PET with 18F-DOPA in the imaging of parathyroid adenoma in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism. A pilot study.

Unlabelled: Preoperative localization of parathyroid adenomas (PA) can shorten operation time and improve curative rate; it becomes especially important in minimally invasive surgical techniques. AIM of this study was to investigate whether positron emission tomography (PET) with 3-,4-dihydroxy-6- (18) F-fluorophenylalanine ( (18) F-DOPA), which showed very promising results in other neuroendocrine tumours, also helps to localize PA.

Patients, Methods: Eight patients with proven primary hyperparathyroidism were studied preoperatively with PET.

Imaging of pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma.

Paragangliomas are tumours that arise within the sympathetic nervous system originating from the neural crest. These tumours can be found anywhere from the neck to the pelvis in locations of sympathetic ganglions. Although in the majority of paragangliomas the diagnosis is based on measuring catecholamines and metabolites in plasma or urine, imaging plays an important preoperative role.

Distinct clinical features of paraganglioma syndromes associated with SDHB and SDHD gene mutations.

Context: Germline mutations of the genes encoding succinate dehydrogenase subunits B (SDHB) and D (SDHD) predispose to paraganglioma syndromes type 4 (PGL-4) and type 1 (PGL-1), respectively. In both syndromes, pheochromocytomas as well as head and neck paragangliomas occur; however, details for individual risks and other clinical characteristics are unknown.

Objective: To determine the differences in clinical features in carriers of SDHB mutations and SDHD mutations.

18F-DOPA positron emission tomography for the detection of glomus tumours.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate (18)F-DOPA whole-body positron emission tomography ((18)F-DOPA PET) as a biochemical imaging approach for the detection of glomus tumours. (18)F-DOPA PET and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were performed in ten consecutive patients with proven mutations of the succinate dehydrogenase subunit D ( SDHD) gene predisposing to the development of glomus tumours and other paragangliomas. (18)F-DOPA PET and MRI were performed according to standard protocols.