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O desenvolvimento de biofilmes tem crescido devido à possibilidade de substituição parcial de materiais plásticos não biodegradáveis. Proteínas e polissacarídeos têm sido utilizados para a produção de filmes com boas propriedades mecânicas. Porém, filmes a partir desses materiais apresentam alta permeabilidade ao vapor de água. Uma alternativa usada para diminuir a permeabilidade ao vapor de água dos filmes é a incorporação de substâncias hidrofóbicas na composição da solução filmogênica, porém essa incorporação não ocorre de maneira homogênea. Com o objetivo de melhorar a incorporação das substâncias hidrofóbicas (ácido esteárico e ácido capróico) na matriz protéica (gelatina) do filme foram adicionados os surfactantes (SDS e Tween 80), que são substâncias capazes de interagir com a proteína e com o ácido graxo, tornando a matriz filmogênica menos heterogênea. O efeito do pH também foi estudado, com a finalidade de observar se este exerce influência na homogeneidade da matriz filmogênica. A adição do ácido esteárico aos filmes de gelatina foi mais eficiente na redução da permeabilidade ao vapor de água do que o ácido capróico. A adição do surfactante SDS reduziu a permeabilidade ao vapor de água dos filmes contendo ácido esteárico, ou ácido capróico. O ajuste de pH nos filmes sem adição de surfactantes também produziu matrizes mais homogêneas. The development of biofilms has grown considering the possibility of partial substitution of plastic materials which are not biodegradable. Proteins and polysaccharides have been used to produce films with good mechanical properties. However, films produced with these materials present a high permeability in water vapor. An alternative to improve the water vapor barrier of films is to incorporate hydrophobic substances (stearic and caproic fatty acids) in the composition of the filmogenic solution, however this incorporation does not occur homogeneously. Thus, to improve the incorporation of hydrophobic substances in the protein matrix of the film, surfactants (SDS and Tween 80) were added. They are compounds that improve the interaction between the protein and the fatty acids, producing a less heterogeneous filmogenic matrix. The effect of pH was also studied, with the purpose of observing if it influences the homogeneity of the filmogenic matrix. The addition of stearic acid to the gelatin-based films was more efficient in reducing the water vapor permeability than the caproic acid. Adding surfactant SDS reduced water vapor permeability of both films, with stearic acid or caproic acid. Adjusting the pH to the films with no surfactants produced more homogeneous matrices.

Os objetivos deste trabalho foram desenvolver filmes à base de pectina de baixo teor de esterificação, amidada, com adição dos ácidos graxos láurico (AL), palmítico (AP) e esteárico (AE) e caracterizá-los quanto às propriedades de permeabilidade ao vapor de água (PVA) e ao oxigênio, propriedades mecânicas (tensão de ruptura e elongação), solubilidade em água e opacidade, além de observar a morfologia da superfície dos filmes utilizando microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV). A adição de 12 e 18% dos ácidos promoveu aumento da PVA e da elongação e redução da tensão de ruptura, em relação aos filmes com 6% de ácido graxo. Todos os filmes apresentaram-se 100% solúveis em água e mais opacos quando os ácidos graxos foram adicionados. A partir da MEV, foi observado que os ácidos graxos não se incorporaram à matriz filmogênica.The purposes of this research were to develop and characterize composite biofilms produced with low methoxyl amidated pectin plus lauric, palmitic and stearic acids. Water vapor permeability, oxigen permeability, mechanical properties (tensile strength and elongation), water solubility, opacity and, surface morphology were evaluated. The increase of fatty acids addition to 12 and 18% resulted in an increase in water vapor permeability and elongation and a decrease in tensile strength compared to the level of 6% of fatty acids. All formulations produced films showing 100% water solubility. As observed by scanning electronic microscopy the fatty acids were not homogeneously incorporated on the filmogenic matrices.

O desenvolvimento e a aplicação de filmes ou coberturas biodegradáveis na horticultura são técnicas praticadas há vários anos, que visam promover melhoria na qualidade do produto. no presente trabalho desenvolveu-se e caracterizou-se biofilmes de pectina, gelatina e ácidos graxos e verificou-se sua eficiência como cobertura para sementes de brócolos (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica). Os filmes foram caracterizados quanto à solubilidade em água. A contagem e a observação de plantas de brócolos, a partir da germinação de sementes cobertas e não cobertas foi realizada em média a cada três dias, aos 27 dias fêz-se a quantificação da matéria fresca e seca. Os filmes de pectina e ácido esteárico foram 100% solúveis em água, enquanto os elaborados com pectina e gelatina (1/1) foram apenas 18%. A aplicação das coberturas filmogênicas nas sementes de brócolos não afetou a emergência das plantas, demonstrando assim sua potencialidade para uso comercial. Os fertilizantes molibdato de sódio (0,2 mg L-1) e ácido bórico (1mg L-1), aplicados juntamente com os biofilmes, também não afetaram a emergência e o desenvolvimento das plantas.The development and application of biodegradable coatings and films have been used for many years in order to improve quality of the coated or packed product. The development and characterization of pectin and pectin/gelatin-based biofilms with fatty acids was evaluated and verified their efficiency as coatings to broccoli seeds (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica). The solubility in water of the films was determined. The counting and visual observations of the germinated broccoli seeds were done each three days and fresh and dried weight of the plants were determined at the end of the experiment. Pectin-based films with stearic acid were 100% soluble in water and composite films of pectin and gelatin were 18%. The application of the biodegradable coatings on broccoli seeds had no effect on the plants development, showing their potential for commercial use. The fertilizers, sodium molibdate (0.2mg L-1) and boric acid (1mg L-1), added to the coating solution had no interference in the emergence and development of the broccoli plants.

The efficacy of diethylenetriaminepentaacetate calcium trisodium (CaNa(3)DTPA) in a dose of 34.7 micromol kg(-1) as a function of its route of administration was investigated in rats with a puncture wound contaminated by (90)Y-chloride at a concentration of 2.55 MBq kg(-1). Approximately 60% of (90)Y-chloride at a puncture wound was absorbed into the body of rats over 72 h post-puncture and radioactivity in femoral bone increased during the timed-release of (90)Y. Intravenous administration of CaNa(3)DTPA (systemic treatment) at 15 min post-puncture reduced (90)Y at a puncture wound and in bone up to 75.6 and 84.3% of controls, respectively. Direct infiltration of CaNa(3)DTPA into a puncture wound site (local treatment) at 15 min post-puncture diminished radioactivity at the puncture wound and in bone up to 34.9 and 52.5% of controls, respectively. Thus, prompt local treatment may be effective for removing (90)Y from a puncture wound and minimising (90)Y-distribution to bone compared with systemic treatment.

