spectrophotometry: a simultaneous analysis of phase transition, thermal degradation and optical properties of semi-transparent composites from 20 °C to 450 °C.

So far, optical and effective radiative properties of polymer matrix based composites were investigated at temperatures well below their degradation temperature. At the same time, polymers exhibit temperature dependent physical properties and may undergo structural changes as their temperature raises. In this work, we employ the "Temperature-Controlled Spectrophotometry", a new method enabling to identify simultaneously phase transitions, thermal degradation and radiative properties of semi-transparent composites over a large temperature range.

Optical properties of oakwood in the near-infrared range of semi-transparency.

The spectral absorption and scattering properties of oakwood are retrieved from the measurements of both the normal-hemispherical reflectance and transmittance in the visible and near-infrared ranges of semi-transparency. We employ two alternative methods for the radiative transfer in wood samples: the modified two-flux approximation and the high-order discrete ordinate method. The modifications of both methods take into account the effect of total internal reflection at both surfaces of the wood samples.

Endocrine tumors associated with the vagus nerve.

The vagus nerve (cranial nerve X) is the main nerve of the parasympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system. Vagal paragangliomas (VPGLs) are a prime example of an endocrine tumor associated with the vagus nerve. This rare, neural crest tumor constitutes the second most common site of hereditary head and neck paragangliomas (HNPGLs), most often in relation to mutations in the succinate dehydrogenase complex subunit D (SDHD) gene.

(18)F-DOPA PET/CT in the diagnosis and localization of persistent medullary thyroid carcinoma.

Purpose: To evaluate the performance of (18)F-L-dihydroxyphenylalanine ((18)F-DOPA) PET/CT in the detection of locoregional and distant medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) metastases and to compare imaging findings with histological data.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 86 MTC patients with persistently high serum calcitonin levels after initial surgery who had undergone (18)F-DOPA PET/CT between January 2007 and December 2014 in two referral centres. They were followed up for at least 6 months after the PET/CT assessment.

The role of radionuclide imaging in the surgical management of primary hyperparathyroidism.

Primary hyperparathyroidism is a frequent and potentially debilitating endocrine disorder for which surgery is the only curative treatment. The modalities of parathyroid surgery have changed over the last 2 decades, as conventional bilateral neck exploration is no longer the only surgical approach. Parathyroid scintigraphy plays a major role in defining the surgical strategy, given its ability to orient a targeted (focused) parathyroidectomy and to recognize ectopic locations or multiglandular disease.

Preoperative imaging for focused parathyroidectomy: making a good strategy even better.

Objective: Surgical treatment for primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT) has undergone a major paradigm shift during the last decades from bilateral cervicotomy with four-gland neck exploration to image-guided focused approaches. The primary objective of the present study was to compare the performances of parathyroid scintigraphy (PS), parathyroid ultrasonography (US), and the combination of both procedures for guiding a focused approach on the basis of modified interpretation criteria.

Methods: Data from 199 patients operated for apparent sporadic pHPT and evaluated with US and PS using dual-isotope (123)I/(99m)Tc-sestamibi planar pinhole and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) acqusitions were evaluated.

Diagnosis and preoperative imaging of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2: current status and future directions.

Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN2) is a rare autosomal dominant syndrome caused by mutations in the RET protooncogene and is characterized by a strong penetrance of medullary thyroid carcinoma (all subtypes) and is often accompanied by pheochromocytoma (MEN2A/2B) and primary hyperparathyroidism (MEN2A). The evaluation and management of MEN2-related tumours is often different from that of sporadic counterparts. This review article provides an overview of clinical manifestations, diagnosis and surgical management of MEN2 patients.

Quality of life is modestly improved in older patients with mild primary hyperparathyroidism postoperatively: results of a prospective multicenter study.

Background: The objectives of this study were to evaluate, in mild primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT) patients, the quality of life (QoL) using the SF-36 questionnaire before and after parathyroidectomy and to detect preoperatively patients who benefit the most from surgery. Most pHPT patients present a mild pHPT defined by calcemia ≤11.4 mg/dL.

Contemporary review of large adrenal tumors in a tertiary referral center.

Background: Large adrenal tumors (LATs, ≥6 cm) are uncommon and associated with malignancy in 25% of cases. Their surgical management remains debatable. The aim of the present report was to evaluate the current incidence, nature and management of LAT.

Outcomes of adrenal-sparing surgery or total adrenalectomy in phaeochromocytoma associated with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2: an international retrospective population-based study.

Background: The prevention of medullary thyroid cancer in patients with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 syndrome has demonstrated the ability of molecular diagnosis and prophylactic surgery to improve patient outcomes. However, the other major neoplasia associated with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2, phaeochromocytoma, is not as well characterised in terms of occurrence and treatment outcomes. In this study, we aimed to systematically characterise the outcomes of management of phaeochromocytoma associated with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2.

Surgery for 'asymptomatic' mild primary hyperparathyroidism improves some clinical symptoms postoperatively.

Objective And Background: Most primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT) patients do not conform to the guidelines for parathyroidectomy established by an international panel of specialists and have a mild pHPT. This group is typically defined as 'asymptomatic'. The primary aim of this study was to determine symptom improvement in this 'asymptomatic' group after parathyroidectomy.

Parathyroid scintigraphy in renal hyperparathyroidism: the added diagnostic value of SPECT and SPECT/CT.

Secondary hyperparathyroidism (sHPT) is a major complication for patients with end-stage renal disease on long-term hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. When the disease is resistant to medical treatment, patients with severe sHPT are typically referred for parathyroidectomy (PTx), which usually improves biological parameters as well as clinical signs and symptoms. Unfortunately, early surgical failure with persistent disease may occur in 5%-10% of patients and recurrence reaches 20%-30% at 5 years.

