Immunotherapy response and resistance in patients with advanced uveal melanoma: a retrospective cohort study.

Metastatic uveal melanoma (mUM) is associated with poor prognosis. Ipilimumab/nivolumab has shown antitumor efficacy in phase II studies. Tebentafusp resulted in longer overall survival (OS) compared to investigator`s choice in a phase III study.

Long-term trends in total administered radiation dose from brain [F]FDG-PET in children with drug-resistant epilepsy.

Purpose: To assess the trends in administered 2-[F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose ([F]FDG) doses, computed tomography (CT) radiation doses, and image quality over the last 15 years in children with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) undergoing hybrid positron emission tomography (PET) brain scans.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from children with DRE who had [F]FDG-PET/CT or magnetic resonance scans for presurgical evaluation between 2005 and 2021. We evaluated changes in injected [F]FDG doses, administered activity per body weight, CT dose index volume (CTDIvol), and dose length product (DLP).

Artificial intelligence in coronary artery calcium score: rationale, different approaches, and outcomes.

Almost 35 years after its introduction, coronary artery calcium score (CACS) not only survived technological advances but became one of the cornerstones of contemporary cardiovascular imaging. Its simplicity and quantitative nature established it as one of the most robust approaches for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk stratification in primary prevention and a powerful tool to guide therapeutic choices. Groundbreaking advances in computational models and computer power translated into a surge of artificial intelligence (AI)-based approaches directly or indirectly linked to CACS analysis.

PSMA-positive prostatic volume prediction with deep learning based on T2-weighted MRI.

Purpose: High PSMA expression might be correlated with structural characteristics such as growth patterns on histopathology, not recognized by the human eye on MRI images. Deep structural image analysis might be able to detect such differences and therefore predict if a lesion would be PSMA positive. Therefore, we aimed to train a neural network based on PSMA PET/MRI scans to predict increased prostatic PSMA uptake based on the axial T2-weighted sequence alone.

The Monocle Sign on 18 F-FDG PET Indicates Contralateral Peripheral Facial Nerve Palsy.

Background: The aim of our study was to retrospectively analyze FDG PET/CT data in patients with facial nerve palsy (FNP) for the presence of the monocle sign.

Patients And Methods: A total of 85 patients with unilateral FNP were included into our study, thereof 73 with peripheral FNP and 12 with central FNP. FDG uptake (SUV max , SUV mean , total lesion glycolysis) was measured in both orbicularis oculi muscles (OOMs).

Evaluating the biodistribution for [Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 and [F]F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT with an inter- and intrapatient based analysis.

Background: Liver uptake in [Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET is used as an internal reference in addition to clinical parameters to select patients for [Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 radioligand therapy (RLT). Due to increased demand, [Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 was replaced by [F]F-PSMA-1007, a more lipophilic tracer with different biodistribution and splenic uptake was suggested as a new internal reference. We compared the intra-patient tracer distribution between [Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 and [F]F-PSMA-1007.

Transformative Experiences, Cognitive Modelling and Affective Forecasting.

In the last seven years, philosophers have discussed the topic of transformative experiences. In this paper, we contribute to a crucial issue that is currently under-researched: transformative experiences' influence on cognitive modelling. We argue that cognitive modelling can be operationalized as affective forecasting, and we compare transformative and non-transformative experiences with respect to the ability of affective forecasting.

Impact of sex and gender on post-COVID-19 syndrome, Switzerland, 2020.

BackgroundWomen are overrepresented among individuals with post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC). Biological (sex) as well as sociocultural (gender) differences between women and men might account for this imbalance, yet their impact on PASC is unknown.AimWe assessed the impact of sex and gender on PASC in a Swiss population.

A simple coronary CT angiography-based jeopardy score for the identification of extensive coronary artery disease: Validation against invasive coronary angiography.

Purpose: The invasive British Cardiovascular Intervention Society Jeopardy Score (iBCIS-JS) is a simple angiographic scoring system, enabling quantification of the extent of jeopardized myocardium related to clinically significant coronary artery disease (CAD). The purpose of this study was to develop and validate the coronary CT angiography-based BCIS-JS (CT-BCIS-JS) against the iBCIS-JS in patients with suspected or stable CAD.