Edible coatings and films can provide an alternative for extending the postharvest life of fresh fruits and vegetables. The effect of different wheat gluten-based coatings and films on refrigerated strawberry quality and shelf life was studied. Coatings were formed directly on the surface of the fruit and films were previously formed (on Teflon surfaces) and then used to pack fruit. Fruit quality was evaluated by weight loss, firmness retention, visible decay, surface color development, titratable acidity, total soluble solids, reducing sugar content and a sensory evaluation. The bilayer coating of wheat gluten and lipids (beeswax, stearic and palmitic acids) had a significant effect on the retention of firmness, reduced the weight loss and showed better results from the physico-chemical analysis compared to the control fruit. All the treatments with gluten film (except with the film pouch) also showed a beneficial effect on firmness retention compared to the control fruit. The gluten film (except the film wrap) seemed to be more promising for controlling decay than the coatings. Sensory evaluation of the strawberries showed that the gluten and the composite coatings maintained the visual quality of the fruit during the storage time, and the taste of the strawberries with the gluten coating was acceptable to consumers. However, the appearance and taste of the bilayer-coated fruit were unacceptable.

Composite edible/degradable films produced with hydrocolloids and lipids can result in better functionality than films produced with the components, especially with respect to their barrier properties. Of the lipids, waxes produce the best water vapor barrier properties, but produce fragile/brittle films. The problem of incorporating lipids into a hydrocolloid in a homogenous way has still to be solved. The objective of this research was the incorporation of ‘Brazilian elemi’, a highly hydrophobic resinous exudate of the botanical family Burseraceae, into gelatin films, using a blend of stearic and palmitic acids to dissolve the elemi, and subsequent emulsification of the filmogenic solution using triacetin as plasticizer. Films with the addition of acids, the blend and the blend and the elemi presented better water vapor barrier properties as compared to the gelatin/triacetin film. The mechanical resistance decreased with the addition of the lipids and the opacity and soluble matter increased. The confocal laser scanning microscopy showed the size distribution of the lipid drops and their localization in the matrix. They were not homogeneously incorporated despite the improvement in the water barrier property and the fact that the films appeared to be homogenous and malleable. The analyses by differential scanning calorimetry showed additional melting points besides that characteristic of the protein rich fraction, representing melting of the part of the lipid not incorporated into the filmogenic matrix. Dynamic mechanical calorimetry also showed the presence of more than one glass transition temperature (Tg), indicating the occurrence of phase separation.

Edible films based on gluten from four types of Brazilian wheat gluten (2 "semi-hard" and 2 "soft") were prepared and mechanical and barrier properties were compared with those of wheat gluten films with vital gluten. Water vapor, oxygen permeability, tensile strength and percent elongation at break, solubility in water and surface morphology were measured. The films from "semi-hard" wheat flours showed similar water vapor permeability and solubility in water to films from vital gluten and better tensile strength than the films from "soft" and vital gluten. The films from vital gluten had higher elongation at break and oxygen permeability and also lower solubility in water than the films from the Brazilian wheat "soft" flours. In spite of the vital gluten showed greater mechanical resistance, desirable for the bakery products, for the purpose of developing gluten films Brazilian "semi-hard" wheat flours can be used instead of vital gluten, since they showed similar barrier and mechanical properties.

Objective: To assess alterations in brain metabolites in patients with late-onset ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency (OTCD).Methods: Six unrelated, asymptomatic Japanese late-onset OTCD patients were analyzed by proton MRS (1HMRS) using a point-resolved spectroscopy technique (repetition and echo times, 5000 and 30 ms). Localized spectra for the centrum semiovale were acquired and absolute metabolite concentrations were calculated using an LCModel.Results: Compared with age-matched controls, N-acetylaspartate and creatine concentrations were normal in all patients. The glutamine (Gln) plus glutamate concentration was increased in four patients, which progressed in proportion to the clinical stage. myo-inositol (mI) could not be detected in five symptomatic patients. A decreased choline (Cho) concentration was detected in two clinically severe patients. 1HMRS after liver transplantation in one patient revealed the normalization of all metabolites.Conclusion: These findings suggest progression of neurochemical events in OTCD, i.e., mI depletion and Gln accumulation followed by Cho depletion, which is reverse of that in hepatic encephalopathy, i.e., Cho depletion followed by mI depletion and Gln accumulation.

The objective of this research was the production of a banana extract containing no polyphenol oxidase by ultrafiltration. Banana juice was extracted after inhibition of polyphenol oxidase using a solution containing 0.15 g per 100 ml of sodium metabisulphite and 1 g per 100 ml of ascorbic acid in distilled water to avoid initial browning. Polyphenol oxidase was then retained by ultrafiltration using polysulphone membranes with a cut-off of 20 kDaltons. Two transmembrane pressures, 600 and 800 kPa, were used but 600 kPa was preferred because of the more stable permeate flux which decreased less with time and concentration of extract. © 1999 Society of Chemical Industry

Summary Aim: The purpose of this study was to assess the potential for radioimmunodetection (RAID) of murine anti-carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) monoclonal antibody (MAb) F33-104 labeled with technetium-99m (99m-Tc) by a reduction-mediated labeling method. Methods: The binding capacity of 99m-Tc-labeled anti-CEA MAb F33-104 with CEA by means of in vitro procedures such as immunoradiometric assay and cell binding assay and the biodistribution of 99m-Tc-labeled anti-CEA MAb F33-104 in normal nude mice and nude mice bearing human colon adenocarcinoma LS180 tumor were investigated and compared with 99m-Tc-labeled anti-CEA MAb BW431/26. Results: The in vitro binding rate of 99m-Tc-labeled anti-CEA MAb F33-104 with CEA in solution and attached to the cell membrane was significantly higher than 99m-Tclabeled anti-CEA MAb BW431/261 (31.4 ± 0.95% vs. 11.9 ± 0.55% at 100 ng/mL of soluble CEA, 83.5 ± 2.84% vs. 54.0 ± 2.54% at 107 of LS 180 cells). In vivo, accumulation of 99m-Tc-labeled anti-CEA MAb F33-104 was higher at 18 h postinjection than 99m-Tc-labeled anti-CEA MAb BW431/26 (20.1 ± 3.50% ID/g vs. 14.4 ± 3.30% ID/g). 99m-Tcactivity in the kidneys of nude mice bearing tumor was higher at 18 h postinjection than at 3 h (12.8 ± 2.10% ID/g vs. 8.01 ± 2.40% ID/g of 99m-Tc-labeled anti-CEA MAb F33-104, 10.7 ± 1.70% ID/g vs. 8.10 ± 1.75% ID/g of 99m-Tc-labeled anti-CEA MAb BW431/26). Conclusion: 99m-Tc-labeled anti-CEA MAb F33-104 is a potential novel agent for RAID of recurrent colorectal cancer.