Ectopic hormone-secreting pheochromocytoma: a francophone observational study.

Background: Ectopic hormone-secreting pheochromocytomas are rare; only case reports exist in the literature. This condition has been linked with increased malignancy, familial syndromes, and ACTH secretion. We wanted to test these hypotheses and shed light on the nature of ectopic hormone-secreting pheochromocytomas.

Lithium-associated hyperparathyroidism: surgical strategies in the era of minimally invasive parathyroidectomy.

Background: Lithium remains an effective treatment of bipolar affective disorder. The long-term use of lithium is associated with an alteration in parathyroid function that may culminate in hyperparathyroidism. The long-term effects of lithium use are variable due to its complex effects on calcium homeostasis and bone metabolism, and as a consequence the indications for surgery remain poorly defined.

Radiation doses to cohabitants of patients undergoing radioiodine ablation for thyroid cancer: poor compliance with radiation protection guidelines but low radiation exposure.

Background: The drive to reduce hospital stay after radioiodine remnant ablation in patients with thyroid cancer may increase the risk of radiation exposure to family members. The aim of this study was to evaluate the key determinants of dose exposure to familial members, with particular reference to the degree of adherence to current radiation safety guidelines.

Methods: All participants prospectively received our standard departmental oral and written safety instructions, with a mandatory 3-day restriction period.

Heath-related quality of life in thyroid cancer patients following radioiodine ablation.

Background: There is limited information about the medium to long-term health-related quality of life (QOL) in thyroid cancer patients after initial therapy and the existing studies suffer from limitations. The aim of the study was to assess the determinants of medium-term QOL after the initial therapy.

Methods: Following a total thyroidectomy, 88 thyroid cancer patients received either rhTSH or hypothyroid-assisted radioiodine ablation (RRA) using 3.

Adrenal venous sampling is crucial before an adrenalectomy whatever the adrenal-nodule size on computed tomography.

Objective: To assess the additional value of adrenal venous sampling (AVS) to diagnose primary aldosteronism sub-types in patients who have a unilateral nodule detected by computed tomography (CT scan) and who should undergo an adrenalectomy.

Methods: A retrospective study to assess consecutive patients with primary aldosteronism undergoing an adrenal CT scan and AVS. Criterion for selective cannulation was an equal or higher cortisol level in the adrenal vein compared to the inferior vena cava.

Expression of somatostatin receptors, dopamine D₂ receptors, noradrenaline transporters, and vesicular monoamine transporters in 52 pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas.

While somatostatin receptors (sst), through somatostatin-radiolabeled analogs, are used, mainly in second line, in the diagnosis and treatment of pheochromocytomas (PCC) and paragangliomas (PGL), the clinical significance of dopamine receptor subtype 2 (D₂) in PCC/PGL is unknown. Indeed, radiolabeled dopamine (DA) analogs such as fluorine 18 ((18)F)-DA, used for positron emission tomography in PCC localization, are mainly correlated to the presence of noradrenaline transporter (NAT) and vesicular monoamine transporters (VMAT) but not to D₂. The aim of this study was to quantitate D₂ and sst expression in 52 PCC/PGL and to compare it with that of 35 gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs).

Minimal access surgery - thyroid and parathyroid.

The concept of surgical invasiveness cannot be limited to the length or to the site of the skin incision. It must be extended to all structures dissected during the procedure. Therefore, MIT or MIP should properly be defined as operations through a short and discrete incision that permits direct access to the thyroid or parathyroid gland, resulting in a focused dissection.

Should routine analysis of the MEN1 gene be performed in all patients with primary hyperparathyroidism under 40 years of age?

Background: Familial hyperparathyroidism, especially Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 1, is more likely to present with primary hyperparathyroidism (1 degrees HPT) at a young age, mandating bilateral exploration of the parathyroid glands. However, the majority of young patients will not be gene carriers or have a family history. Recent evidence suggests that young adults under 40, in whom there is no suspicion of family history, can be managed with the same pre- and perioperative strategy as used for sporadic primary HPT of any age.

Reoperation for primary hyperparathyroidism: tips and tricks.

Reoperation for primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) remains a major challenge for both the patient and surgeons. Before considering reoperation, the surgeon must confirm the diagnosis of PHPT and assess patient risk factors. The goal of reoperative surgery is to excise the abnormal parathyroid gland(s) and limit exploration to help minimize the potential complications.

18F-FDG avidity of pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas: a new molecular imaging signature?

Unlabelled: Our objective was to evaluate (18)F-FDG PET uptake in patients with nonmetastatic and metastatic chromaffin-derived tumors.

Methods: Twenty-eight consecutive unrelated patients with chromaffin tumors, including 9 patients with genetically determined disease, were studied. A combination of preoperative imaging work-up, surgical findings, and pathologic analyses was used to classify the patients into 2 groups: those with nonmetastatic disease (presumed benign, n = 18) and those with metastatic tumors (n = 10).

Significance of biochemical parameters in differentiating uniglandular from multiglandular disease and limiting use of intraoperative parathormone assay.

Background: We studied whether serum calcium and parathormone (PTH) levels are significantly different for uniglandular disease (UGD) and multiglandular disease (MGD) and whether intraoperative rapid intact parathormone (IOPTH) monitoring can be avoided in some cases of minimally invasive parathyroidectomy (MIP) without affecting cure rates, substantiating various previous published studies.

Method: This is a single-referral-center retrospective review of prospectively collected data for 281 patients with sporadic primary hyperparathyroidism (sPHPT) from January 1999 to February 2005. The calcium and PTH values were categorized using the following parameters: calcium > or = 3 mmol/l = 1, < 3 mmol/l = 0, PTH > or = 100 pg/ml = 1, PTH < 100 = 1.