Imaging grafted cells with [18F]FHBG using an optimized HSV1-TK mammalian expression vector in a brain injury rodent model.

Introduction: Cell transplantation is an innovative therapeutic approach after brain injury to compensate for tissue damage. To have real-time longitudinal monitoring of intracerebrally grafted cells, we explored the feasibility of a molecular imaging approach using thymidine kinase HSV1-TK gene encoding and [18F]FHBG as a reporter probe to image enzyme expression.

Methods: A stable neuronal cell line expressing HSV1-TK was developed with an optimised mammalian expression vector to ensure long-term transgene expression.

Radiosynthesis of [F]AV1451 in pharmaceutical conditions and its biological characteristics.

In this study, we describe the radiosynthesis of [F]AV1451 in terms of its pharmaceutical quality and characterise its physical and biological properties. We performed an in vitro serum stability study in fresh human plasma and a plasma protein binding study. The radiochemical yield was 24% (decay corrected), and the product met all regulatory quality requirements.

Radiolabelling rituximab with (99m)Tc in three steps procedure.

Lymphomas are the most frequent haematological malignancy. In non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL), more than 90% of tumor cells express the cluster of differentiation (CD) 20 antigen. At the end of frontline therapy, the evaluation of remission is based on computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography coupled with computer tomography (PET/CT) with [(18)F]-fluorodeoxyglucose ([(18)F]FDG).

Radiolabeling of [18F]-fluoroethylnormemantine and initial in vivo evaluation of this innovative PET tracer for imaging the PCP sites of NMDA receptors.

Introduction: The N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAr) is an ionotropic receptor that mediates excitatory transmission. NMDAr overexcitation is thought to be involved in neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders such as Alzheimer disease and schizophrenia. We synthesized [(18)F]-fluoroethylnormemantine ([(18)F]-FNM), a memantine derivative that binds to phencyclidine (PCP) sites within the NMDA channel pore.

Cortical florbetapir-PET amyloid load in prodromal Alzheimer's disease patients.

Background: Florbetapir (AV-45) has been shown to be a reliable tool to assess amyloid load in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) at demential stages. Longitudinal studies also suggest that AV-45 has the ability to bind amyloid in the early stages of AD. In this study, we investigated AV-45 binding and its relation with cognitive performance in a group of patients at the prodromal stage of Alzheimer's disease, recruited according to strict inclusion criteria.

MR, (18)F-FDG, and (18)F-AV45 PET correlate with AD PSEN1 original phenotype.

We report the case of a 37-year-old man suffering from insidious visual agnosia and spastic paraparesis due to a PSEN1 mutation. His mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer disease after a biopsy. He was assessed by multimodal neuroimaging, including new in vivo positron emission tomography amyloid imaging (F-AV45).

Discordance between labelled white blood cell scintigraphy and bone scan following suspicion of bone infection: what should be done about it?

Background: Bone infection is a common issue in infectiology. The gold standard for evaluating bone infection is the white blood cell (WBC) scan. In our practice the WBC scan is coupled with a bone scan.

Toxicological methods for tracing drug abuse: chromatographic, spectroscopic and biological characterisation of ecstasy derivatives.

Analysis often reveals variability in the composition of ecstasy pills from pure 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) to mixtures of MDMA derivatives, amphetamine, and other unidentified substances. For a comprehensive toxicological analysis one needs to know all steps to MDMA synthesis which may originate impurities. The aim of this study was to synthesise and determine the chemical-physical and in vitro biological properties of a series of MDMA derivatives.

Evaluation of O-(2-[18F]-Fluoroethyl)-L-Tyrosine in the Diagnosis of Glioblastoma.

Objective: To assess the feasibility of synthesis of O-(2-[(18)F]-fluoroethyl)-l-tyrosine (FET), a new positron emission tomographic (PET) tracer described in several studies but not yet considered standard in management of glioma, in routine practice and to determine FET uptake in a homogeneous group of patients with suspected high-grade glioma.

Design: Prospective nonrandomized trial.

Patients: Twelve patients with suspicion of high-grade glioma.

Procalcitonin implication in renal cell apoptosis induced by acute pyelonephritis in children.

The aim of this biomedical trial was to clarify the physiological role of procalcitonin (PCT) in renal parenchyma apoptosis and fibrosis caused by acute childhood pyelonephritis. This prospective study enrolled 183 children. All children were treated with bi-therapy according to the French consensus on acute pyelonephritis treatment dated November 16, 1990: intra-vascular administration of ceftriaxone 50 mg/kg/day and netromicine 7 mg/kg/day during the first 48 hours, followed by specific antibiotherapy suited to antibiogram.

GFR is better estimated by considering both serum cystatin C and creatinine levels.

Serum cystatin C (cysC) is a potential marker of the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) that has generated conflicting reports in children. A prospective study was conducted to assess the benefit of considering cysC together with serum creatinine (SCr) and demographic and morphologic characteristics to better estimate the 51Cr-ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA) clearance (CL), i.e.

Quantification of dopamine transporter by 123I-PE2I SPECT and the noninvasive Logan graphical method in Parkinson's disease.

Unlabelled: (E)-N-(3-iodoprop-2-enyl)-2beta-carbomethoxy-3beta-(4'-methyl-phenyl) nortropane (PE2I), a cocaine analog, is a new, highly specific tracer for imaging dopamine transporter labeled with (123)I for in vivo SPECT. Its reversible binding on dopamine transporter and its rapid kinetics allow quantification of its binding potential according to a 3-compartment model. For quantification of distribution volume of reversible tracer, Logan developed a noninvasive and graphical method that allows accurate estimation of binding potential.

Estimation of glomerular filtration rate in children.

The aim of this study was to develop a method to predict the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in children by using the population pharmacokinetic approach. This powerful approach is widely used for drug development in order to study relationships between patients' characteristics (demographic, morphological, biological covariates) and pharmacokinetic parameters. For the first time, (51)Cr-EDTA plasma concentrations from 64 children (development data set) were analyzed using the Non-linear Mixed Effects Model (NONMEM) program to determine the most appropriate equation to relate (51)Cr-EDTA clearance (as a measurement of GFR) and patient characteristics.

Human chromaffin cell graft into the CSF for cancer pain management: a prospective phase II clinical study.

A number of pre-clinical studies have demonstrated the value of adrenal medullary allografts in the management of chronic pain. The present longitudinal survey studied 15 patients transplanted for intractable cancer pain after failure of systemic opioids due to the persistence of undesirable side-effects. Before inclusion, all the patients had their pain controlled by daily intrathecal (I-Th) morphine administration.