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Aim: Five years after the first survey the positron emission tomography (PET) council of the German Society of Nuclear Medicine (DGN) repeated a survey to re-evaluate the status of PET diagnostics in Germany based on the data of the year 2013. Methods: A web-based questionnaire was used for gathering information retrospectively. Details regarding the physicians involved in PET operations, PET systems, and radiopharmaceuticals were also part of the survey as well as indications and number of studies. Furthermore, the role of PET and PET/CT within the diagnostic process was evaluated. In addition, official statistical hospital reports were analysed. Results: Responses from 52 sites were analysed. They reported a total of 38,350 PET studies in 2013. In the majority of cases PET was used in oncologic indications (87%). Further main applications were: neurology 6%, cardiology 1%, and inflammation 5%. University or other hospitals performed 85% of the studies. The portion of in-patients was 26%. Hybrid systems (56 PET/CT, 5 PET/MRT, and 2 stand-alone PET) were most frequently used for imaging. The radiotracers were labelled with F-18 in 90% of the studies, whereas Ga-68 was used in 9% and C-11 in 1%. Lung tumours were the most investigated tumour entity (40%), followed by malignant lymphoma (8%), tumours of the gastrointestinal tract (5%), and NET (5%). 20% of the 333 physicians hold a PET certificate awarded by the DGN. More than 50% of the facilities were certified according ISO9001, KTQ or QEP standard. The findings of nearly 60% of the oncological studies were discussed interdisciplinary in a tumour board. In federal statistical reports a 56% increase of in-patient PET operations during 5 years was found. Conclusion: In Germany, a moderate increase (9% per year) of PET studies is observed, but compared with other industrialised countries PET is still less established.

Pancreatic endocrine tumors (p-NETs) include both pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (p-NETs) associated with a functional syndrome (functional p-NETs) or those associated with no distinct clinical syndrome (non-functional p-NETs) [1,2,3,4]. Non-functional p-NETs frequently secrete pancreatic polypeptide, chromogranin A, neuron-specific enolase, human chorionic gonadotrophin subunits, calcitonin, neurotensin or other peptides, but they do not usually produce specific symptoms and thus are considered clinically to be non-functional tumors [2,3,5,6,7]. Only the functional p-NETs will be considered in this section. The two most common functional p-NETs (gastrinomas, insulinomas) are considered separately, whereas the other well-described and possible rare functional p-NETs are considered together as a group called rare functional p-NETs (RFTs) (table ​(table1)1) [1,2,3,4]. Table 1 Functional pancreatic endocrine tumor (PET) syndromes Gastrinomas are neuroendocrine neoplasms, usually located in the duodenum or pancreas, that secrete gastrin and cause a clinical syndrome known as Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (ZES). ZES is characterized by gastric acid hypersecretion resulting in severe peptic disease (peptic ulcer disease (PUD), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)) [8,9,10]. In this section, ZES due to both duodenal and pancreatic gastrinomas will be covered together because clinically they are similar [8,10]. Specific points related to gastrinomas associated with the genetic syndrome of Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) (25% of cases) will also be mentioned [11,12]. Insulinomas are neuroendocrine neoplasms located in the pancreas that secrete insulin, which causes a distinct syndrome characterized by symptoms due to hypoglycemia [2,13,14,15]. The symptoms are typically associated with fasting and the majority of patients have symptoms secondary to hypoglycemic central nervous system (CNS) effects (headaches, confusion, visual disturbances, etc.) or due to catecholamine excess secondary to hypoglycemia (sweating, tremor, palpitations, etc.) [2,3,13,14,15]. RFTs can occur in the pancreas or in other locations (VIPomas, somatostatinomas, GRHomas, ACTHomas, p-NETs causing carcinoid syndrome or hypercalcemia (PTHrp-omas)) (table ​(table1)1) [1,2,3,4,5,7]. Each of the established RFT syndromes is associated with a distinct clinical syndrome reflecting the actions of the ectopically secreted hormone. Other RFTs are listed as causing a possible specific syndrome either because there are too few cases or there is disagreement about whether the described features are actually a distinct syndrome (table ​(table1)1) [1,2,3,4,5,7].