SUMMARY A case of histologically benign cardiac and pulmonary metastases from a uterine leiomyoma in a 45-year-old woman is reported. The solitary cardiac tumor consisted of five lobules with a stalk attached to the anterior papillary muscle of the right ventricle, which occupied the right ventricular cavity and almost completely- obstructed the pulmonary main trunk in the systolic cycle. Multiple small nodules were found throughout both lungs. The cardiac tumor was resected at open heart surgery and open lung biopsy of the pulmonary lesion was simultaneously performed. Both of them were histologically identical to the apparently histologically benign uterine leiomyoma which had been resected five years previously. Based on the clinical and laboratory findings, it is postulated that antegrade metastases via the venous system resulted in the cardiac metastasis from the uterine leiomyoma and the secondary pulmonary metastasis from the cardiac tumor. In contrast to the light microscopic findings, ultrastructural examination suggested the possibility of malignancy associated with the presence of immature smooth muscle cells. This is the first reported case of a so-called benign metastasizing leiomyoma occurring in the heart.

Sarcoidosis frequently affects the lungs of patients. Pulmonary clearance scintigraphy with Technetium-99m-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid ((99m)Tc-DTPA) aerosol may assess pulmonary involvement of sarcoidosis patients. The study investigated early pulmonary involvement of sarcoidosis I patients by assessing the pulmonary clearance of inhaled (99m)Tc-DTPA aerosol and the character of pulmonary clearance though systemic steroid therapy.The pulmonary clearance of (99m)Tc-DTPA aerosol was investigated in 24 patients with suspected stage I sarcoidosis and 20 non-smoking healthy controls over 18 months. The radiological finding was evaluated by chest computed radiography (CR) and high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) and the histological diagnosis was performed by transbronchial lung biopsy and/or Scalen node biopsy. The sarcoidosis I patients with ocular involvement underwent 1 year-systemic steroid therapy and were followed up over totally 18 months.The histological diagnosis was proved in 13 out of the 24 patients that had no lung filed involvement on CR and HRCT. Accelerated pulmonary clearance of (99m)Tc-DTPA was observed in 10 out of the 13 sarcoidosis I patients. Nine out of 13 sarcoidosis I patients underwent systemic steroid therapy due to ocular involvement and the accelerated pulmonary clearance responded to therapy and improved in all of the 9 over 18 months.Acceleration of (99m)Tc-DTPA pulmonary clearance may be observed in sarcoidosis I patients and the acceleration will respond to systemic steroid therapy. Pulmonary clearance scintigraphy with (99m)Tc-DTPA aerosol may be useful for assessing pulmonary involvement before radiological changes emerge and sarcoidosis I patients with accelerated pulmonary clearance may undergo systemic steroid treatment.

Since we developed a 256-slice CT-scanner for four-dimensional (4D) imaging of moving organs three years ago, we have evaluated its physical performances, and carried out animal experiments and human studies. These studies suggest that the 256-slice CT-scanner may be useful for examining of moving organs such as heart or lung. In order to investigate usefulness of 256-slice CT-scanner which was suggested by the previous studies, we have developed a new 256-slice CT-scanner (the second model) with improved specifications. Its scan time is 0.5 s/rotation in the highest speed. We can carry out real-time reconstruction and display of dynamic 3D images (4D images) with this scanner. The image characteristics such as spatial resolution, noise and low-contrast detectability were evaluated with stationary phantoms in a single rotation. All characteristics have been improved from those of the first prototype with remarkable improvement of low-contrast detectability and slice sensitivity profile. We are now carrying out clinical study for patients with heart disease and lung cancer to examine its potentials for cardiology and 4D radiation therapy planning

Os objetivos deste trabalho foram desenvolver filmes à base de pectina de baixo teor de esterificação, amidada, com adição dos ácidos graxos láurico (AL), palmítico (AP) e esteárico (AE) e caracterizá-los quanto às propriedades de permeabilidade ao vapor de água (PVA) e ao oxigênio, propriedades mecânicas (tensão de ruptura e elongação), solubilidade em água e opacidade, além de observar a morfologia da superfície dos filmes utilizando microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV). A adição de 12 e 18% dos ácidos promoveu aumento da PVA e da elongação e redução da tensão de ruptura, em relação aos filmes com 6% de ácido graxo. Todos os filmes apresentaram-se 100% solúveis em água e mais opacos quando os ácidos graxos foram adicionados. A partir da MEV, foi observado que os ácidos graxos não se incorporaram à matriz filmogênica. The purposes of this research were to develop and characterize composite biofilms produced with low methoxyl amidated pectin plus lauric, palmitic and stearic acids. Water vapor permeability, oxigen permeability, mechanical properties (tensile strength and elongation), water solubility, opacity and, surface morphology were evaluated. The increase of fatty acids addition to 12 and 18% resulted in an increase in water vapor permeability and elongation and a decrease in tensile strength compared to the level of 6% of fatty acids. All formulations produced films showing 100% water solubility. As observed by scanning electronic microscopy the fatty acids were not homogeneously incorporated on the filmogenic matrices.

