Intra-articular Treatment of Digital Osteoarthritis by Radiosynoviorthesis-Clinical Outcome in Long-term Follow-up.

Purpose: This retrospective study analyzed the long-term effects of radiosynoviorthesis (RSO) with special emphasis to local joint pain in patients from 4 different RSO centers in Germany and Austria.

Methods: A total of 168 finger joints in 147 patients with digital joint OA were investigated. The indication for RSO was based on both clinical complaints and a proven synovitis, despite anti-inflammatory pharmacotherapy and previous intra-articular corticosteroid injections.

The EANM guideline for radiosynoviorthesis.

Purpose: Radiosynoviorthesis (RSO) using the intraarticular application of beta-particle emitting radiocolloids has for decades been used for the local treatment of inflammatory joint diseases. The injected radiopharmaceuticals are phagocytized by the superficial macrophages of the synovial membrane, resulting in sclerosis and fibrosis of the formerly inflamed tissue, finally leading to reduced joint effusion and alleviation of joint pain.

Methods: The European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM) has written and approved these guidelines in tight collaboration with an international team of clinical experts, including rheumatologists.

[Joint DGN, OGNMB and SGNM S1 guideline for radiosynoviorthesis].

This recommendation is intended to provide a guideline for radiosynoviorthesis (RSO) in the effective local treatment of chronic inflammatory (non-infectious) joint diseases. It was developed in an interdisciplinary manner and describes the general objectives, definitions, clinical background information, indication and contraindications of this radionuclide therapy. The requirements to be met by a treatment center, the results of pretherapeutic examinations as well as recommendations on how the treatment should be carried out.

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.

[Positron-emission tomography (PET) and PET/CT in head and neck cancer - recommendations of an interdisciplinary consensus conference].

Background: Today's available therapeutic options in head and neck cancer patients have led to better treatment modalities tailored to the individually clinical staging of the patients towards a risk adapted tumour management. This, however, is only possible with an accurately pretherapeutic diagnostic regimen and closely posttherapeutic follow-up.

Methods: These issues were discussed by nuclear medicine experts, otorhinolaryngologists, oral surgeons, radiologists, radio-oncologists and oncologists in a meeting that took place in Pörtschach, Austria, on 05 May 2006.

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.

Comparison of FDG-PET and dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI in the evaluation of suggestive breast lesions.

The aim of our study was a direct comparison of the ability of positron-emission tomography with FDG-PET and of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to determine whether breast lesions were benign or malignant and of the two imaging methods capability of depicting eventual multifocal disease. We performed both PET and MRI in 36 patients (40 lesions) who were scheduled for surgery because of suggestive mammographic, sonographic and/or clinical findings. A final histological classification was available for all lesions.

Bone metabolism in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma receiving suppressive levothyroxine treatment.

Aim: Patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) must receive suppressive levothyroxine (LT(4)) therapy for the rest of their lives. The literature, however, presents conflicting results on how this affects bone metabolism. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of the estrogen status and LT(4) therapy, in particular LT(4) dosage in micrograms per kilograms (microg/kg), on bone metabolism in female patients with DTC.

Accuracy of whole-body 18F-FDP-PET for restaging malignant lymphoma.

Background: The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the accuracy of fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG-PET) images, which were interpreted under daily routine conditions, in patients with Hodgkin's disease (HD) or non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) for restaging after chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. For this purpose, 18F-FDG-PET results were compared with morphological imaging methods and the patients' clinical background.

Methods: 121 PET images of 93 lymphoma patients (44 HD, 49 NHL) were investigated after chemotherapy/radiotherapy.

F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography in the diagnosis of tumor recurrence and metastases in the follow-up of patients with breast carcinoma: a comparison to conventional imaging.

Aim: To evaluate the role of F-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography (F-18 FDG PET) in the follow-up of breast carcinoma in case of clinical suspicion of local recurrence or distant metastases and/or tumor marker increase in correlation to conventional imaging.

Material And Methods: Retrospective analysis of the results of F-18 FDG PET (ECAT ART(R), Siemens CTI MS) of 62 patients (age 58.5 +/- 12.

18F-FDG-PET in the follow-up of thyroid cancer.

Differentiated thyroid cancer is a rare tumour with an incidence of 4 - 9/100,000/year. For preoperative assessment of thyroid nodules, ultrasonography (US) and US-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy are the methods of choice to detect thyroid cancer. The value of preoperative fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG-PET) in differentiating malignant from benign nodules, especially in cases of follicular proliferation, has not yet been evaluated.

Iodine supplementation in Austria: methods and results.

Until 1963 Austria was an extremely iodine-deficient area with low iodine intake and high goiter prevalence. Therefore, for the first time in 1963, salt iodination with 10 mg of potassium iodide per kilogram of salt was introduced by federal law. Twenty years after this salt iodination, however, investigations in schoolchildren demonstrated iodine deficiency grade I to II according to the World Health Organization (WHO) (urinary iodine excretion, 42-75 microg/g Crea) and goiter prevalence of far more than 10%.

Goiter prevalence and urinary iodide excretion in a formerly iodine-deficient region after introduction of statutory lodization of common salt.

The objective of this epidemiologic study was to determine the volume of the thyroid gland as well as urinary iodine excretion in dependence on age and gender in a population from an area of low natural iodine supply now receiving iodine prophylaxis. In 430 persons from three communities in the province of Carinthia, Austria, we determined thyroid volume via sonography as well as urinary iodide excretion. As in numerous other European countries, natural iodine supply is insufficient in Austria.

(18)F-FDG positron emission tomography in the early diagnosis of enterocolitis: preliminary results.

Collagenous and eosinophilic colitis are rare diseases characterised by chronic watery diarrhoea. Radiographic evaluation of the gastrointestinal tract and colonoscopy are usually non-diagnostic since as many as one-third of patients will have minor abnormalities. To date a few investigators have reported increased fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose ((18)F-FDG) uptake on positron emission tomography (PET) in patients with acute enterocolitis, but there have been no reports on the use of (18)F-FDG PET for the diagnosis of collagenous or eosinophilic colitis in an early clinical stage.