A comparison of iodine-123 meta-iodobenzylguanidine scintigraphy and single bone marrow aspiration biopsy in the diagnosis and follow-up of 26 children with neuroblastoma.

In staging neuroblastomas, the demonstration of tumoural invasion of the bone marrow is an important criterion with regard to the therapeutic prospects and the prognosis. Iliac crest aspiration sampling has been used routinely for the detection of bone marrow metastases in neuroblastoma. However, due to the limited character of the sampling, it sometimes leads to false-negative results.

Visualization of a parathyroid adenoma with Tc-99m MIBI in a case with iodine saturation and impaired thallium uptake.

A case of a parathyroid adenoma is presented in which the conventional Tl-201 minus Tc-99m subtraction technique failed to localize the adenoma because of prior iodide administration and a low Tl-201 uptake. Ultrasonography and CT could not provide useful data either. However, a Tc-99m methoxylisobutylisonitrile (MIBI) scintigram clearly delineated the adenoma and the thyroid tissue.

Lymphocyte labeling with technetium-99m-HMPAO: a radiotoxicity study using the micronucleus assay.

The cytogenetic radiation damage to lymphocytes after in-vitro labeling of mixed leukocytes and isolated lymphocytes with 99mTc-hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime (HMPAO) was evaluated using the cytokinesis-blocked micronucleus assay. A direct assessment of the radiation damage to the lymphocytes after a labeling procedure of leukocytes separated from 46 ml blood with 740 MBq of 99mTc-HMPAO was not possible due to an almost complete impairment of the proliferative capacity. By starting with isolated lymphocytes, the number of micronuclei was studied versus the intracellular activity concentration in the range 0-3 MBq/10(7) lymphocytes for three donors.

Technetium-99m-diphosphonate, gallium-67 and labeled leukocyte scanning techniques in tibial nonunion.

On the technetium-99m bone scan the vast majority of nonunion cases show an intense tracer uptake at the fracture site, as do fractures undergoing normal healing. Therefore static bone scintigraphy usually does not contribute to the diagnosis of nonunion. One of the main causes of delayed fracture healing is infection.

Measurement of short-term 11C-thymidine activity in human head and neck tumours using positron emission tomography (PET).

Tumour uptake of 11C-thymidine labeled in the methyl position was assessed after intravenous injection in 13 patients with head and neck tumours. This activity was compared to other tracers such as C15O, 13NH3 and C15O2. In every single case a 'positive' tumour image after injection of 11C-thymidine was obtained.

Intestinal mucosal permeability in inflammatory rheumatic diseases. II. Role of disease.

Gut permeability as measured by the 51Cr-EDTA resorption test was determined in 56 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 73 patients with spondyloarthropathies (SpA), 18 patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and 97 controls (42 patients with no inflammatory rheumatic diseases and 55 healthy controls). Gut permeability was found to be increased in the 3 patient groups, partially due to the intake of antiinflammatory drugs. When only patients not taking these drugs were considered, an increased gut permeability was found in patients with SpA and IBD.

Intestinal mucosal permeability in inflammatory rheumatic diseases. I. Role of antiinflammatory drugs.

Using the 51Cr-EDTA resorption test, gut permeability was measured in 129 patients with inflammatory joint diseases and in 97 control patients (42 patients with no inflammatory rheumatic disorders taking antiinflammatory medication and 55 healthy controls). Thirty-two patients (30 arthritis and 2 control patients) taking nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAID) as well as corticosteroids were excluded from statistical analysis. The intake of NSAID significantly increased gut permeability in controls but not in the arthritis groups.

Scintigraphic, spirometric, and roentgenologic effects of radiotherapy on normal lung tissue. Short-term observations in 14 consecutive patients with breast cancer.

The effects of radiotherapy on lung function, ventilation/perfusion scans, and chest radiography were studied prospectively in 15 patients who underwent either modified radical mastectomy or tumorectomy, followed by radiotherapy for breast cancer. In all patients, pulmonary function studies, chest x-ray films, and lung scintigraphic studies were performed prior to and at the end of radiotherapy as well as three months later. No consistent or significant alteration in either parameter was detected.

Analogy between tumor uptake of technetium(V)-99m dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) and technetium-99m-MDP.