O desenvolvimento e a aplicação de filmes ou coberturas biodegradáveis na horticultura são técnicas praticadas há vários anos, que visam promover melhoria na qualidade do produto. no presente trabalho desenvolveu-se e caracterizou-se biofilmes de pectina, gelatina e ácidos graxos e verificou-se sua eficiência como cobertura para sementes de brócolos (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica). Os filmes foram caracterizados quanto à solubilidade em água. A contagem e a observação de plantas de brócolos, a partir da germinação de sementes cobertas e não cobertas foi realizada em média a cada três dias, aos 27 dias fêz-se a quantificação da matéria fresca e seca. Os filmes de pectina e ácido esteárico foram 100% solúveis em água, enquanto os elaborados com pectina e gelatina (1/1) foram apenas 18%. A aplicação das coberturas filmogênicas nas sementes de brócolos não afetou a emergência das plantas, demonstrando assim sua potencialidade para uso comercial. Os fertilizantes molibdato de sódio (0,2 mg L-1) e ácido bórico (1mg L-1), aplicados juntamente com os biofilmes, também não afetaram a emergência e o desenvolvimento das plantas. The development and application of biodegradable coatings and films have been used for many years in order to improve quality of the coated or packed product. The development and characterization of pectin and pectin/gelatin-based biofilms with fatty acids was evaluated and verified their efficiency as coatings to broccoli seeds (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica). The solubility in water of the films was determined. The counting and visual observations of the germinated broccoli seeds were done each three days and fresh and dried weight of the plants were determined at the end of the experiment. Pectin-based films with stearic acid were 100% soluble in water and composite films of pectin and gelatin were 18%. The application of the biodegradable coatings on broccoli seeds had no effect on the plants development, showing their potential for commercial use. The fertilizers, sodium molibdate (0.2mg L-1) and boric acid (1mg L-1), added to the coating solution had no interference in the emergence and development of the broccoli plants.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi a comparação do desempenho de sementes de brócolos e de salsa cobertas ou aderidas a filmes biodegradáveis de quitosana e gelatina. Inicialmente, determinou-se o número ótimo de camadas de cobertura e a espessura do filme, para não comprometer a germinação das sementes. O desempenho foi avaliado por meio da capacidade de germinação e do vigor, e pelas massas de material fresco e seco de plantas com cerca de 30 dias. Observou-se germinação inferior ao controle nas sementes inseridas às fitas. O recobrimento de sementes obteve bons resultados em termos de vigor e desenvolvimento das plantas. Pelos resultados indicados, verificou-se que o recobrimento de sementes, com coberturas biodegradáveis, pode ser promissor, devido à melhoria na germinação das sementes recobertas e também no desenvolvimento das plantas quando comparadas às sementes sem tratamento. The objective of this work was to compare the performance of broccoli and parsley seeds coated or adhered to biodegradable films of gelatin and chitosan. Initially, the optimum number of coating layers and the thickness of the film were determined in order not to affect the germination of seeds. The performance was evaluated by germination capacity and vigor, and by fresh and dry weight of plants with 30 days. The seeds inserted into the films of gelatin and chitosan showed lower germination results than the control seeds. The coating of the seeds with gelatin and chitosan coatings of had good results in terms of vigor and development of plants. The results indicated that coating the seeds with biodegradable coatings can be promising due to the improvement of the germination of the coated seeds and the development of the plants when compared to the seeds with not treated.

The objective of this research was to develop and characterize composite biofilms produced using wheat gluten and cellulose acetate phthalate. Biofilms act as barriers to moisture and oxygen diffusion through the film. The films were prepared with different thicknesses and component concentrations and were analyzed for water vapor and oxygen permeabilities, water and acid solubilities and mechanical properties. Results showed that the mixture improved film characteristics more than each of the individual components alone. The 1:1 mixture had properties of better permeability to water and oxygen. The composite films were completely soluble in water and acid, with the exception of the film with the highest gluten concentration, which was 50% soluble in water and acid. An increase in gluten concentration in the composite films resulted in a decrease in tensile strength. There was no significant difference in elongation at break between the composite films. No difference in thickness was detected either. Results showed that the mixture improved the characteristics more than of the individual components alone.

The primary transmitter deficit is cholinergic in Alzheimer's disease (AD), and the amygdala receives a major cholinergic projection from the nucleus basalis of Meynert (Ch4), which may play an important role in the retention of affective conditioning and/or memory consolidation. We measured brain acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in 54 patients with AD and in 22 normal controls by positron emission tomography and N-[(11)C]methylpiperidin-4-yl acetate to characterize the cholinergic pathology in AD. The k(3) values were calculated as an index of AChE activity in a three-compartment model analysis using the metabolite-corrected arterial input function. The k(3) values were highly significantly reduced by 20% in the cerebral neocortex (P0.0001 in the two-tailed t test), 14% in the hippocampus (P0.001), and 33% in the amygdala (P0.0001) in AD patients compared with normal controls. The k(3) values were significantly correlated with the Mini-Mental State Examination scores in both the cerebral cortex (P0.001) and the amygdala (P0.05) in AD patients, supporting the cholinergic hypothesis of cognitive dysfuncion in AD. Further studies are required, however, to elucidate the specific role of the cholinergic deficit in the amygdala in the emotional and behavioral symptoms in AD.

Filmes de glúten de trigo foram preparados em diferentes valores de pH e concentrações de glúten, etanol e glicerol. Seus efeitos sobre permeabilidade ao vapor de água e oxigênio, solubilidade em água, força de tensão e porcentagem de elongação foram avaliados usando-se a Metodologia de Superfície de Resposta. Menor permeabilidade ao oxigênio foi observada em menores concentrações de glicerol, glúten e etanol. As propriedades mecânicas foram principalmente afetadas pelas concentrações de glúten e glicerol e o filme mais resistente foi obtido quando maior concentração de glúten e menor de glicerol foram utilizadas. Coberturas de glúten de trigo aplicadas em morangos frescos reduziram as perdas de firmeza e de peso durante a estocagem em comparação com controle não revestido. Abstract Films from wheat gluten were prepared with different pH values and concentrations of gluten, ethanol and glycerol. Their effects on oxygen and water vapor permeabilities, water solubility, tensile strength and percent elongation at break were evaluated using Response Surface Methodology. The lowest oxygen permeability would be expected at low concentrations of glycerol, gluten and ethanol. The mechanical properties were mainly affected by gluten and glycerol concentrations and the most resistant film was obtained at high gluten and low glycerol concentrations. Wheat gluten coating applied to fresh strawberries reduced weight and firmness losses during storage as compared to uncoated controls.

We measured brain acetylcholinesterase activity in 30 patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and 14 age-matched controls by positron emission tomography (PET) and using a carbon 11-labeled acetylcholine analogue. Seven AD patients had repeat PET scans. The k3 values were calculated as an index of acetylcholinesterase activity in a three-compartment analysis using the metabolite corrected arterial input function. Twenty-eight of the 30 AD patients (14 each in the early and late onset subgroups) were retained in the study so as to equalize the range and average severity of cognitive impairment within the early and late onset subgroups. The k3 values were significantly reduced in the neocortex, hippocampus, and amygdala in the early onset AD patients, although the k3 values were significantly reduced only in the temporoparietal cortex and amygdala in the late onset AD patients. In the longitudinal study, all 7 repeat AD patients showed further reduction of cortical k3 values in the second PET scans, with a mean interval of 2 years, suggesting a progressive loss of the ascending cholinergic system from the nucleus basalis of Meynert in AD. In 37 AD patients, there was a highly significant correlation between the cortical k3 values and Mini-Mental State Examination scores, supporting the cholinergic hypothesis in AD.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the kinetics and image quality of positron-emitting 38K (half-life, 7.6 min) and high-resolution small-animal PET in the heart, kidney, and brain of rabbits.Studies were performed with 18 closed-chest anesthetized rabbits at baseline and during infusions of adenosine (0.2 mg/kg/min) and propranolol (0.5-1.0 mg/kg intravenously) using high-resolution small-animal PET. 38K was injected intravenously and dynamic PET imaging of the heart, kidney, or brain was performed for 3 min. Colored microspheres were injected into the left ventricle to measure organ blood flow. Arterial blood was withdrawn directly from the femoral artery, and, after the animals were killed, 38K activities in each organ were measured directly with a well counter. Uptake of 38K was calculated by dividing the 38K activities in each organ by the integral of the input function. The extraction fraction of 38K was estimated by dividing the uptake of 38K in each organ by the organ blood flow, measured by microspheres.The left ventricular myocardium and kidney were clearly visualized, but there was no visual 38K uptake in the brain. For the heart, kidney, and brain, respectively, average blood flow was 2.91 +/- 1.29, 5.49 +/- 0.71, and 0.57 +/- 0.11 mL/min/g, and the extraction fraction of 38K at baseline was 0.55 +/- 0.13, 0.48 +/- 0.13, and 0.022 +/- 0004. The Renkin-Crone model fit the relation between myocardial extraction and flow under a wide range of myocardial blood flow (r = 0.89).38K is a suitable tracer for noninvasively showing the potassium kinetics of the heart, kidney, and brain by PET imaging.

