Protective role of the alpha-1-antitrypsin in intervertebral disc degeneration.

Background: Intervertebral disc degeneration is a complex disease with high prevalence. It suggests that cell death, senescence, and extracellular matrix degradation are involved in the pathogenesis. Alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT), a serine protease inhibitor, was previously correlated with inflammation-related diseases.

[Diagnostic value of (18)F-FDG PET/CT for solitary nodular-type bronchoalveolar carcinoma].

Objective: To assess the value of (18)F-FDG PET/CT in the diagnosis of solitary nodular-type bronchoalveolar carcinoma (BAC).

Methods: The clinical and radiographic data were analyzed retrospectively in 30 patients with pathologically confirmed solitary nodular-type BAC who underwent (18)F-FDG PET/CT examinations between August, 2005 and December, 2006. The morphological and radioactive findings of the lesions were reviewed, and the maximum standard uptake values (SUVmax) were measured.

[Diagnostic value of (18)F-FDG PET/CT in extrapulmonary tuberculosis].

Objective: To explore the value of (18)F-FDG PET/CT in the diagnosis of extrapulmonary tuberculosis (ET).

Methods: The imaging data from 88 cases of ET undergoing (18)F-FDG PET/CT examinations between August, 2005 and May, 2011 were analyzed retrospectively.

Results: All the 88 cases showed high (18)F-FDG uptake on PET imaging with a SUVmax ranging from 1.

[Diagnostic value of (18)F-FDG PET/CT for solitary nodular-type bronchoalveolar carcinoma].

Objective: To assess the value of (18)F-FDG PET/CT in the diagnosis of solitary nodular-type bronchoalveolar carcinoma (BAC).

Methods: The clinical and radiographic data were analyzed retrospectively in 30 patients with pathologically confirmed solitary nodular-type BAC who underwent (18)F-FDG PET/CT examinations between August, 2005 and December, 2006. The morphological and radioactive findings of the lesions were reviewed, and the maximum standard uptake values (SUVmax) were measured.

[Value of positron emission tomography-computed tomography in the diagnosis of mediastinal lymph node metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer].

Objective: To investigate the value of positron emission tomographic-computed tomographic scanning (PET/CT) in the diagnosis of mediastinal lymph node metastasis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer and the application of PET/CT in the clinical staging of NSCLC.

Methods: A hundred and fifty-eight patients with NSCLC undergoing surgical resection and mediastinoscopy received preoperative examinations with PET/CT. All the patients underwent mediastinal lymph node dissection or sampling, and the pathological results were compared with the imaging findings.