18F-FDG PET/CT and Sonographic Findings of Thyroid Incidentalomas

PURPOSE: To compare characteristic findings of 18F-FDG PET/CT with ultrasonography of malignant thyroid incidentaloma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study enrolled 74 patients receiving ultrasonography after thyroid incidentaloma detected on 18F-FDG PET/CT. We analyzed the size, attenuation, margin, cervical lymphadenopathy, and P-SUV of thyroid incidentaloma in 18F-FDG PET/CT and analyzed the size, internal contents, appearance, border, echo, and calcification patterns of thyroid incidentaloma in ultrasonography. Based on pathologic findings, we investigated findings of 18F-FDG PET/CT and ultrasonography for malignant thyroid incidentaloma. RESULTS: In 18F-FDG PET/CT findings, an ill-defined margin accompanied by cervical lymphadenopathy was more common in malignant (59.1%) than benign (13.2%) lesions (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in p-SUV between malignant and benign thyroid incidentalomas (4.8+/-18.3 vs. 4.4+/-2.2). In ultrasonographic findings, being taller than wide (1.9% vs. 36.4%), having a well-defined speculated margin (75.5% vs. 22.7%), having marked hypoechoic images (18.9% vs. 31.8%), and having micro (5.7% vs. 22.7%) or macrocalcifications (3.8% vs. 27.3%) were more common in malignant thyroid incidentalomas (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Malignant thyroid incidentalomas in 18F-FDG PET/CT have ill-defined margins, and those in ultrasonography were the taller than wide, well defined spiculated margin, and showed micro or macrocalcification.

Utility of Micro CT in a Murine Model of Bleomycin-Induced Lung Fibrosis / 결핵및호흡기질환

BACKGROUND: Micro computed tomography (CT) is rapidly developing as an imaging tool, especially for mice, which have become the experimental animal of choice for many pulmonary disease studies. We evaluated the usefulness of micro CT for evaluating lung fibrosis in the murine model of bleomycin-induced lung inflammation and fibrosis. METHODS: The control mice (n=10) were treated with saline. The murine model of lung fibrosis (n=60) was established by administering bleomycin intra-tracheally. Among the 70 mice, only 20 mice had successful imaging analyses. We analyzed the micro CT and pathological findings and examined the correlation between imaging scoring in micro CT and histological scoring of pulmonary inflammation or fibrosis. RESULTS: The control group showed normal findings on micro CT. The abnormal findings on micro CT performed at 3 weeks after the administration of bleomycin were ground-glass opacity (GGO) and consolidation. At 6 weeks after bleomycin administration, micro CT showed various patterns such as GGO, consolidation, bronchiectasis, small nodules, and reticular opacity. GGO (r=0.84) and consolidation (r=0.69) on micro CT were significantly correlated with histological scoring that reflected pulmonary inflammation (p<0.05). In addition, bronchiectasis (r=0.63) and reticular opacity (r=0.83) on micro CT shown at 6 weeks after bleomycin administration correlated with histological scoring that reflected lung fibrosis (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that micro CT findings from a murine model of bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis reflect pathologic findings, and micro CT may be useful for predicting bleomycin-induced lung inflammation and fibrosis in mice.

Utility of Micro CT in a Murine Model of Bleomycin-Induced Lung Fibrosis / 결핵및호흡기질환

BACKGROUND: Micro computed tomography (CT) is rapidly developing as an imaging tool, especially for mice, which have become the experimental animal of choice for many pulmonary disease studies. We evaluated the usefulness of micro CT for evaluating lung fibrosis in the murine model of bleomycin-induced lung inflammation and fibrosis. METHODS: The control mice (n=10) were treated with saline. The murine model of lung fibrosis (n=60) was established by administering bleomycin intra-tracheally. Among the 70 mice, only 20 mice had successful imaging analyses. We analyzed the micro CT and pathological findings and examined the correlation between imaging scoring in micro CT and histological scoring of pulmonary inflammation or fibrosis. RESULTS: The control group showed normal findings on micro CT. The abnormal findings on micro CT performed at 3 weeks after the administration of bleomycin were ground-glass opacity (GGO) and consolidation. At 6 weeks after bleomycin administration, micro CT showed various patterns such as GGO, consolidation, bronchiectasis, small nodules, and reticular opacity. GGO (r=0.84) and consolidation (r=0.69) on micro CT were significantly correlated with histological scoring that reflected pulmonary inflammation (p<0.05). In addition, bronchiectasis (r=0.63) and reticular opacity (r=0.83) on micro CT shown at 6 weeks after bleomycin administration correlated with histological scoring that reflected lung fibrosis (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that micro CT findings from a murine model of bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis reflect pathologic findings, and micro CT may be useful for predicting bleomycin-induced lung inflammation and fibrosis in mice.