111In and 90Y, dissociated from 111In-labeled-monoclonal antibody (MAb) and 90Y-labeled MAb, may cause deterioration of the image quality in radioimmunodetection (RID) and undesirable irradiation of nontargeted tissue in radioimmunotherapy (RIT), respectively. The aim of this study was to investigate any improvement in RID and RIT with 111In-MAb and 90Y-MAb by pre- and postadministration of calcium disodium ethylenetriaminetetraacetic acid (CaNa2EDTA).Murine MAb F33-104 against carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) was labeled with 111In or 90Y by the diethylenetriamine pentaacetic (DTPA)-anhydride method. The influence of CaNa2EDTA on loss of radioactivity from 111In-MAb or 90Y-MAb in serum was investigated in vitro. The effects of CaNa2EDTA, administered before and after 111In-MAb or 90Y-MAb, on the biodistribution of radioactive isotopes in nude mice bearing human colon adenocarcinoma LS 180 tumor expressing CEA, or human pulmonary carcinoma PC 9 tumor expressing no CEA, were then examined. As a control, 0.9% NaCl was used in both the in vitro and in vivo studies.CaNa2EDTA did not cause any decrease in levels of radioactivity of radiolabeled MAbs. Pre- and post-treatment with CaNa2EDTA reduced radioctivity in both specific and nonspecific tumors at 72 h after 111In-MAb injection resulting in an increase of the specific tumor-to-nonspecific tumor radioactivity ratio. The levels of hepatic and renal radioactivity were also subsequently decreased by CaNa2EDTA. On the other hand, CaNa2EDTA pre- and post-treatment reduced levels of bony, hepatic, and renal radioactivity at 24, 72, and 72 h, respectively, after 90Y-MAb injection, although it had no effect on tumor radioactivity.Pre- and post-treatment with CaNa2EDTA would be of great use in humans who undergo RID or RIT with 111In-MAb and 90Y-MAb accompanied by disassociation of the labeled radionuclides.

These preliminary studies of dynamic natural abundance 19F-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (19F-MRS) on 5-FU based medicines were performed in the human liver using commercial 1.5 T MRI equipment. A single tuned, custom-made circular shape surface coil with a diameter of 15 cm operating at 60 MHz was used for the 19F-MRS study. Localized proton shimming with a whole body coil was performed with adequate volume to include the observing area of the surface coil, and the line width of the water signal was less than 40 Hz. Very different spectroscopic appearance patterns of 5-FU were observed. We examined whether the pharmacokinetics in the liver of orally administered 1-hexylcarbamoyl-5-fluorouracil (HCFU) differ from those of orally administered 5'-deoxy-5-fluorouridine (5'-DFUR). This preliminary study suggested the 19F-MRS technique could be a useful method of evaluating in vivo the metabolism of 5-FU based medicines.

We measured brain acetylcholinesterase activity in 16 patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), 12 patients with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), and 13 age-matched controls, using N-methyl-4-[11C]piperidyl acetate and positron emission tomography. Kinetic analysis was performed to calculate k3, an index of acetylcholinesterase activity. In PD patients, there was a significant reduction (-17%) of cerebral cortical k3 compared with normal controls, whereas there was only a nonsignificant reduction (-10%) of cortical k3 in PSP patients. However, there was a prominent reduction (-38%) of thalamic k3 in PSP patients compared with normal controls, whereas there was only a nonsignificant reduction (-13%) of thalamic k3 in PD patients. The results suggest that there is a loss of cholinergic innervation to the cerebral cortex in association with cholinergic innervation to the thalamus in PD, whereas there is a preferential loss of cholinergic innervation to the thalamus in PSP. When the thalamic to cerebral cortical k3 ratio was taken for each subject, PD and PSP were separated, suggesting that positron emission tomography measurement of acetylcholinesterase activity may be useful for differentiating the two similar disorders.

The purpose of this study was to assess the potential for radio-immunodetection (RAID) of murine anti-carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) monoclonal antibody (MAb) F33-104 labeled with technetium-99m (99m-Tc) by a reduction-mediated labeling method.The binding capacity of 99m-Tc-labeled anti-CEA MAb F33-104 with CEA by means of in vitro procedures such as immunoradiometric assay and cell binding assay and the biodistribution of 99m-Tc-labeled anti-CEA MAb F33-104 in normal nude mice and nude mice bearing human colon adenocarcinoma LS180 tumor were investigated and compared with 99m-Tc-labeled anti-CEA MAb BW431/26.The in vitro binding rate of 99m-Tc-labeled anti-CEA MAb F33-104 with CEA in solution and attached to the cell membrane was significantly higher than 99m-Tc-labeled anti-CEA MAb BW431/261 (31.4 +/- 0.95% vs. 11.9 +/- 0.55% at 100 ng/mL of soluble CEA, 83.5 +/- 2.84% vs. 54.0 +/- 2.54% at 10(7) of LS 180 cells). In vivo, accumulation of 99m-Tc-labeled anti-CEA MAb F33-104 was higher at 18 h postinjection than 99m-Tc-labeled anti-CEA MAb BW431/26 (20.1 +/- 3.50% ID/g vs. 14.4 +/- 3.30% ID/g). 99m-Tc-activity in the kidneys of nude mice bearing tumor was higher at 18 h postinjection than at 3 h (12.8 +/- 2.10% ID/g vs. 8.01 +/- 2.40% ID/g of 99m-Tc-labeled anti-CEA MAb F33-104, 10.7 +/- 1.70% ID/g vs. 8.10 +/- 1.75% ID/g of 99m-Tc-labeled anti-CEA MAb BW431/26).99m-Tc-labeled anti-CEA MAb F33-104 is a potential novel agent for RAID of recurrent colorectal cancer.

