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Objectives: In this study, the impact of noninsulin-dependent type 2 diabetes mellitus on carotid wall (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in patients with documented or suspected cardiovascular disease was evaluated.Background: Inflammation is a pivotal process in the progression of atherosclerosis, which can be noninvasively imaged by FDG positron emission tomography (FDG-PET).Methods: Carotid artery wall FDG uptake was quantified in 134 patients (age 60.2 ± 9.7 years; diabetic subjects, n = 43). The pre-scan glucose (gluc) level corrected mean of the maximum standardized uptake value (SUV) values ((mean)SUV(gluc)), mean of the maximum target-to-background ratio ((mean)TBR(gluc)), and single hottest segment (SHS(gluc)) of FDG uptake in the artery wall were calculated. Associations between FDG uptake, the presence of risk factors for atherosclerosis, and diabetes were then assessed by multiple regression analysis with backward elimination.Results: The study demonstrated a significant association between diabetes and FDG uptake in the arterial wall (diabetes (mean)SUV(gluc) β = 0.324, (mean)TBR(gluc) β = 0.317, and SHS(gluc) β = 0.298; for all, p < 0.0001). In addition, in diabetic patients, both body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m(2) ((mean)SUV(gluc) β = 0.4, (mean)TBR(gluc) β = 0.357, and SHS(gluc) β = 0.388; for all, p < 0.015) and smoking ((mean)TBR(gluc), β = 0.312; SHS(gluc), β = 0.324; for all, p < 0.04) were significantly associated with FDG uptake.Conclusions: Type 2 diabetes was significantly associated with carotid wall FDG uptake in patients with known or suspected cardiovascular disease. In diabetic patients, obesity and smoking add to the risk of increased FDG uptake values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Most patients with a history of common solid tumors will in the end develop liver metastases. Next to that, primary liver cancer, is a frequent cancer with fatal liver failure in the majority of patients. Selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT), has gradually been introduced over the recent years and is a promising, innovative albeit palliative treatment modality. The specific clinical background with regard to the indication and methodology of SIRT is presented and discussed in this paper. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Only few data are available regarding the prognostic impact of myocardial perfusion scintigraphy with (99m)Tc-sestamibi (MPS) regarding emerging cardiac events in elderly patients Purpose: To evaluate the prognostic value of MPS regarding emerging cardiac events in patients aged ≥70 years with known or suspected coronary artery disease (CAD). Material and Methods: One hundred and thirty-three patients (74.6 ± 3.7 years) who underwent exercise or pharmacological stress/rest MPS were included in this analysis. Semi-quantitative visual interpretation of MPS images was performed and Summed-Stress- (SSS), Summed-Difference- (SDS), and Summed-Rest Scores (SRS) were calculated. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were calculated for evaluation of the independent prognostic impact of MPS results and several cardiac-related patient characteristics with regard to emerging cardiac events. Kaplan-Meier survival- and log rank analyses were calculated for assessment of cardiac event-free survival. Results: Pathological SSS (OR: 3.3), angina (OR: 2.7) and ischemic ECG (OR: 3.0) were independently associated with cardiac events. Patients with pathological SSS (p=0.005) and ischemic ECG (p=0.012) had a significantly lower incidence of cardiac event-free survival. Conclusion: Pathological MPS is independently associated with emerging cardiac events predicting a significantly lower incidence of cardiac event-free survival in patients aged ≥70 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diagnosis of prostate cancer (PC) still remains critical as non-invasive screening with prostate specific-antigen (PSA) lacks to indicate malignancy of the prostate in some cases. Recent research has shown that clinically meaningful PC can develop in patients with a PSA value <4 ng/ml, frequently defined as upper limit of normal serum PSA levels. Furthermore, both morphological (computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging, transrectal ultrasound) and functional imaging with 18fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) are associated with several limitations for primary diagnosis of PC. We report a case of an incidentally diagnosed PSA-negative PC by 18FDG PET/CT in a patient with a previous diagnosis of a hypopharyngeal cancer.Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases (2007) 10, 307–310; doi:10.1038/sj.pcan.4500959; published online 13 March 2007 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a letter to the editor on the use of radionuclide therapy in oncology.