Validation of CT doses of SPECT/CT and PET/CT hybrid devices: lessons learned.

The aim of the study was to check the validity of computed tomographic (CT) doses exhibited by SPECT/CT and PET/CT hybrid devices. Dose measurements were taken from four SPECT/CT and four PET/CT cameras commercially available from different manufacturers. A calibrated ionization chamber was placed in whole-body or head phantoms for the acquisition of CT images with clinically used parameters.

An isotope-diagnostic approach to Erdheim-Chester's disease of the heart.

Erdheim-Chester's disease is a form of histiocytic granulomatosis afflicting the skeletal system and various inner organs. Apart from incidental findings of involvement of various structures and tissues, a complete diagnostic workup to evaluate afflicted bodily parts is not known. The authors we present several specific isotope-diagnostic techniques of a case to support the identification of this rare multisystem infiltrative disease.

Radiopharmaceutical diagnosis of Erdheim-Chester's disease.

Erdheim-Chester's disease is a non-inherited multi-focal lipid-storing histiocytosis of unknown origin without a complete and convincing diagnostic and therapeutic protocol. We have previously suggested diagnostic methods using radioisotopes to evaluate this disseminating disease, but they are neither specific nor selective in this regard. The present hypothesis-driven paper reviewing our case proposes novel approaches involving nuclear medicine and utilizing radiopharmaceuticals to identify this potentially fatal multi-system disease.

Autonomic nervous system dysfunction involving the gastrointestinal and the urinary tracts in primary Sjögren's syndrome.

Objective: Antibodies reacting with the m3 subtype muscarinic acetylcholine receptor appear to be an important pathogenic factor in primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS). As this receptor subtype is functionally important in the gastrointestinal and urinary tracts, and very little is known about the autonomic nervous system function in these organs in pSS patients, the occurrence and clinical significance of an autonomic nervous system dysfunction involving the gastrointestinal and urinary tracts were investigated.

Methods: Data on clinical symptoms attributable to an autonomic dysfunction were collected from 51 pSS patients.

Diagnostic value of 99mTc-HM-PAO leukocyte scintigraphy and computer tomography in patients with sternal wound infections.

Methods: 99mTc-HM-PAO leukocyte scintigraphy (LS) and computer tomography (CT) were carried out on 19 patients after cardiac surgery; 10 patients with a high clinical probability of an infected sternal wound (group II) and additionally 9 postoperative patients without clinical symptoms of infection, as a control group (group I). LS was carried out with mixed, autologous leukocytes, labelled with 99mTc-HM-PAO in vitro. CT scans were obtained with the use of intravenous contrast material.