Validation of quantitative salivary gland scintigraphy in relation to the American-European concensus criteria for Sjögren's syndrome.

Purpose: The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of semiquantitative parameters in salivary gland scintigraphy (SGS) in the diagnostic work-up of primary Sjögren's Syndrome (SS) using the American-European consensus criteria (AECC) as the gold standard.

Patients And Methods: 99mTc-pertechnetate-SGS was performed in 110 patients with suspected primary SS. Uptake ratios (URs) and excretion fractions (EFs) for all parotid and submandibular salivary glands were calculated.

No firm association between N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide and percentage of pulmonary vascular obstruction in patients with acute pulmonary embolism.

Introduction: High concentrations of N-terminal-pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) are found in patients with right ventricular overload. Right ventricular overload may be the result of large perfusion defects in patients with pulmonary embolism (PE). NT-proBNP levels are associated with poorer outcome in patients with acute PE.

Imaging the inflammatory activity of sarcoidosis: sensitivity and inter observer agreement of (67)Ga imaging and (18)F-FDG PET.

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate sensitivity of 67Ga imaging and 18F-FDG PET for sarcoidosis activity and their inter observer variability.

Methods: Thirty-four newly diagnosed, histologically proven sarcoidosis patients were analyzed prospectively. (67)Ga imaging and (18)F-FDG PET were performed, the presence of pulmonary and extra pulmonary lesions was evaluated and inter observer variability of both techniques was assessed.

Imaging of fibrogenesis in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis with cis-4-[(18)F]-Fluoro-L: -proline PET.

Purpose: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a lethal lung disease for which no single diagnostic modality is able to evaluate the activity of the disease process. Cis-4-(18)F-fluoro-L: -proline ((18)F-proline) was shown in animal studies to be a reliable marker for fibrosis formation. We tested this candidate radioligand for imaging of fibrogenesis in patients with IPF.