Single-center analysis of biopsy-confirmed posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder: incidence, clinicopathological characteristics and prognostic factors.

Hematopoietic stem cell and solid organ transplant recipients diagnosed with biopsy-confirmed posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) at our institution from 1989 to 2010 were identified. Patient-, transplant- and disease-related characteristics, prognostic factors and outcome were collected and analyzed. One hundred and forty biopsy-proven cases of PTLD were included.

Molecular imaging of therapy response with (18)F-FLT and (18)F-FDG following cyclophosphamide and mTOR inhibition.

Purpose: Evaluation and comparison of 3'-[(18)F]-fluoro-3'-deoxy-L-thymidine (FLT) and 2-[(18)F]-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (FDG)-PET to monitor early response following both cyclophosphamide and temsirolimus treatment in a mouse model of Burkitt lymphoma.

Methods: Daudi xenograft mice were treated with either cyclophosphamide or temsirolimus and imaged with FLT-PET and FDG-PET on appropriate days post therapy inititiation. Immunohistochemical (IHC) studies (H&E, TUNEL, CD20, PCNA and ki-67) and DNA flow cytometry studies were performed.

The accuracy of positron emission tomography in the detection of posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder.

We investigated sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography in 170 cases with suspected or biopsy-proven posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder. All solid organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients who underwent an 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography scan between 2003 and 2010 in our center for the indication posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder, were retrospectively reviewed and results were compared with tissue biopsy whenever possible. One hundred and seventy positron emission tomography scans in 150 patients were eligible for evaluation.

Breast cancer in pregnancy: recommendations of an international consensus meeting.

Purpose: To provide guidance for clinicians about the diagnosis, staging and treatment of breast cancer occurring during an otherwise uncomplicated pregnancy.

Methods: An international expert Panel convened to address a series of questions identified by a literature review and personal experience. Issues relating to the diagnosis and management of breast cancer after delivery were outside the scope.

Dose-response relationship in cyclophosphamide-treated B-cell lymphoma xenografts monitored with [18F]FDG PET.

Purpose: Although [(18)F]FDG PET can measure therapy response sooner and more accurately than morphological imaging techniques, there is still some debate as to whether [(18)F]FDG uptake really reflects changes in the viable cell fraction. In this study changes in [(18)F]FDG uptake were investigated in a lymphoma model at several time-points after treatment and with different doses of chemotherapy. Data were analysed in terms of several parameters.

Gynaecologic cancer complicating pregnancy: an overview.

Cancer complicating pregnancy endangers two lives. Any approach should look at both maternal and foetal safety. Maternal prognosis will not improve by terminating the pregnancy.

FDG positron emission tomography/computed tomography scan may identify mantle cell lymphoma patients with unusually favorable outcome.

Objective: Patients diagnosed with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) have generally poor prognosis, but a minority have a longer survival. There are no markers to identify this group and no generally established prognostic index for MCL. Our objective was to assess the prognostic value of the staging FDG PET/computed tomography (CT) scan.

(18)F-FDG and (18)F-FLT uptake early after cyclophosphamide and mTOR inhibition in an experimental lymphoma model.

Unlabelled: To be a reliable predictor of response, tracer uptake should reflect changes in the amount of active tumor cells. However, uptake of (18)F-FDG, the most commonly used PET tracer, is disturbed by the inflammatory cells that appear early after cytotoxic therapy. The first aim of this study was to investigate whether 3'-(18)F-fluoro-3'-deoxy-l-thymidine ((18)F-FLT), a marker of cellular proliferation, is a better tracer for response assessment early after cytotoxic therapy.

Performance of MAP reconstruction for hot lesion detection in whole-body PET/CT: an evaluation with human and numerical observers.

For positron emission tomography (PET) imaging, different reconstruction methods can be applied, including maximum likelihood (ML ) and maximum a posteriori (MAP) reconstruction. Postsmoothed ML images have approximately position and object independent spatial resolution, which is advantageous for (semi-) quantitative analysis. However, the complex object dependent smoothing obtained with MAP might yield improved noise characteristics, beneficial for lesion detection.

PET scanning and prognosis in Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Purpose Of Review: Risk-adapted treatment strategies are currently under investigation in the management of patients with lymphoma. This review presents the latest evidence for the use of early interim [(18)F]-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography for risk-adapted treatment in Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Recent Findings: In recent years, PET after two cycles of ABVD (adriamycin, bleomycin, vincristin, and dexamethasone) was shown to be the only independent prognostic factor for the prediction of relapse in Hodgkin's lymphoma and to have at least the same prognostic accuracy as end-of-treatment PET.

Positron emission tomography in mantle cell lymphoma.

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a rare but aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma subtype with a poor prognosis; most patients relapse despite initial response to therapy. Response was traditionally evaluated by computed tomography (CT), but the introduction of [(18)F]Fluorine-Deoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography (PET) changed response assessment in aggressive lymphoma. However, the value of PET-evaluation in MCL has not been studied yet.

Is [(18)F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography the ultimate tool for response and prognosis assessment?

[(18)F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) is currently the most accurate and reliable tool for the assessment of response in Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL). FDG-PET is superior to conventional imaging techniques for detection of residual disease at the end of treatment, especially in the presence of a residual mass, a frequent finding in HL. FDG-PET response assessment has also a high predictive value early after the initiation of therapy.

Hodgkin lymphoma: Response assessment by revised International Workshop Criteria.

Until recently, response assessment in patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) was primarily performed by computed tomography (CT). Based on CT, International Workshop Criteria (IWC) were developed and widely used. Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) has a higher sensitivity and specificity compared with that of CT, and Revised International Workshop Criteria (IWC + PET) were recently proposed, which combine both imaging techniques.

Aggressive and indolent non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: response assessment by integrated international workshop criteria.

Until recently, response assessment in patients with lymphoma was primarily performed by computed tomography (CT). Based on CT, International Workshop Criteria (IWC) were developed and widely used. Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography (FDG-PET) is a more sensitive and specific imaging technique for the detection of residual disease in lymphoma, and Revised Integrated International Workshop Criteria (IWC + PET) were recently proposed by the members of the International Harmonization Project (IHP), which combine both imaging techniques.

Effect of corticosteroids on 18F-FDG uptake in tumor lesions after chemotherapy.

Unlabelled: To be a reliable predictor of response, (18)F-FDG uptake should reflect changes in the amount of viable tumor cells. However, (18)F-FDG also accumulates in inflammatory cells. Shortly after treatment, the influx of inflammatory cells in the tumor can therefore interfere with early response evaluation.

PET and PET/CT for response evaluation in lymphoma: current practice and developments.

Positron emission tomography (PET) using the radiolabelled glucose analog 2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (FDG) is increasingly used for response assessment in patients with Hodgkin's disease (HD) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). These patients often present with a residual mass after therapy, but only a minority will relapse as most of these masses consist of inactive fibrosis. However, some patients have residual disease after first-line treatment and they can benefit from additional or early salvage therapy.