Evaluation of an I-labeled HER2-specific single domain antibody fragment for the radiopharmaceutical therapy of HER2-expressing cancers.

Radiopharmaceutical therapy (RPT) is an attractive strategy for treatment of disseminated cancers including those overexpressing the HER2 receptor including breast, ovarian and gastroesophageal carcinomas. Single-domain antibody fragments (sdAbs) exemplified by the HER2-targeted VHH_1028 evaluated herein are attractive for RPT because they rapidly accumulate in tumor and clear faster from normal tissues than intact antibodies. In this study, VHH_1028 was labeled using the residualizing prosthetic agent N-succinimidyl 3-guanidinomethyl 5-[I]iodobenzoate (iso-[I]SGMIB) and its tissue distribution evaluated in the HER2-expressing SKOV-3 ovarian and BT474 breast carcinoma xenograft models.

A practical method of I-131 thyroid cancer therapy dose optimization using estimated effective renal clearance.

In thyroid cancer patients with renal impairment or other complicating factors, it is important to maximize I-131 therapy efficacy while minimizing bone marrow and lung damage. We developed a web-based calculator based on a modified Benua and Leeper method to calculate the maximum I-131 dose to reduce the risk of these toxicities, based on the effective renal clearance of I-123 as measured from two whole-body I-123 scans, performed at 0 and 24 h post-administration.

Synthesis and Preliminary Evaluation of 5-[18F]fluoroleucine.

Background: Amino acid transporters, such as LAT1, are overexpressed in aggressive prostate and breast carcinomas, directly influencing pathways of growth and proliferation.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to synthesize and characterize a novel 18F labeled leucine analog, 5-[18F]fluoroleucine, as a potential imaging agent for aggressive tumors which may not be amenable to imaging by FDG PET.

Methods: 5-fluoroleucine was synthesized and characterized, and its 18F-labeled analog was synthesized from a mesylate precursor.

Lifetime Attributable Risk of Cancer From Radiation Exposure During Parathyroid Imaging: Comparison of 4D CT and Parathyroid Scintigraphy.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to measure the organ doses and effective dose (ED) for parathyroid 4D CT and scintigraphy and to estimate the lifetime attributable risk of cancer incidence associated with imaging.

Materials And Methods: Organ radiation doses for 4D CT and scintigraphy were measured on the basis of imaging with our institution's protocols. An anthropomorphic phantom with metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor detectors was scanned to measure CT organ dose.

Cumulative radiation exposure and cancer risk estimation in children with heart disease.

Background: Children with heart disease are frequently exposed to imaging examinations that use ionizing radiation. Although radiation exposure is potentially carcinogenic, there are limited data on cumulative exposure and the associated cancer risk. We evaluated the cumulative effective dose of radiation from all radiation examinations to estimate the lifetime attributable risk of cancer in children with heart disease.

Informed consent in human research: what to say and how to say it.

To ensure that the possibility of harm to human research subjects is minimized, clinical trials and other research protocols are subject to oversight by Institutional Review Boards (IRBs). IRBs require that subjects be fully informed about the real or potential risks of participation in a research study. The use of radiological examinations in research protocols subjects the participants to exposure to ionizing radiation, which in theory carries a risk of stochastic effects such as radiation-induced cancer, and in practice may lead to deterministic effects such as skin injury.

Comparison of current and past surgical smoke control practices.

In 2010, we teamed with AORN to repeat a simple web-based survey on surgical smoke control practices first conducted in 2007. This survey of AORN members assessed the level of compliance with established surgical smoke control measures (ie, use of wall suction with an in-line particulate filter, use of a smoke evacuator, use of an N95 or other National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health-approved respirator) in various medical specialties and facilities throughout North America, as well as the extent to which compliance rates may have changed since 2007. Survey responses indicate that while the use of wall suction as a control measure has increased for nearly all procedures, progress in the adoption of other control measures has been mixed, with improvement for some procedures, no change for most procedures, and a decrease in compliance for a few procedures.

Results of a survey on current surgical smoke control practices.

Researchers at Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, conducted a simple, web-based survey of AORN members to evaluate surgical smoke control practices. Survey respondents from various medical specialties and facilities throughout North America indicated their facilities' level of compliance with established surgical smoke control measures. Survey results indicate that many facilities have not implemented best practices for protecting patients and health care workers from surgical smoke hazards, especially smoke created during electrosurgical, electrocautery, and diathermy procedures.

Radiation dose from contemporary cardiothoracic multidetector CT protocols with an anthropomorphic female phantom: implications for cancer induction.

Purpose: To measure prospectively and directly both organ dose and effective dose (ED) for adult cardiac and pulmonary computed tomographic (CT) angiography by using current clinical protocols for 64-detector CT in an anthropomorphic female phantom and to estimate lifetime attributable risk of breast and lung cancer incidence on the basis of measured ED and organ dose.

Materials And Methods: Cardiac and pulmonary 64-detector CT angiography was performed by using current clinical protocols to evaluate the pulmonary veins (electrocardiographically [ECG] gated, 64 sections at 0.625-mm collimation, 120 kVp, 300 mA, 0.

Radiation dose to the female breast from 16-MDCT body protocols.

Objective: The objective of our study was to determine the radiation dose to the female breast from current 16-MDCT body examinations.

Materials And Methods: Metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) detectors were placed in four quadrants of the breast of a female-configured anthropomorphic phantom to determine radiation dose to the breast. Imaging was performed on a 16-MDCT scanner (LightSpeed, GE Healthcare) using current clinical protocols designed to assess pulmonary embolus (PE) (140 kVp, 380 mA, 0.

Radiation dose to the fetus from body MDCT during early gestation.

Objective: The purpose of our study was to determine radiation dose to the fetus at early gestation when contemporary MDCT scanners are used for common clinical indications.

Materials And Methods: Anthropomorphic phantoms were constructed to reflect a pregnant woman. Thermoluminescence dosimeters (TLDs) and metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) detectors were placed in appropriate locations to determine real-time radiation exposure to the fetus at 0 and 3 months' gestation.

Pharmacokinetics and radiation dosimetry of 18F-fluorocholine.

Unlabelled: 18F-Fluorocholine (fluoromethyl-dimethyl-2-hydroxyethylammonium [FCH]) has been developed as an oncologic probe for PET. This study evaluates the kinetics and radiation dosimetry of 18F-FCH using murine and human biodistribution data.

Methods: The biodistribution of 18F-FCH was obtained at time points up to 10 h after administration in control and tumor-bearing anesthetized nude mice.