Combined single-photon emission computed tomography-myocardial perfusion imaging with coronary calcium score for assessing coronary disease.

Purpose: Coronary artery disease (CAD) underestimation represents a major pitfall of single-photon emission computed tomography-myocardial perfusion imaging (SPECT-MPI). Coronary artery calcium score (CACS) has emerged as a sensitive tool for the assessment of suspect CAD; however, the integration of SPECT-MPI with CACS has been seldom evaluated, so far, and was therefore the aim of the present study.

Methods: Patients undergoing SPECT-MPI with CACS and subsequent coronary angiography were included.

Usefulness of 99mTc-Pertechnetate SPECT-CT in Thyroid Tissue Volumetry: Phantom Studies and a Clinical Case Series.

Background: An accurate measurement of the target volume is of primary importance in theragnostics of hyperthyroidism.

Objective: Our purpose was to evaluate the accuracy of a threshold-based isocontour extraction procedure for thyroid tissue volumetry from SPECT-CT.

Methods: Cylindrical vials with a fixed volume of 99mTcO4 at different activities were inserted into a neck phantom in two different thickness settings.

Usefulness of Hybrid Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography/ Computed Tomography in a Case of Ectopic Thyroid Tissue in the Thyroglossal Duct Remnant.

Here, we report a case of a 54-year-old woman affected by thyrotoxicosis, with scintigraphic evidence of a diffuse hyperfunctioning goiter and a large ectopic thyroid tissue in the thyroglossal duct remnant. The latter was apparently more active than the two lobes at Tc-pertechnetate scintigraphy, mimicking a condition of preexisting increased sensitivity to thyroid-stimulating hormone stimulation. On the other hand, single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography has proven to be a very useful tool in demonstrating this activity to be similar to the thyroid lobes and in defining extension and anatomical relationships of the mass.

Evaluation of Left Ventricular Volumes and Ejection Fraction from Gated Myocardial Perfusion SPECT Processed with "Myovation Evolution": Comparison of Three Automated Software Packages using Cardiac Magnetic Resonance as Reference.

Background: The development of resolution recovery (RR) algorithms has made it possible to preserve the good quality of cardiac images despite a reduced number of counts during study acquisition.

Objective: Our purpose was to evaluate the performance of three different software packages in the quantification of left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic volume (EDV), end-systolic volume (ESV), and ejection fraction (EF) from gated perfusion SPECT, applying a resolution recovery (RR) algorithm (GE Myovation Evolution), with respect to cardiac MRI (cMRI) as a gold standard.

Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 21 patients, with suspected or known coronary heart disease.

Intracranial aspergillosis in children successfully treated with antifungal therapy and surgical intervention.

Invasive aspergillosis is an uncommon but often lethal complication in immunocompromised patients. Despite the progress obtained with new antifungal drugs, intracranial aspergillosis often requires a combined medical and surgical approach. Most cases previously reported in immunocompromised children were fatal.