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Background Estimating glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in acute kidney injury (AKI) is challenging, with limited data comparing estimated and gold standard methods to assess GFR. The objective of our study was to assess the performance of the kinetic estimated GFR (KeGFR) and Jelliffe equations to estimate GFR in AKI, using a radioisotopic method (technetium-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid) as a reference measure. Methods We conducted a prospective multicenter observational study in hospitalized patients with AKI. We computed the Jelliffe and KeGFR equations to estimate GFR and compared these estimations to measured GFR (mGFR) by a radioisotopic method. The performances were assessed by correlation, Bland–Altman plots and smoothed and linear regressions. We conducted stratified analyses by age and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Results The study included 119 patients with AKI, mostly from the intensive care unit (63%) and with Stage 1 AKI (71%). The eGFR obtained from the Jelliffe and KeGFR equations showed a good correlation with mGFR (r  = 0.73 and 0.68, respectively). The median eGFR by the Jelliffe and KeGFR equations was less than the median mGFR, indicating that these equations underestimated the mGFR. On Bland–Altman plots, the Jelliffe and KeGFR equations displayed a considerable lack of agreement with mGFR, with limits of agreement >40 mL/min/1.73 m2. Both equations performed better in CKD and the KeGFR performed better in older patients. Results were similar across AKI stages. Conclusions In our study, the Jelliffe and KeGFR equations had good correlations with mGFR; however, they had wide limits of agreement. Further studies are needed to optimize the prediction of mGFR with estimatation equations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aims of the current study were to draw a portrait of the delivered dose in selected nuclear medicine studies in Québec province and to assess the degree of change between an earlier survey performed in 2010 and a later survey performed in 2014. Methods: Each surveyed nuclear medicine department had to complete 2 forms: the first, about the administered activity in selected nuclear medicine studies, and the second, about the CT parameters used in SPECT/CT imaging, if available. The administered activities were converted into effective doses using the most recent conversion factors. Diagnostic reference levels were computed for each imaging procedure to obtain a benchmark for comparison. Results: The distributions of administered activity in various nuclear medicine studies, along with the corresponding distribution of the effective doses, were determined. Excluding 131I for thyroid studies, 67Ga-citrate for infectious workups, and combined stress and rest myocardial perfusion studies, the remainder of the 99mTc-based studies delivered average effective doses clustered below 10 mSv. Between the 2010 survey and the 2014 survey, there was a statistically significant decrease in delivered dose from 18.3 to 14.5 mSv. 67Ga-citrate studies for infectious workups also showed a significant decrease in delivered dose from 31.0 to 26.2 mSv. The standardized CT portion of SPECT/CT studies yielded a mean effective dose 14 times lower than the radiopharmaceutical portion of the study. Conclusion: Between 2010 and 2014, there was a significant decrease in the delivered effective dose in myocardial perfusion and 67Ga-citrate studies. The CT portions of the surveyed SPECT/CT studies contributed a relatively small fraction of the total delivered effective dose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Helicobacter pylori infection is the leading cause of peptic ulcer disease. The purpose of this study was, first, to assess the difference in the distribution of negative versus positive results between the older 14C-urea breath test and the newer 13C-urea breath test and, second, to determine whether use of an indeterminate-results category is still meaningful and what type of results should trigger repeated testing. Methods: A retrospective survey was performed of all consecutive patients referred to our service for urea breath testing. We analyzed 562 patients who had undergone testing with 14C-urea and 454 patients who had undergone testing with 13C-urea. Results: In comparison with the wide distribution of negative 14C results, negative 13C results were distributed farther from the cutoff and were grouped more tightly around the mean negative value. Distribution analysis of the negative results for 13C testing, compared with those for 14C testing, revealed a statistically significant difference between the two. Within the 13C group, only 1 patient could have been classified as having indeterminate results using the same indeterminate zone as was used for the 14C group. This is significantly less frequent than what was found for the 14C group. Discussion: Borderline-negative results do occur with 13C-urea breath testing, although less frequently than with 14C-urea breath testing, and we will be carefully monitoring differences falling between 3.0 and 3.5 %Δ. 13C-urea breath testing is safe and simple for the patient and, in most cases, provides clearer positive or negative results for the clinician. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 25 year old female with known neurofibromatosis type 1 with a large anterior mediastinal mass was investigated. F18-FDG PET-CT revealed a radiotracer avid anterior mediastinal mass with SUVmax of 4.3 and demonstrating a hypoactive center. The Iodine-123 MIBG SPECT-CT study performed subsequently did not demonstrate any uptake, thereby excluding for the most part the diagnoses of paraganglioma or neuroblastoma. At final pathology, a malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour (MPNST) of the pericardium with areas of chondrosarcomatous and angiosarcomatous differentiation was diagnosed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 25 year old female with known neurofibromatosis type 1 with a large anterior mediastinal mass was investigated. F18-FDG PET-CT revealed a radiotracer avid anterior mediastinal mass with SUVmax of 4.3 and demonstrating a hypoactive center. The Iodine-123 MIBG SPECT-CT study performed subsequently did not demonstrate any uptake, thereby excluding for the most part the diagnoses of paraganglioma or neuroblastoma. At final pathology, a malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour (MPNST) of the pericardium with areas of chondrosarcomatous and angiosarcomatous differentiation was diagnosed., (Copyright © 2017 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Inc.)

Helicobacter pylori infection is the leading cause of peptic ulcer disease. The purpose of this study was, first, to assess the difference in the distribution of negative versus positive results between the older 14 C-urea breath test and the newer 13 C-urea breath test and, second, to determine whether use of an indeterminate-results category is still meaningful and what type of results should trigger repeated testing. Methods: A retrospective survey was performed of all consecutive patients referred to our service for urea breath testing. We analyzed 562 patients who had undergone testing with 14 C-urea and 454 patients who had undergone testing with 13 C-urea. Results: In comparison with the wide distribution of negative 14 C results, negative 13 C results were distributed farther from the cutoff and were grouped more tightly around the mean negative value. Distribution analysis of the negative results for 13 C testing, compared with those for 14 C testing, revealed a statistically significant difference between the two. Within the 13 C group, only 1 patient could have been classified as having indeterminate results using the same indeterminate zone as was used for the 14 C group. This is significantly less frequent than what was found for the 14 C group. Discussion: Borderline-negative results do occur with 13 C-urea breath testing, although less frequently than with 14 C-urea breath testing, and we will be carefully monitoring differences falling between 3.0 and 3.5 %Δ. 13 C-urea breath testing is safe and simple for the patient and, in most cases, provides clearer positive or negative results for the clinician., (© 2017 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging.)