A high-resolution PET system for small animals was tested for its applicability to the investigation of regional myocardial blood flow (MBF) in rabbits.Nineteen measurements were performed in 10 closed-chest anesthetized rabbits at baseline and during infusions of adenosine (0.2 mg/kg/min) and propranolol (0.20-1.20 mg slow infusion) to obtain a wide range of MBF. Myocardial blood flow was assessed both by dynamic 13N-ammonia PET and by colored microspheres. Blood was withdrawn directly from the femoral artery, and arterial 13N activity was measured by coincidence type gamma detection system for the input function. Nitrogen-13 myocardial uptake was calculated by dividing the myocardial 13N activity by the integral value of the input function.Three or four contiguous cross-sectional myocardial images were obtained after 13N-ammonia injection. The left ventricular wall and cardiac cavity were clearly visualized. Moreover, initial passage of the tracer through the heart was obtained with serial 10-sec PET images. Nitrogen-13 myocardial uptake correlated well with flow measured with microspheres (r = 0.88).Our cardiac PET system can be used for in vivo imaging and quantitation of MBF in small animals and may play an important role in the future study of animal models of cardiovascular diseases.

The present study was undertaken to determine whether gamma cameras can be used to measure radioactivity in samples, e.g. in blood. Aqueous 123I solution with a concentration of 10.3 MBq/ml was infused at a volume of one ml into a blood-sampling vial having an internal diameter of 22.5 mm. Various concentrations of radioactivity were generated by leaving the vial and taking radioactive decay into account. Static images were acquired for five minutes with a gamma camera using a 64 x 64 matrix to measure radioactivity counts, and the regions of interest with 7 x 7 pixels (21 mm x 21 mm) were defined on the image. The results showed that there was a good linear correlation between the radioactivity counts measured with the gamma camera without collimator and those measured with the well-type scintillation counter in the range between 0.032 kBq/ml and 279 kBq/ml. It therefore appears that gamma cameras can be substituted for well-type scintillation counters in the measurement of radioactivities in samples.

Cerebral blood flow (CBF) has been measured using a microsphere model with octanol-extracted radioactivity counts (integral value of input function). We developed a new method estimating the integral value of input function. First, we fitted the whole brain time-activity curves early after intravenous injection of N-isopropyl-p-[123I]iodoamphetamine (123I-IMP) by the least-squares method. Second, we differentiated this equation. Third, we calibrated it using octanol-extracted radioactivity counts of the arterial blood sampled at 5 min. Finally, we integrated it. A significant correlation was found between the integral values obtained using a new method and those obtained using the continuous arterial blood sampling data (y = 1.048x-1206, r = 0.984). The errors between the CBF values obtained using a new method and those obtained using the 5-min continuous arterial blood sampling was 6.88 +/- 4.78%. Measurement of integral values of the input function using a new method with one-point arterial blood sampling is less invasive and convenient, and is not influenced by cardiopulmonary disease or smoking. Therefore, it would be useful for the routine measurement of CBF.

We developed a new microsphere method using 123I-IMP in which arterial blood is collected at one time point early after 123I-IMP injection instead of conventional continuous arterial blood sampling, and the input count is estimated using a whole brain time-activity curve until that time point. The differential curve dCb(t)/dt of the brain time-activity curve Cb(t) early after 123I-IMP injection (when the microsphere model is established) approximates the arterial time-activity curve Ca(t) as an input function. The input count as the integral value of Ca(t) at 0-5 min was estimated using the 50 min whole brain activity Cb(5 min) and the differential value dCb(5 min/dt and the 5-min octanol-extracted count of arterial samples obtained at one time point Ca(5 min). The input counts calculated by this method were very closely correlated with measurement values obtained by continuous arterial sampling. This method is more convenient and less invasive than the continuous arterial sampling method.

A case of histologically benign cardiac and pulmonary metastases from a uterine leiomyoma in a 45-year-old woman is reported. The solitary cardiac tumor consisted of five lobules with a stalk attached to the anterior papillary muscle of the right ventricle, which occupied the right ventricular cavity and almost completely obstructed the pulmonary main trunk in the systolic cycle. Multiple small nodules were found throughout both lungs. The cardiac tumor was resected at open heart surgery and open lung biopsy of the pulmonary lesion was simultaneously performed. Both of them were histologically identical to the apparently histologically benign uterine leiomyoma which had been resected five years previously. Based on the clinical and laboratory findings, it is postulated that antegrade metastases via the venous system resulted in the cardiac metastasis from the uterine leiomyoma and the secondary pulmonary metastasis from the cardiac tumor. In contrast to the light microscopic findings, ultrastructural examination suggested the possibility of malignancy associated with the presence of immature smooth muscle cells. This is the first reported case of a so-called benign metastasizing leiomyoma occurring in the heart.

Using 133Xe single photon emission tomography, we evaluated the cortical region cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and vascular response to acetazolamide loading before and after vascular reconstructive surgery in 9 hemispheres in 6 patients with adult-onset moyamoya disease. Before the operation, the resting rCBF was not markedly impaired except that several low rCBF regions were present in the frontal and temporal lobes, and after the operation, the number of regions showing normal rCBF was significantly increased. Regional vascular response was more diffusely impaired in the regions with both normal and low rCBF before the operation, the excessively high response observed in the parietal and occipital lobes was well normalized after the operation, while the low response to acetazolamide challenge in the frontal and temporal lobes was not adequately improved.

We have proposed a modified early method, which can shorten the total time required for the quantitative regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) measurement with N-isopropyl-p(-)[123I]iodoamphetamine (123I-IMP) using single-head rotating gamma-camera and the continuous arterial sampling method. Between 7 to 25 minutes after the intravenous injection of 123I-IMP, brain activity increases linearly, the SPECT data acquisition is being performed, and during which detector is rotating continuously. Then the rCBF values based on the microsphere model were calculated using the planar images obtained before and after the above acquisition and 5 min after the injection, and input counts obtained by the continuous arterial sampling. A good correlation (r = 0.951) was observed between the rCBF values obtained by this method and the traditional method, in which the SPECT data acquisition started about 30 min after injection. Applying this method to the quantitative rCBF measurements at rest and during stress with Diamox by the split dose method of 123I-IMP, we could evaluate the rCBF at rest and cerebral perfusion reserve in the same day. We conclude that this method can shorten the total time required for the standard normal microsphere method and can be applied to the split dose method, and this method provide the rCBF values not so much affected by washout of the tracer from the brain.