ENETS Consensus Guidelines for the management of patients with digestive neuroendocrine neoplasms : colorectal neuroendocrine neoplasms

a Department of Digestive and Liver Disease, Ospedale Sant’Andrea, Rome , Italy; b Department of Oncology, Royal Free University UFR Bichat-Beaujon-Louis Mourier, Colombes , France; c Digestive Oncology, University Hospital Gasthuisberg/Leuven, Leuven , Belgium; d Institute of Pathology, Catholic University – Policlinic A. Gemelli, Rome , Italy; e Department of Endocrinology, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice , Poland; f Department of Surgery, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen , Denmark; g Department of Pathology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai , Japan; h Department of Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology, St. Orsola Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna , Italy; i Institut Catala d’Oncologia (IDIBELL), Barcelona , Spain; j Department of Gastroenterology, Beaujon Hospital, Clichy , France

26th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition; 3967-3976, This paper is a study of light-transmissive photovoltaic (LTPV) and the state of the art of their integration into buildings and non-building structures. LTPV are truly multifunctional and highly architectural elements, surpassing the individual materials' characteristics. From a corpus of ~500 built examples that have been realised since 1982 throughout the world, 111 projects, rich in variety, were selected. Based on an analysis of the selected projects, the key design parameters for LTPV and their architectural integration were established. A Six-Level-Matrix as a basis for comparison and categorisation, as well as a reference for further application and PV development, is suggested. A case study illustrates the narrative and explanatory potential for comparative analysis. Findings indicate a number of innovative solutions that extend the possibilities for integration in an architectural and aesthetically pleasing way.

Aim: The working group on positron emission tomography (PET) of the DGN (German Society of Nuclear Medicine) initiated this first survey to collect and analyse information on the practise of PET in Germany in the year 2008. Methods: A questionnaire was sent to PET performing facilities (medical practices, hospitals, university hospitals and others) for retrospective data acquisition. Details regarding the equipment and examination procedures were examined as well as indications and number of studies. In add ition, the role of PET within the diagnostic process was evaluated. Results: Responses from 65 sites were analysed, Their technical equipment consisted of 77 PET scanners (40 of them were combined PET/CT devices). About 63500 PET studies had been performed with 86% in the field of oncology, 8% in neurology and 3% in cardiology. The radiotracers were labelled with 18F in 91 % of the studies, whereas 68Ga was used in 4% and 11C in 3%. The analyses revealed lung tumours as the most investigated tumour entity, followed by malignant lymphoma, tumours of the g astro-intestinal tract and prostate cancer (about 14000, 6000, 5000 and 2000). Corresponding to the new scanners and software procedures, the number of studies with attenuation correction by CT was high (68%) and nearly all studies were reconstructed iteratively (99%). The PET images were analysed quantitatively in the majority of cases (91%). The clinical reports, which included image documentation for the greater part, were posted regularly within 3 days. However, in 70% of the sites electronic transfer possibilities were used additionally to speed up the diagnostic process. The high standard of quality was demonstrated by the fact, that 40 facilities were engaged in a tumour board. Further on, one third of the physicians had gained a PET certification awarded by the DGN. Conclusion: Relative to the high general standard of diagnostic instrumentation in Germany, PET is less established, in particular when compared with other industrialised countries such as USA and Switzerland.

