Analysis of thymidine kinase serum levels by novel method DiviTum in multiple myeloma and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance - comparison with imaging methods 99mTc-MIBI scintigraphy and 18F-FDG PET/CT.

Aims: The study aimed at comparing two methods for evaluating thymidinekinase TK in serum - an older RIA method and novel DiviTum - in patients with MM and MGUS, and also comparing them with biochemical markers and degree of activity evaluated by imaging methods 99mTc-MIBI scintigraphy and 18F-FDG PET/CT.

Methods: Serum thymidinekinase TK levels were evaluated by DiviTum and an RIA method (TK REA kit by Immunotech);The study analyzed correlation of TK activity in serum with biochemical markers reflecting activity of MM: β2-m, LDH, the ratio of kappa to lambda (κ/λ) free light chains and percentage of bone marrow plasma cells (BMPC). 99mTc-MIBI scintigraphy and 18F-FDG PET/CT were performed at the time of diagnosis.

2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography examination in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia may reveal Richter transformation.

The significance of positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) has not yet been systematically studied. This prospective study was aimed at assessing the benefit of PET/CT in patients with newly diagnosed or relapsed CLL and Richter transformation (RT). PET/CT examination was performed in 23 patients with newly diagnosed disease, 13 with relapsed disease and eight with suspected or histopathologically confirmed RT.

Metastases of esophageal carcinoma to skeletal muscle: single center experience.

Metastases of esophageal carcinoma to the skeletal muscle are rare, but the incidence may be increasing because of better diagnosis resulting from widespread use of positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT). A cohort of 205 patients with esophageal carcinoma treated at our center who had PET/CT between 2006 and 2010 was retrospectively evaluated for the presence of skeletal muscle metastases. Four patients had skeletal muscle metastases of esophageal carcinoma, including two patients with squamous cell carcinoma.

The value of ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT in assessment of metabolic response in esophageal cancer for prediction of histopathological response and survival after preoperative chemoradiotherapy.

Aim: To evaluate the ability of hybrid 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography ((18)F-FDG PET/CT) to predict histopathological response and overall survival (OS) after preoperative neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in patients with the esophageal carcinoma.

Methods: 73 patients with locally advanced esophageal carcinoma were included in the study. All were treated with CRT and 34 subsequently underwent surgical resection of the esophagus.

Comparison of imaging methods in POEMS syndrome.

Background: POEMS syndrome is a clinical condition with a very heterogeneous clinical manifestation. Its presentation as well as monitoring is complex and dependent on the clinician's experience. One of the leading presenting symptoms is based on evaluation of skeletal damage with typical osteosclerotic or mixed lesions.

Pulse wave as an alternate signal for data synchronization during gated myocardial perfusion SPECT imaging.

Purpose: Proper identification of the cardiac cycle is essential for gated SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging. We have developed an alternate method of ECG for gating, that is, using the peripheral pulse wave (PW) as the triggering signal for gated SPECT acquisition. The aim of this study is to compare the use of this method of gating with the standard ECG trigger.

Synchronous second primary neoplasms detected by initial staging F-18 FDG PET/CT examination in patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Purpose Of The Report: Cases of synchronous non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and second primary carcinoma in previously untreated immunocompetent patients are relatively rare. The aim of this part of our prospective study was to a revealed 2-F-18 fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (F-18 FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)-positive lesion in an extranodal organ suggestive of second primary neoplasm in newly diagnosed NHL patients.

Materials And Methods: A total of 209 patients with NHL underwent initial staging F-18 FDG PET/computed tomography (CT).

Tc-99m exametazime (HMPAO)-labeled leukocyte scintigraphy in premature infants: detection and localization of necrotic enterocolitis and osteomyelitis.

Two cases of successful detection of inflammatory foci using Tc-99m exametazime (HMPAO)-labeled leukocyte scintigraphy in premature infants were reported. Necrotizing enterocolitis was detected in a child with a body weight of 1.6 kg.

Long-term outcome of patients with peripheral T-cell lymphoma treated with first-line intensive chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation.

Background: Peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCL) are infrequent subtypes of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. The clinical course is aggressive and the median survival is about 2-3 years. An optimal first-line chemotherapy protocol has not been established and the role of high-dose therapy with autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is still unclear.

Standardised uptake value of 18F-FDG on staging PET/CT in newly diagnosed patients with different subtypes of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Objectives: Positron emission tomography using 2-[fluorine-18]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose ((18) F-FDG) is considered to be the most beneficial imaging method for staging patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). The intensity of (18) F-FDG accumulation may be determined by calculating the so-called standardised uptake value (SUV). The study aimed at assessing the benefit of SUV(max) determination in staging (18) F-FDG PET/CT in untreated patients with NHL.

Tc-99m MIBI scintigraphy in multiple myeloma: prognostic value of different Tc-99m MIBI uptake patterns.