Although thallium-201 (201Tl) reinjection imaging improves the detection of myocardial viability compared to standard 3-4-hr redistribution (RD) imaging, it still underestimates the extent of viable myocardium. We examined whether 201Tl reinjection SPECT with sublingual nitroglycerin (NTG) had a higher sensitivity for viability detection than reinjection alone. Eighty patients with coronary artery disease were studied, 38 of them with an old myocardial infarction. At the peak of exercise, 111 MBq 201Tl was injected and the initial and the delayed SPECT images were obtained. Then, all patients were divided randomly into two groups, and in each group, SPECT data were obtained again after the injection of 37 MBq 201Tl with (NTG(+) group) or without 0.6 mg of sublingual NTG (NTG(-) group). Among 50 segments showing fixed defects on the delayed image in the NTG(+) group, 21 (42%) were found to be reversible on the reinjection image, as compared to 16 of 51 (31%) in the NTG(-) group. Twenty-two of 44 (50%) segments showing incomplete RD were found to be reversible in the NTG(+) group, while 17 of 42 (41%) segments in the NTG(-) group. Moreover, the ratio of reversible segments seen in the reinjection images was significantly higher in the collateralized regions of the NTG(+) group than in those of the NTG(-) group (20/26 vs. 14/28, p0.05). Thus, 201Tl reinjection SPECT with sublingual NTG improves the detection of ischemic but viable myocardium as compared to SPECT with reinjection alone.

This paper evaluates the clinical usefulness of 201Tl to image hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), using 201Tl, 99mTc-phytate (colloid) and a three-headed SPECT camera.The tumor-to-nontumor ratios (T/N) of 201Tl for different categories of HCC were generated. Tumors were emphasized by image subtraction (201Tl-99mTc-colloid). Thirty-three lesions in 16 patients (18 studies) with HCC were evaluated. There were 19 untreated nodular, five untreated diffuse, five local recurrent and four necrotic lesions after interventional therapy.The mean T/N were as follows: untreated nodular 1.54 +/- 0.31 (mean +/- s.d.), untreated diffuse 1.28 +/- 0.26, local recurrence 1.50 +/- 0.29 and necrosis 0.22 +/- 0.06. All the tumors (except necrotic areas) were enhanced by the image subtraction.Thallium-201 is useful for liver tumor imaging but 99mTc-phytate (colloid) is essential to discriminate 201Tl tumor uptake from normal liver accumulation. Image subtraction (201Tl/99mTc-colloid) is helpful in detecting HCC.

The adsorption characteristics of paraquat and diquat onto activated carbon in vitro were discussed for the primary treatment of acute poisoning by accidental, suicidal or homicidal ingestion of paraquat containing herbicides. Paraquat was adsorbed onto activated carbon more abundantly and more rapidly in physiological saline solution than that in artificial gastric juice and distilled water. Most suitable solvent for paraquat removal by activated carbon was physiological saline solution (0.9% sodium chloride solution). No significant correlation was observed between the ability of paraquat removal and the properties of adsorbent. Paraquat was preferentially adsorbed onto activated carbon in the mixed solution. The adsorption abilities by activated carbon (the removal ratio, the amount adsorbed and the adsorption rate) for paraquat were larger than those for diquat, and it was enhanced by added sodium chloride and added magnesium sulfate. Enhancing effect for adsorption removal was proportional to the saline concentration. As addition of salts into carbon suspension enhanced the adsorption ability, it will contribute to the effective treatment of acute poisoning.

We reported a case of subacute stroke which showed high uptake of 99mTc-d,l-hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime (HMPAO) in the reperfused infarct corresponding to slightly decreased perfusion by 133Xe inhalation CBF measurement. In the chronic stage, both SPECT images of 99mTc-HMPAO and 133Xe showed low perfusion in the affected lesion. It was, therefore, considered that the high uptake of 99mTc-HMPAO had represented luxury perfusion. In the subacute stage of stroke, high uptake of 99mTc-HMPAO may imply luxury perfusion but not always hyperperfusion. It is suggested that the fractional fixation of 99mTc-HMPAO temporarily change in the affected lesion and it is essential to take into consideration the clinical stage for the interpretation of SPECT images.

We evaluated the newly produced tumor marker assay kit, "Ball ELSA CYFRA21-1", which detects cytokeratin 19 fragment in the sera of patients with malignancies, especially lung cancers. The assay procedure is simple based on the one-step radioimmunometric assay method. The measured values depend somewhat on incubation temperature and time. Reproducibility and recovery were good. The minimum measurable level was 1 ng/ml. The dilution test was satisfactory. The CYFRA21-1 levels were gradually decreased by repeated freezing and thawing and after seven such exercises its activity dropped to about 70% of that of first assay. The presence of CYFRA21-1 antigen was strongly correlated with TPA antigen and, although some discrepancies could be observed in clinical samples, CYFRA21-1 activity was completely absorbed by anti-TPA antibody-coated beads in one sample. CYFRA21-1 levels of 44 normal controls were below 1.0 ng/ml. Assuming a cut-off value of 2.0 mg/ml, 32.7% of all cases with benign disease had values greater than 2.0 ng/ml. This fell to 21.4% on exclusion of cases of interstitial pulmonary disease. Those with malignant diseases had high CYFRA21-1 levels whether associated with lung cancer or not. The most high positive ratios were observed in squamous cell lung cancer, small cell lung cancer, and uterine cervical cancer. In conclusion, CYFRA21-1 may be a good tumor marker comparable to TPA not only for lung cancer but also other malignancies as well. High false positives for lung cancer, however, were observed in other pulmonary diseases.

A phase 3 clinical study of a newly developed brain perfusion agent, 99mTc-L,L-ethyl cysteinate dimer (99mTc-ECD), was performed in 521 cases of cerebrovascular diseases and impairment of brain function to evaluate the safety, effectiveness and usefulness of the agent as a multi-center study involving 35 institutions in Japan. Out of 510 cases evaluated for the clinical usefulness, valuable information for clinical diagnosis was obtained in 486 cases (95.3%), and 444 cases (87.1%) were judged as "extremely useful" or "useful". Although the positive ratio of abnormalities detected by the agent was as same as that of 99mTc-hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime (99mTc-HM-PAO), the abnormal regions detected by the agent had tendency to be larger in size and to have higher contrast than those detected by 99mTc-HM-PAO. It is concluded that 99mTc-ECD is a safe and useful radiopharmaceutical as a brain perfusion agent for the diagnosis of cerebrovascular diseases and impairment of brain function.

