F-fluorothymidine PET for predicting survival in patients with resectable pancreatic cancer.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to correlate preoperative 3'-deoxy-3'-[F] fluorothymidine (FLT) uptake with the clinical outcome and survival in these patients after surgery.

Materials And Methods: We performed a prospective analysis in 27 patients with adenocarcinoma of the pancreas (15 males, 12 females, mean age: 62 ± 13 years, range: 34 - 86 years). FLT PET (45 min p.

11C-choline PET/CT and whole-body MRI including diffusion-weighted imaging for patients with recurrent prostate cancer.

Purpose: To compare the detection efficacy of 11C-choline positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET/CT) with whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) including diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in patients with suspected recurrent prostate cancer.

Materials And Methods: Fifty-seven patients (mean age 68, range 54-80 years) underwent 11C-choline PET/CT and MRI using T1-weighted (T1w), short-tau inversion recovery (STIR), and DWI. Two readers visually rated suspicious lesions on a 5-point scale in 20 different regions.

99mTc-DPD SPECT/CT for localisation of inflammatory and chronic osteoarthritis of the foot and ankle. Comparison with planar imaging and SPECT as a clinical adjunct in radiosynovectomy.

Aim: The precise localisation of osteoarthritic and inflammatory changes is crucial for selective treatment planning of radiosynovectomy (RSV). The present study evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of planar bone imaging and SPECT for the detection of pathological bone metabolism and inflammation in joints of the foot and ankle, compared with SPECT/CT.

Patients, Methods: 39 patients (mean age 65.

Diagnostic efficacy of [11C]choline positron emission tomography/computed tomography compared with conventional computed tomography in lymph node staging of patients with bladder cancer prior to radical cystectomy.

Background: Current imaging techniques are of limited value for lymph node (LN) staging in bladder cancer (BCa) patients scheduled for radical cystectomy (RC).

Objective: Evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of [11C]choline positron emission tomography in combination with computed tomography (PET/CT) for LN staging of patients with BCa scheduled for RC and compare that efficacy with the diagnostic efficacy of CT and the gold standard of histopathologic evaluation.

Design, Setting, And Participants: From June 2004 to May 2007, 44 patients with localized BCa were staged with [11C]choline PET with low-dose CT for attenuation correction and simultaneous intravenous and rectal contrast-enhanced diagnostic CT before RC and pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND).

Computed tomography to estimate cardiac preload and extravascular lung water. A retrospective analysis in critically ill patients.

Background: In critically ill patients intravascular volume status and pulmonary edema need to be quantified as soon as possible. Many critically ill patients undergo a computed tomography (CT)-scan of the thorax after admission to the intensive care unit (ICU). This study investigates whether CT-based estimation of cardiac preload and pulmonary hydration can accurately assess volume status and can contribute to an early estimation of hemodynamics.

T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder potentially induced by imatinib in a patient with GIST.

Background: A 71-year-old male patient was diagnosed as having a KIT-positive gastrointestinal stromal tumor located at the gastric antrum. With no signs of distant metastasis, the patient primarily underwent gastric surgery with antrectomy and Billroth-I-reconstruction. Owing to tumor size and mitotic index, the patient was considered at high risk of tumor relapse and thus was entered into a clinical trial to receive adjuvant imatinib treatment.

Evaluation of dual-phase multi-detector-row CT for detection of intestinal bleeding using an experimental bowel model.

To evaluate dual-phase multi-detector-row computed tomography (MDCT) in the detection of intestinal bleeding using an experimental bowel model and varying bleeding velocities. The model consisted of a high pressure injector tube with a single perforation (1 mm) placed in 10-m-long small bowel of a pig. The bowel was filled with water/contrast solution of 30-40 HU and was incorporated in a phantom model containing vegetable oil to simulate mesenteric fat.

[(11)C]Choline positron emission tomography/computed tomography for staging and restaging of patients with advanced prostate cancer.

Introduction: To evaluate [(11)C]Choline positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) for staging and restaging of patients with advanced prostate cancer and to compare the diagnostic performance of PET, CT and PET/CT.

Methods: Forty-five consecutive patients with advanced prostate cancer underwent [(11)C]Choline-PET/CT between 5/2004 and 2/2006.

Results: Overall, 295 lesions were detected: PET alone, 178 lesions; diagnostic CT, 221 lesions; PET/CT (low-dose CT), 272 lesions; PET/CT (diagnostic CT), 295 lesions.

Rectal cancer: MR imaging before neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radiation therapy for prediction of tumor-free circumferential resection margins and long-term survival.

Purpose: To retrospectively evaluate the prognostic importance of involvement of the circumferential resection margin predicted by using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging before neoadjuvant treatment in patients with rectal cancer.

Materials And Methods: The local institutional review board approved the retrospective analysis of the data and waived informed consent. Sixty-eight patients (52 men, 16 women; mean age +/- standard deviation, 58.

PET imaging with [18F]3'-deoxy-3'-fluorothymidine for prediction of response to neoadjuvant treatment in patients with rectal cancer.

Purpose: Positron emission tomography (PET) using 18F-labelled 3'-deoxy-3'-fluorothymidine (FLT) was assessed for therapy monitoring in patients with rectal cancer undergoing neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy.

Methods: Ten patients with locally advanced rectal cancer were included and underwent long-course preoperative chemoradiotherapy (total dose 45 Gy, 1.8 Gy/day, concomitant 250 mg/m2 5-fluorouracil) followed by surgery.

Rectal carcinoma: high-spatial-resolution MR imaging and T2 quantification in rectal cancer specimens.

Purpose: To prospectively compare high-spatial-resolution T1-weighted, T2-weighted, and intermediate-weighted spectral fat-saturated magnetic resonance (MR) imaging for the differentiation of tumor from fibrosis and for delineation of rectal wall layers in rectal cancer specimens.

Materials And Methods: The local ethics committee approved the protocol, and written informed consent was obtained from each patient. Thin-section high-spatial-resolution MR imaging was performed in specimens obtained from 23 patients (16 men, seven women; median age, 64 years; age range, 39-84 years) immediately after resection.

Comparison of 16-MDCT and MRI for characterization of kidney lesions.

Objective: The objective of our study was to compare the diagnostic performance of 16-MDCT with that of MRI in the characterization of kidney lesions.

Subjects And Methods: Twenty-eight patients with kidney lesions detected with sonography and requiring further evaluation were examined. MDCT was performed in the unenhanced, arterial, and portal venous phases.

Adenocarcinomas of esophagogastric junction: multi-detector row CT to evaluate early response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Purpose: To prospectively evaluate multi-detector row computed tomography (CT) in the assessment of early response during neoadjuvant chemotherapy for adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (AEG).

Materials And Methods: The study protocol was approved by the local ethics committee. Written informed consent was obtained from all patients.

PET imaging with [11C]methyl- L-methionine for therapy monitoring in patients with rectal cancer.

In this study we evaluated whether positron emission tomography (PET) using the amino acid [11C]methyl- L-methionine (MET) may be used for therapy monitoring in patients with rectal cancer who are undergoing preoperative chemoradiotherapy. A total of 41 MET-PET scans were performed in 26 patients with locally advanced rectal cancers. All patients were examined prior to chemoradiotherapy.