Development of F-Fluoromisonidazole Hypoxia PET/CT Diagnostic Interpretation Criteria and Validation of Interreader Reliability, Reproducibility, and Performance.

Tumor hypoxia, an integral biomarker to guide radiotherapy, can be imaged with F-fluoromisonidazole (F-FMISO) hypoxia PET. One major obstacle to its broader application is the lack of standardized interpretation criteria. We sought to develop and validate practical interpretation criteria and a dedicated training protocol for nuclear medicine physicians to interpret F-FMISO hypoxia PET.

Silicone granulomas following free silicone gluteal augmentation.

Gallium-67 citrate has long been used for imaging of infection and inflammation. Although gallium-67 uptake due to silicone implants and silicone injections has been previously reported in the literature, very few cases are documented. We report a case of increased gallium-67 uptake in the buttocks in a patient who previously received silicone injections in the buttocks, to reemphasize silicone augmentation as a potential source of gallium-67 uptake.

Extraperitoneal urinary bladder perforation detected by FDG PET/CT.

Accurate localization of areas of increased metabolic activity on PET only imaging can be challenging. Fusion of PET with CT imaging provides anatomic detail which aids in localization of functional information. As a result, the overall sensitivity and specificity of information provided by PET or CT alone is improved with combined PET/CT resulting in improved diagnosis and patient management.

Nonvisualization of sentinel node by lymphoscintigraphy in advanced breast cancer.

Previous studies have shown that an increased number of axillary lymph nodes with metastatic involvement is associated with nonvisualization of lymph nodes during lymphoscintigraphy. We report a case of nonvisualization of the sentinel node during lymphoscintigraphy in a female with advanced breast cancer to support this association. Although many factors can affect visualization of the sentinel node during lymphoscintigraphy, the presence of advanced metastatic disease involving the lymphatic system must always be considered.

Type two or localized endobronchial non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

We present chest x-ray, chest CT, and FDG PET images of a patient diagnosed with endobronchial lymphoma. The commonly involved thoracic structures in non-Hodgkin lymphoma are mediastinal lymph nodes. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma involving the tracheobronchial tree is rare.

PET-CT fusion imaging in differentiating physiologic from pathologic FDG uptake.

Interpretation of positron emission tomographic (PET) scans in the absence of correlative anatomic information can be challenging. PET-computed tomography (CT) fusion imaging is a novel multimodality technology that allows the correlation of findings from two concurrent imaging modalities in a comprehensive examination. CT demonstrates exquisite anatomic detail but does not provide functional information, whereas 2-[fluorine 18]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) PET reveals aspects of tumor function and allows metabolic measurements.

CT screening for lung cancer: frequency and significance of part-solid and nonsolid nodules.

Objective: In the Early Lung Cancer Action Project (ELCAP), we found not only solid but also part-solid and nonsolid nodules in patients at both baseline and repeat CT screening for lung cancer. We report the frequency and significance of part-solid and nonsolid nodules in comparison with solid nodules.

Materials And Methods: We reviewed all instances of a positive finding in patients at baseline (from one to six noncalcified nodules) and annual repeat screenings (from one to six newly detected noncalcified nodules with interim growth) to classify each of the nodules as solid, part-solid, or nonsolid.

Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma and adenocarcinoma with bronchioloalveolar features presenting as ground-glass opacities on CT.

Objective: As bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (BAC) is noninvasive but, in its later stages, has a worse prognosis than adenocarcinoma with bronchioloalveolar features (ACB), early identification and differentiation is important for therapeutic and prognostic purposes. We wanted to identify features of BAC, which differentiated it from ACB when both presented as ground-glass opacities (GGOs) on CT.

Materials And Methods: We reviewed all pathologic specimens of patients who were diagnosed with BAC and ACB in the lung from 1991 to 1999 in our institution and whose malignancy presented as a GGO on CT.