Noting relationship between exercise and serum LDH and alpha-HBD activities, we prescribed 3 exercise regimens of various intensities for 22 healthy adult subjects over predetermined periods. Variations in the serum enzyme activities were determined in relation to these exercise programs. We studied whether these enzyme levels may serve as new indices to evaluate the amount of exercise. The test subjects were divided into 3 groups to perform 3 types of exercise (30%, 50%, 70% of VO2max) for 6 weeks. The serum enzyme activities at the start and completion of the experiment were determined and compared. The results obtained were as follows: A rise in the serum LDH activity was noted in association with exercise. The mean increases for these groups were 10.2%, 7.5% and 23.5%. A statistically significant decrease in the serum alpha-HBD activity was noted in association with exercise. It has been suggested that by observing variations in these enzyme levels in normal individuals for an extended period, change in the intensity of physical exertion within the range of daily activities can be estimated.

A phase 2 clinical study of a newly developed brain perfusion agent, 99mTc-ECD, was performed in 166 cases of cerebrovascular diseases and impairment of brain function to evaluate effectiveness, usefulness, optimum dose and optimum timing of imaging as a multi-center study involving 10 institutions in Japan. All cases were judged as no problems on safety and any side effects due to the administration of the compound were not observed. Out of 163 cases evaluated for the clinical usefulness, valuable information for clinical diagnosis was obtained in 160 cases (98.3%), and 154 cases (94.5%) were judged as "extremely useful" or "useful". Although SPECT imaging was possible from 5 min after injection, images obtained between 60 and 90 min after injection showed relatively better image quality in many cases. Regarding standard administration dose, 400 to 800 MBq were considered to be appropriate. 99mTc-ECD is considered to be a promising radiopharmaceutical as a brain perfusion agent.

Intraarterial urokinase infusion therapy with superselective catheterization was performed on 11 patients for acute occlusive cerebrovascular disease. The subjects were five men and six women with a mean age of 70 years (range, 48-83 years). Nine of 11 patients had middle cerebral artery occlusion and two had basilar artery occlusion. The interval from onset to infusion ranged from 3.5 to 9 hours, and the total dosage of urokinase from 24 x 10(4) to 150 x 10(4) IU. Recanalization of the occluded artery was achieved in nine patients (82%), and favorable clinical outcome was achieved in seven patients (64%). Six of whom were discharged with no neurologic deficits. Hemorrhagic infarction occurred in two patients without clinical deterioration. Our observations suggest that intraarterial urokinase infusion therapy with superselective catheterization may be very useful in the acute stage of occlusive cerebrovascular disease.

Fourier phase analysis has generally been used to investigate asynchronous emptying and filling in various heart diseases. A potential limitation of this form of analysis is curve fitting error, since a truncated Fourier series may not adequately describe the shape of a time-volume curve (TVC) and thus may produce errors in indices calculated from the fit. To overcome this problem, we developed a new method using Hilbert transform. Using Hilbert transform, the instantaneous phase (IP) curve was calculated directly from the TVC obtained from multigated cardiac blood pool images. Four parameters [time to maximum IP [T(max)], time to 0 in IP[T(0)], time to minimum IP[T(min)], and time from 0 to minimum IP [T(min-0)]] were extracted from the IP curves for each pixel, and functional images were constructed in 40 patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD), 16 with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), 3 with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), and 7 normal controls (N). The standard deviations (SD) of these parameters were then calculated for the left ventricle. In IHD patients with a left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) of less than 50% and in DCM, the SDs of all parameters were significantly higher than in group N. In IHD patients with an LVEF of greater than 50%, the SDs of T(min), T(0), and T(min-0) were significantly higher than in group N, but there was no significant difference in the SD of T(max). In HCM patients, the SDs of T(min) and T(min-0) were significantly higher than in group N, suggesting the presence of asynchronous filling. In conclusion, this method appears to be promising for the quantitative analysis of asynchronous emptying and filling in various heart diseases.

The kinetic behavior of 99mTc-hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime (HMPAO) in the human brain was investigated in 11 patients with various brain diseases (176 regions), using dynamic SPECT and a four-compartment model with five parameters (K1: rate constant for the transport of HMPAO from blood to brain, K2: backdiffusion from brain to blood, K3: conversion to a hydrophilic form in the brain, K5: conversion to a nondiffusible form in the blood, and fa: fraction of radioactivity attributable to the vascular compartment). Although K1 correlated well with cerebral blood flow (CBF) measured by the 133Xe inhalation method (Xe-CBF) (r = 0.888), its value was underestimated by 28.9% +/- 11.9%, indicating a low extraction fraction (E) for HMPAO. From E = K1/CBF, a regression equation of E = 0.857 - 0.00335. Xe-CBF was obtained. Significant correlations were observed for K2 versus Xe-CBF (r = 0.679), for K3 versus Xe-CBF (r = 0.483), for K3/(K2 + K3) versus Xe-CBF (r = -0.487), for K3/K2 versus Xe-CBF (r = -0.501), and for K2 + K3 versus Xe-CBF (r = 0.655), but not for K1/K2 versus Xe-CBF (r = 0.005). Thus, this model was useful for elucidating the kinetic behavior of HMPAO in the human brain, and correction for E appears to be indispensable for accurate CBF quantification using HMPAO.

5593 Background: To evaluate the sensitivety, specificity, and accuracy of PET-CT for detecting lymph node metastasis in gynecologic carcinoma. Methods: Between May 2007 to August 2008, 36 consecutive patients (pts) with cervical carcinoma, endometrial carcinoma and epithelial ovarian carcinoma were enrolled. All pts underwent PET-CT prior to the surgery of systematic pelvic and paraaortic lymphadenectomy. For pathological metastatic lymph nodes, the size of intranodal tumor deposits (maximum diameter of metastatic foci in each lymph node) were recorded. Results: The total number of pelvic lymph nodes (PLNs) plus paraaortic lymph nodes (PANs) removed was 2426. The median number of removed lymph nodes (LNs) was 67 each pts (range: 25 to 102). The number of involvement LNs was 79 (3.5%). The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of preoperative PET-CT to detect LN metastasis were 24%, 99.9%, and 97.5%, respectively. The sensitivity of PLNs and PANs were 39.5% and 7.3%, respectively. The sensitivity of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) were 35.7%, that of adenocarcinoma were 8.1%. FDG-PET detected 100% of intranodal tumor deposits > or =10 mm, whereas tumor deposits smaller than 5 mm were not detected. Conclusions: The results of our study revealed 76% underdiagnosis (overlooking) in evaluation of preoperative PET-CT in LN metastasis. Particularly, tumor deposits smaller than 5 mm were not detected at all. Using PET-CT for detecting small LN metastasis in gynecologic carcinoma may be unreliable so far. However we found that PLNs are comparatively easy to be detected than PANs, and SCC are comparatively easy to be detected than adenocarcinoma. The improved usability and application of PET-CT for detecting LN metastasis in gynecologic carcinoma have to keep researching constructively. No significant financial relationships to disclose.