Sixty patients with a variety of malignant tumors were examined with Tc-99m(V) dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) prepared by modification of a commercially available DMSA kit. Significant uptake of Tc-99m(V)-DMSA was observed in a number of tumors, offering additional clinically useful information. In the majority of cases in this study, however, the benefit of the Tc-99m(V)-DMSA image was limited because of low sensitivity.

Comparison of different volume markers in peritoneal dialysis.

Four peritoneal volume markers (carbon 14-labeled dextran, dextran blue, radioactive albumin, and hemoglobin) were compared. In six rabbits 14C-dextran was compared with dextran blue during a 4-hour "dwell" with a 4.25% dextrose solution.

Cyclotron production of carrier-free 66Ga as a positron emitting label of albumin colloids for clinical use.

A method for producing carrier free 66Ga (T1/2:9.4 h; beta +) by 4He bombardment of natural copper targets is presented. 66Ga is formed by means of the 63Cu (4He, n) 66Ga reaction.

Clinical comparison of 11C-ACPC (aminocyclopentane carboxylic acid) and 13N-ammonia as tumour tracers.

Positron emission tomography is a potential method for exploring the biochemical behaviour of tumours. In 28 patients with known neoplastic lesions a comparison was made between two agents which are known to be accumulated in malignant tumours, viz. 13N-ammonia and 11C-aminocyclopentane carboxylic acid (ACPC).

[Isotope studies in the detection of pulmonary embolism].

The regional absence of perfusion in the territory situated downstream of a lung embolus can be visualized using a gamma camera and 99m Technetium labelled macroaggregated albumin of albumin microspheres. This is a simple and atraumatic procedure. Following intravenous injection these particles are blocked in the pulmonary capillaries, their distribution in the lungs being proportional to the regional perfusion.

Microscale synthesis of nitrogen-13-labeled cisplatin.

A microscale synthesis of [13N]cisplatin (cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum(II), cis-DDP) from cyclotron-produced [13N]ammonia is presented. Temperature, reaction time, ratios, and concentration of reactants have been optimized for each step of the synthesis. Purification is performed by ion exchange chromatography.

Demonstration of nodules in the normal thyroid by echography.

An ultrasound examination was performed of the normal thyroid in 300 patients (164 males and 136 females). Small echoic nodules were demonstrated in 19% of the patients and fluid-filled masses in 6%. Echoic nodules occurred frequently (greater than 40%) in the seventh decade.

Kinetics of 13N-ammonia incorporation in human tumours.

After intravenous injection of 13N-labelled ammonia time-activity curves were obtained in a series of malignant neoplasms in man from serial cross-sectional scans through the tumour, using positron emission tomography. Low noise images with virtually no artefacts were obtained using a maximum likelihood reconstruction technique. Tracer concentration was expressed as a fraction of the injected dose ml-1 of tumour tissue.

Salicylate-induced occult gastrointestinal blood loss: comparison between different oral and parenteral forms of acetylsalicylates and salicylates.

Gastrointestinal fecal blood loss, determined by injecting 51Cr-labelled autologous red blood cells, was measured in 191 orthopaedic patients after oral or parenteral intake of different forms of acetylsalicylates or salicylates. Oral or parenteral administration of non-acetylated salicylates caused nearly no gastrointestinal bleeding, but the anti-inflammatory activity of these products can be questioned since they cannot inhibit prostaglandin synthetase. Buffered, soluble forms of acetylsalicylates caused gastrointestinal bleeding in more than 50% of the patients.

Epsilon amino caproic acid myopathy: additional features.

In a patient with a proximal myopathy due to Epsilon Amino Caproic Acid (EACA) bedrest led to marked improvement even before withdrawal of the drug. A biopsy showed a selective necrosis of type I fibers. Plasma level of EACA was low and plasma level of lysine was normal.

Influence of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis on the anemia of endstage renal disease.

To evaluate the effect of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) on the anemia of endstage renal disease, serial measurements of red cell mass and other hematological parameters were performed in 34 patients. Twenty-five patients were measured at the start and at 6 months (group 1), 13 at the start, at 6 and 12 months (group 2), and 11 were followed during their second year of treatment with measurements at 12, 18, and 24 months (group 3). In group 1 the hematocrit rose from 24.