Materials And Methods: Patients who underwent coronary CT angiography followed by invasive coronary angiography, within 90 days were retrospectively included.

Can We Predict Skeletal Lesion on Bone Scan Based on Quantitative PSMA PET/CT Features?

Objective: The increasing use of PSMA-PET/CT for restaging prostate cancer (PCa) leads to a patient shift from a non-metastatic situation based on conventional imaging (CI) to a metastatic situation. Since established therapeutic pathways have been designed according to CI, it is unclear how this should be translated to the PSMA-PET/CT results. This study aimed to investigate whether PSMA-PET/CT and clinical parameters could predict the visibility of PSMA-positive lesions on a bone scan (BS).

Sinonasal mucosal melanoma treatment response assessment to immune checkpoint inhibitors using hybrid positron emission tomography imaging.

The purpose of this retrospective study was to investigate response of sinonasal mucosal melanoma (SMM) patients to treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), using hybrid PET imaging. Fifteen SMM patients underwent hybrid PET imaging before and three months after initiation of ICI. The disease-specific survival (DSS) was calculated.

Characterization of hypermetabolic lymph nodes after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination using PET-CT derived node-RADS, in patients with melanoma.

This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of Node Reporting and Data System (Node-RADS) in discriminating between normal, reactive, and metastatic axillary LNs in patients with melanoma who underwent SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Patients with proven melanoma who underwent a 2-[F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (2-[F]-FDG PET/CT) between February and April 2021 were included in this retrospective study. Primary melanoma site, vaccination status, injection site, and 2-[F]-FDG PET/CT were used to classify axillary LNs into normal, inflammatory, and metastatic (combined classification).

A third of the radiotracer dose: two decades of progress in pediatric [F]fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT and PET/MR imaging.

Objectives: To assess the evolution of administered radiotracer activity for F-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) PET/CT or PET/MR in pediatric patients (0-16 years) between years 2000 and 2021.

Methods: Pediatric patients (≤ 16 years) referred for 18F-FDG PET/CT or PET/MR imaging of the body during 2000 and 2021 were retrospectively included. The amount of administered radiotracer activity in megabecquerel (MBq) was recorded, and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) was measured in the right liver lobe with a 4 cm volume of interest as an indicator for objective image quality.

Evolution of CT radiation dose in pediatric patients undergoing hybrid 2-[F]FDG PET/CT between 2007 and 2021.

Objectives: To evaluate the evolution of CT radiation dose in pediatric patients undergoing hybrid 2-[F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-[F]FDG) PET/CT between 2007 and 2021.

Methods And Materials: Data from all pediatric patients aged 0-18 years who underwent hybrid 2-[F]FDG PET/CT of the body between January 2007 and May 2021 were reviewed. Demographic and imaging parameters were collected.

Fully automated computational measurement of noise in positron emission tomography.

Objectives: To introduce an automated computational algorithm that estimates the global noise level across the whole imaging volume of PET datasets.

Methods: [F]FDG PET images of 38 patients were reconstructed with simulated decreasing acquisition times (15-120 s) resulting in increasing noise levels, and with block sequential regularized expectation maximization with beta values of 450 and 600 (Q.Clear 450 and 600).

Acquired resistance to anti-PD1 therapy in patients with NSCLC associates with immunosuppressive T cell phenotype.

Immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment has the potential to prolong survival in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), however, some of the patients develop resistance following initial response. Here, we analyze the immune phenotype of matching tumor samples from a cohort of NSCLC patients showing good initial response to immune checkpoint inhibitors, followed by acquired resistance at later time points. By using imaging mass cytometry and whole exome and RNA sequencing, we detect two patterns of resistance¨: One group of patients is characterized by reduced numbers of tumor-infiltrating CD8 T cells and reduced expression of PD-L1 after development of resistance, whereas the other group shows high CD8 T cell infiltration and high expression of PD-L1 in addition to markedly elevated expression of other immune-inhibitory molecules.