Aim: The lipophilic cationic Ga‐68‐complex (Tsang B.W. et al. J Nucl Med 1993; 34; 1127) of Tris(4,6‐dimethoxysalicylaldimine)‐N,N′‐bis(3‐aminopropyl)‐N,N′‐ethylenediamine (BAPEN), showed high accumulation in mice hearts (Nucl Med Biol 2010; 37; 149). To reevaluate the radiopharmacological profile in rats the Ga‐68‐BAPEN was produced by a kit formulation and the biodistribution, kinetics and metabolism were studied with small animal PET. Materials & methods: The BAPEN was labeled with 0.1 M HCl Ga‐68‐Cl3 (generator eluate 1 M HCl) in a one step procedure. Before application human serum albumin was added to a final concentration of 1%, and the solution filtrated (22 μm pore size). The biodistribution at 5 and 60 min p.i. (each time point 8 rats) after single intravenous injection, arterial blood clearance over 1 h (n=2), and the in vivo metabolism in Wistar rats were investigated in combination with small animal PET, and the main biokinetic parameters of Ga‐68‐BAPEN were estimated. Results: Ga‐68‐BAPEN was prepared with purity >91% within 20 min. The activity was fast accumulated in the rat heart (values in SUV; 5 min p.i., 1.56 ± 0.19; 60 min, 1.42 ± 0.35) with the following heart‐to‐tissue ratios at 5 min p.i.: blood 4.2, lung 2.2, liver 0.4, kidneys 0.3, and brain 109.6. No clearance of Ga‐68‐activity from the heart was observed over 1 hour. The arterial blood clearance of the original compound was biphasic with half lifes of 2 min and 23 min respectively; it was metabolized with a half‐life of 1.6 min. The Ga‐68‐activity was rapidly excreted into the intestine (5 min p.i. 34.9 ± 4.0%ID; 60 min p.i. 56.7 ± 7.0%ID). Conclusion: Ga‐68‐BAPEN showed a typical perfusion dependent biodistribution pattern in rats, with high accumulation in heart, kidneys, liver, adrenals, and pancreas. The heart was clearly delineated with low background. The increasing liver uptake could complicate the quantitative imaging of the heart apex at late time points. Ga‐68‐BAPEN was fast distributed followed by a slow blood clearance on a low activity level. The fast in vivo metabolism of the Ga‐68‐BAPEN in rats prevented a more distinct perfusion dependent biodistribution pattern. No transport through the blood‐brain‐barrier into the brain was observed. The Ga‐68‐BAPEN may be useful as radiopharmaceutical for perfusion imaging, particularly, for the heart.

Gallium and indium complexes derived from salicylaldimines of 1,1,1-tris(aminomethyl)ethane (TAME) with pendantxylose, glucose and galactose units have been synthesised as model compounds for potential application as radiotracers. The formed neutral complexes have been characterised by NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, mass spectrometry and, in the case of the galactose-bearing InIII complex, by single-crystal X-ray structure analysis. Octahedral coordination was observed with the appearance of an equilibrium of - and -isomers at the metal centre. The glucose-appended ligand was radiolabelled with 68GaIII ions in up to 98 % yield depending on the prevailing pH value. The in vitro stability of the radioactive complex was examined by challenge experiments against apo-transferrin and blood plasma. Very high stability was observed; even after a period of 2 h, 90 % of the complex could still be detected.

In-111 Octreoscan is considered the gold standard for imaging of neuroendocrine tumors (NET). However, in the absence of morphologic imaging correlation, the exact localisation of the tumor is often difficult. Also the sensitivity of PET imaging is more than Gamma camera (SPECT) imaging. Ga-68 labelled somatostatin analogs (SMS-R) are interesting radiopharmaceuticals for PET receptor imaging of NET. Some other radiopharmaceuticals e.g. F-18 DOPA can also be used to assess metabolism and functional status of NET. The importance of these radiopharmaceuticals, especially SMS-R increases in the absence of any specific biochemical marker or clinical parameter for follow-up of patients after therapy (eg peptide receptor radionuclide therapy, surgery, chemoembolisation, etc). New criteria based on molecular, metabolic and morphologic imaging needs to be developed for correct assessment of response to therapy for these slow-growing, solid tumors.