Differences in skeletal kinetics between vertebral and humeral bone measured by 18F-fluoride positron emission tomography in postmenopausal women.

We have sought to investigate regional differences in skeletal kinetics between lumbar vertebrae and the humerus of postmenopausal women with 18F-fluoride positron emission tomography (PET). Twenty-six women, mean age 62 years, had dynamic PET scans of the lumbar spine and lower humerus after the injection of 180 MBq 18F-fluoride ion. Plasma arterial input functions (IFs) were calculated from a mean IF measured arterially from 10 women and scaled according to late individual venous activity.

Detailed analysis of the oligodendrocyte myelin glycoprotein gene in four patients with neurofibromatosis 1 and primary progressive multiple sclerosis.

Neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1) is a common autosomal disorder with a wide range of neurological manifestations. The case histories of five patients, including two siblings, are reported who have both neurofibromatosis 1 and primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS). A further patient with both NF1 and PPMS has since been identified.

The effect of oral and intravenous methylprednisolone treatment on subsequent relapse rate in multiple sclerosis.

We investigated the effect of oral and intravenous methylprednisolone treatment on subsequent relapse rate in patients with multiple sclerosis. Following a double blind trial designed to compare the effect of oral and intravenous methylprednisolone treatment on promoting recovery from acute relapses of multiple sclerosis, 80 patients were followed for two years with six-monthly assessments during which all subsequent relapses were recorded. The annual relapse rate was slightly higher in the oral compared with the intravenous methylprednisolone-treated patients (1.

Normal variants, artefacts and interpretative pitfalls in PET imaging with 18-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose and carbon-11 methionine.

Interpretation of studies from all imaging modalities requires a knowledge of the possible pitfalls that may occur due to normal variation, artefacts and processes which may mimic pathology. The applications and use of not only 18-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose but also l-[methyl-(11)C] methionine positron emission tomography (PET) are widening and it is timely that the currently recognised interpretative pitfalls are reviewed as the number of dedicated PET scanners and coincidence gamma cameras increases.

Non-invasive assessment of skeletal kinetics using fluorine-18 fluoride positron emission tomography: evaluation of image and population-derived arterial input functions.

To measure regional skeletal kinetics using fluorine-18 fluoride positron emission tomography (PET) it is necessary to know the concentration of radioactive tracer being delivered to bone by arterial plasma with relation to time, the arterial input function (IFa). Methods by which IFa can be derived without arterial sampling are attractive because of their relative technical simplicity and the reduction in possible morbidity to the subject. We have compared the use of a scaled population input function (IFp) and a corrected image-derived input function from the aorta (IFi) with an IFa directly measured from a radial artery line in ten normal postmenopausal women.

Asymptomatic embolization predicts stroke and TIA risk in patients with carotid artery stenosis.

Background And Purpose: Improved methods of identifying patients at high risk of thromboembolism would allow improved targeting of therapy. One such situation is carotid artery stenosis. This is associated with an increased risk of stroke, which can be reduced by carotid endarterectomy.

The extent and nature of disability in different urticarial conditions.

Chronic forms of urticaria are common, often adversely impacting on quality of life. No formal studies have assessed the extent and nature of disability in different types of urticaria. The Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) is a simple and validated 10-item questionnaire designed to measure and compare disability in different skin conditions.