Purpose: Technetium-99m 2 methoxyisobutylisonitrile (Tc-99m MIBI) scintigraphy has been used to identify biologic activity and extent of multiple myeloma (MM) and monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance (MGUS). The examination could also serve both as a prognostic tool and an examination for monitoring the disease course in MM patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of different Tc-99m MIBI uptake patterns.

Multiple myeloma: predictive value of Tc-99m MIBI scintigraphy and MRI in its diagnosis and therapy.

Background: We assessed the validity of (99m)Tc-MIBI scintigraphy and MRI in the diagnosis and prediction of the effect of therapy in patients with multiple myeloma (MM) and monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance (MGUS), in whom both examinations were performed within 14 days.

Material And Methods: Forty-seven consecutive patients with MM and 5 with MGUS were enrolled in the study. Out of 47 MM patients, 6 were in Durie-Salmon stage I and 41 had active disease in stage II or III.

Relapsed follicular lymphoma sequentially treated with rituximab and 90Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan. Case report.

Background: Monoclonal antibodies have dramatically changed the treatment possibilities for follicular lymphoma. (90)Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan (Zevalin) is the first radioimmunotherapy agent approved for the treatment of relapsed and resistant follicular lymphoma patients. Long-term benefit was observed especially for patients achieving CR after radioimmunotherapy.

Comparison of magnetic resonance imaging and (67)gallium scintigraphy in the evaluation of posttherapeutic residual mediastinal mass in the patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Introduction: Detection of residual disease following the completion of primary treatment in Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) patients diagnosed with mediastinal tumor mass has an exceptional importance in the assessment of therapeutic response. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and (67)gallium ((67)Ga) scintigraphy can be used to identify active tumor tissue in the mediastinal residuum.

Aims: To evaluate: the accuracy of MRI and (67)Ga scintigraphy in the prediction of clinical HL relapse/progression; congruence of findings and the probability of mediastinal disease relapse/progression regarding to the detection of active/inactive tissue by both imaging methods.

The role of quantitative Tc-99m-MIBI gated SPECT/F-18-FDG PET imaging in the monitoring of intracoronary bone marrow cell transplantation.

Background: A lot of unresolved questions still exist concerning the exact mechanism of the beneficial effects of bone marrow cell (BMC) transplantation for myocardial regeneration. The aim of this communication is to report the cases of patients with and without post-transplantation left ventricular function improvement.

Material And Methods: To this study we included consecutive patients with irreversible damage after a first acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction treated by coronary angioplasty with stent implantation.

Increase in utilization of myocardial perfusion imaging in the Czech Republic: activity and practice of nuclear cardiology, 2003.

Background: The second survey of nuclear cardiology in the Czech Republic was conducted to ascertain whether the activity had increased since the first survey in 2001; we also intended to identify new trends in clinical practice.

Materials And Methods: All 46 departments of nuclear medicine in the Czech Republic completed a questionnaire concerning nuclear cardiology activity in 2002-2003 and current clinical and technical practices.

Results: There were 66 SPET cameras in 2003 in comparison with 54 SPET cameras in 2001.

Technetium-99m-MIBI scintimammography by planar and SPECT imaging in the diagnosis of breast carcinoma and axillary lymph node involvement.

Background: We compared SPECT and planar (99m)Tc-MIBI scintimammography (SMM) in the detection of primary breast cancer and metastatic axillary lymph node involvement, and the scintigraphic results with the histopathological/cytological findings.

Material And Methods: 303 consecutive patients with 308 suspicious or indeterminate lesions observed in mammographies were entered in this study. After an intravenous injection of 740 MBq of (99m)Tc-MIBI, anterior supine, right and left lateral planar images in a prone position and a SPECT study were acquired.

Monitoring of bone resorption and bone formation in multiple myeloma.

The article deals with the clinical value of monitoring of serum markers of osteoresorption (ICTP) and bone formation (PICP) in multiple myeloma. In a group of patients treated by conventional chemotherapy and group of patients treated by high dose chemotherapy with autologous peripheral blood stemm cell transplantation (APBSTC).

Activity and practice of nuclear cardiology in the Czech Republic, 2001.

Radionuclide myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) has been on the rise in Europe and the USA. Details on nuclear cardiology in the Czech Republic are not available as yet, as it is impossible to obtain comprehensive data from official registers owing to different methods of reporting and data evaluation. A questionnaire concerning nuclear cardiology activity and practice in 2001 was sent to all nuclear medicine departments in the Czech Republic.

Increased prognostic value of combined myocardial perfusion SPECT imaging and the quantification of lung Tl-201 uptake.

Purpose: The authors wanted to identify those patients assessed by exercise SPECT in whom the quantification of lung Tl-201 uptake helps to evaluate disease prognosis.

Methods: One hundred forty-nine patients (114 men, 35 women; 74 after myocardial infarction [MI]; mean age, 54 +/- 9 years) underwent exercise Tl-201 SPECT. The SPECT patterns were divided into normal (n = 45), fixed defects (n = 29), and inducible ischemia (n = 75).