Automated F18-FDG PET/CT image quality assessment using deep neural networks on a latest 6-ring digital detector system.

To evaluate whether a machine learning classifier can evaluate image quality of maximum intensity projection (MIP) images from F18-FDG-PET scans. A total of 400 MIP images from F18-FDG-PET with simulated decreasing acquisition time (120 s, 90 s, 60 s, 30 s and 15 s per bed-position) using block sequential regularized expectation maximization (BSREM) with a beta-value of 450 and 600 were created. A machine learning classifier was fed with 283 images rated "sufficient image quality" and 117 images rated "insufficient image quality".

Comparability of Pulmonary Nodule Size Measurements among Different Scanners and Protocols: Should Diameter Be Favorized over Volume?

Background: To assess the impact of the lung cancer screening protocol recommended by the European Society of Thoracic Imaging (ESTI) on nodule diameter, volume, and density throughout different computed tomography (CT) scanners.

Methods: An anthropomorphic chest phantom containing fourteen different-sized (range 3-12 mm) and CT-attenuated (100 HU, -630 HU and -800 HU, termed as solid, GG1 and GG2) pulmonary nodules was imaged on five CT scanners with institute-specific standard protocols (P) and the lung cancer screening protocol recommended by ESTI (ESTI protocol, P). Images were reconstructed with filtered back projection (FBP) and iterative reconstruction (REC).

Non-Invasive Assessment of Endothelial Shear Stress in Myocardial Bridges Using Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography.

Myocardial bridging (MB) is a segment of coronary arteries with an intramural course, typically spared from atherosclerosis, while the adjacent proximal segment is reported to be atherosclerosis-prone, a phenomenon contributed to local endothelial shear stress (ESS). We aimed to describe the ESS milieu in coronaries with MBs combining coronary computed tomography angiography with computational fluid dynamics and to investigate the association of atherosclerosis presence proximal to MBs with hemorheological characteristics. Patients ( = 36) were identified and 36 arteries with MBs (11 deep and 25 superficial) were analyzed.

Impact of deep learning image reconstructions (DLIR) on coronary artery calcium quantification.

Background: Deep learning image reconstructions (DLIR) have been recently introduced as an alternative to filtered back projection (FBP) and iterative reconstruction (IR) algorithms for computed tomography (CT) image reconstruction. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of DLIR on image quality and quantification of coronary artery calcium (CAC) in comparison to FBP.

Methods: One hundred patients were consecutively enrolled.

Frequency and temporal evolution of COVID-19 vaccination rate among oncological patients undergoing 18F-FDG-PET.

Purpose: To evaluate the temporal evolution of vaccination against COVID-19 in a Swiss oncological cohort.

Methods: History of complete vaccination (i.e.

Opportunistic deep learning powered calcium scoring in oncologic patients with very high coronary artery calcium (≥ 1000) undergoing 18F-FDG PET/CT.

Our aim was to identify and quantify high coronary artery calcium (CAC) with deep learning (DL)-powered CAC scoring (CACS) in oncological patients with known very high CAC (≥ 1000) undergoing 18F-FDG-PET/CT for re-/staging. 100 patients were enrolled: 50 patients with Agatston scores ≥ 1000 (high CACS group), 50 patients with Agatston scores < 1000 (negative control group). All patients underwent oncological 18F-FDG-PET/CT and cardiac SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) by 99mTc-tetrofosmin within 6 months.

Semi-automated volumetry of pulmonary nodules: Intra-individual comparison of standard dose and chest X-ray equivalent ultralow dose chest CT scans.

Purpose: To assess the performance of semi-automated volumetry of solid pulmonary nodules on single-energy tin-filtered ultralow dose (ULD) chest CT scans at a radiation dose equivalent to chest X-ray relative to standard dose (SD) chest CT scans and assess the impact of kernel and iterative reconstruction selection.

Methods: Ninety-four consecutive patients from a prospective single-center study were included and underwent clinically indicated SD chest CT (1.9 ± 0.