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to study molecular imaging of apoptosis and necrosis, two key players in atherosclerosis instability, using a multimodal imaging approach combining single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), positron emission tomography (PET), and computed tomography (CT).Procedures: Collar-induced carotid atherosclerosis ApoE knockout mice were imaged with (99m)Tc-AnxAF568 SPECT-CT to study apoptosis and sequentially with PET-CT following (124)I-Hypericin ((124)I-Hyp) injection to visualize necrosis.Results: SPECT depicted increased (99m)Tc-AnxAF568 uptake in both atherosclerotic carotid arteries, whereas our data suggest that this uptake is not merely apoptosis related. Although PET of (124)I-Hyp was hampered by the slow blood clearance in atherosclerotic mice, (124)I-Hyp was able to target necrosis in the atherosclerotic plaque.Conclusion: Both (99m)Tc-AnxAF568 and (124)I-Hyp uptake are increased in atherosclerotic carotid vasculature compared to control arteries. While apoptosis imaging remains challenging, necrosis imaging can be feasible after improving the biodistribution characteristics of the probe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to study molecular imaging of apoptosis and necrosis, two key players in atherosclerosis instability, using a multimodal imaging approach combining single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), positron emission tomography (PET), and computed tomography (CT). Procedures: Collar-induced carotid atherosclerosis ApoE knockout mice were imaged with Tc-AnxAF568 SPECT-CT to study apoptosis and sequentially with PET-CT following I-Hypericin (I-Hyp) injection to visualize necrosis. Results: SPECT depicted increased Tc-AnxAF568 uptake in both atherosclerotic carotid arteries, whereas our data suggest that this uptake is not merely apoptosis related. Although PET of I-Hyp was hampered by the slow blood clearance in atherosclerotic mice, I-Hyp was able to target necrosis in the atherosclerotic plaque. Conclusion: Both Tc-AnxAF568 and I-Hyp uptake are increased in atherosclerotic carotid vasculature compared to control arteries. While apoptosis imaging remains challenging, necrosis imaging can be feasible after improving the biodistribution characteristics of the probe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The role of FDG-PET in primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is unclear. It was the aim of this study to investigate the role of FDGPET in detecting PCNSL and in predicting response to chemotherapy. Methods: An FDG-PET scan of the brain was performed in 15 patients with histologically proven PCNSL (16 PET examinations, Siemens ECAT EXACT). PET was planned to investigate patients at the time of primary diagnosis, after chemotherapy and at the time of suspected relapse in seven, five and three cases, respectively. All except two patients simultaneously underwent MRI of the brain. FDG-PET results were correlated with histological results after stereotactic biopsy (primary diagnosis group) and with clinical data and MRI during follow-up. Results: Six of the seven patients in the primary diagnosis group demonstrated a true positive finding (86%). In one of the true positive PET patients, there were two tumour lesions, one of which was only detectable on the FLAIR MRI sequence. In five patients, FDG-PET showed no sign of PCNSL during ongoing chemotherapy. These results were confirmed by the clinical follow-up (mean 26.6 months). MRI demonstrated minimal residual disease which had disappeared on further follow-up MRI in three of these five patients at the time of PET scanning. Recurrence of disease was confirmed concordantly by FDGPET and MRI in three different patients. The standardised uptake value of all tumours was 10.2 (4.3-13.7). Conclusion: PCNSLs demonstrate high FDG uptake and can be diagnosed by FDG-PET with high sensitivity. It seems that FDG-PET is suitable for early therapeutic monitoring after chemotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: 2-[18F]F-A85380 is the first subtype selective PET-radiotracer to visualize the distribution of α 4 β 2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in human brain in vivo. We investigated a fast and safe automated production of 2-[18F]F-A85380 by purification of the BOC-protected intermediate product with a combination of solid phase extraction cartridges. After deprotection, adjustment of the pH and sterile filtration n.c.a. 2-[18F]F-A85380 was applicable for the use in human studies with a high specific activity and an overall radiochemical yield of 55% in 35 minutes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]