Nuclear Theranostics in Taiwan / 대한핵의학회잡지

Boron neutron capture therapy and Y-90 radioembolization are emerging therapeutic methods for uncontrolled brain cancers and hepatic cancers, respectively. These advanced radiation therapies are heavily relied on theranostic nuclear medicine imaging before the therapy for the eligibility of patients and the prescribed-dose simulation, as well as the post-therapy scanning for assessing the treatment efficacy. In Taiwan, the Taipei Veterans General Hospital is the only institute performing the BNCT and also the leading institute performing Y-90 radioembolization. In this article, we present our single institute experiences and associated theranostic nuclear medicine approaches for these therapies.

A Method of Evaluating the Horizontal Sound Localization Ability in Normal Children Aged 1~3 Years Old / 听力学及言语疾病杂志

Objective To explore a method of detecting the horizontal localization ability in normal children aged 1~3 years old, and to obtain the minimum audible angle (MAA) at horizontal 0° degree in these children.Methods Using minimum audible angle measure procedure on the basis of conditioned play audiometry and behavioral audiometry methods, sound localization test at horizontal 0° degree was conducted in 37 children aged from 1 to 7 years old with stimulus of different frequencies.Results All 37 children completed the 1 000 Hz tests, 35 children completed the 500 Hz tests, and 30 children completed the 4 000 Hz test.An analysis of 30 children who completed all the tests was performed, 15 of them aged 1~3 years old and the rest aged 4~7 years old.The results for children aged 1~3 years old were as below: 1 000 Hz MAA(0°) =3.57°±1.35°,500 Hz MAA(0°) =5.03°±2.96°,and 4 000 Hz MAA(0°) =5.4°±2.86°, respectively.The results for children aged 4~7 years old were as below: 1 000 Hz MAA(0°) =3.56°±1.48°,500 Hz MAA(0°) =3.5°±2.17°,and 4 000 Hz MAA(0°) =6.13°±4.09°, respectively.There was no significant difference in MAA (0 °) at corresponding frequencies between the two groups.For the children aged 1~3 years old, there was no significant difference in MAA (0 °) among 500 Hz, 1 000 Hz and 4 000 Hz frequencies.For the children aged 4~7 years old, there was significant difference in MAA(0 °) between 500 Hz and 4 000 Hz as well as between 1 000 Hz and 4 000 Hz frequencies.However, there was no significant difference in MAA (0 °) between 500 Hz and 1 000 Hz frequencies.Conclusion MAA test procedure on the basis of conditioned behavioral audiometry and play audiometry could be used to evaluate the ability of sound localization in 1~3 years old children.The frequencies may have effects on children''s sound localization test results and there was no significant difference in MAA (0 °) between the 1~3 years old group and the 4~7 years age group.

Animal experimental study on multiple imaging methods for the diagnosis of acute pulmonary em-bolism by SPECT/CT / 中华核医学与分子影像杂志

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic efficiency of Q?SPECT, CTPA, Q?SPECT/CT, and Q?SPECT/CTPA for pulmonary embolism (PE) in rabbit models. Methods (1) The PE models were constructed by injecting Gelfoam into the femoral vein of New Zealand rabbits ( n=30) . Q?SPECT, CTPA, Q?SPECT/CT and Q?SPECT/CTPA fusion images were obtained by integrated SPECT/CT. (2) All images were interpreted by two experienced nuclear radiologists who were blind to pathologic findings. The locations and numbers of lung lobes with PE were recorded respectively. ( 3) Serial sectioning of the lungs was per?formed and pathologically determined. (4) Se, Sp and Ac of different methods were compared using McNemar test;PPV and NPV were compared usingχ2 test. Kappa test was used to analyze the consistency between two nuclear radiologists. Kappa values0.75 as good consistency. Results (1) Histologically confirmed emboli were present in a total of 26 pulmonary lobes and absent in 79 lobes. (2)The Se, Sp, Ac, PPV, and NPV of 4 imaging methods were:53.8%(14/26), 93.7%(74/79), 83.8%(88/105), 14/19, 86.0%(74/86) for Q?SPECT;73.1%(19/26), 96.2%(76/79), 90.5%(95/105), 86.4%(19/22), 91.6%(76/83) for CTPA;76.9%(20/26), 93.7%(74/79), 89.5%(94/105), 80.0%(20/25), 92.5%(74/80)for Q?SPECT/CT;88.5%(23/26), 91.1%(72/79), 90.5%(95/105), 76.7%(23/30), 96.0%(72/75) for Q?SPECT/CTPA. (3) McNemar test showed Q?SPECT/CT and Q?SPECT/CTPA had higher diagnostic Se for the detection of PE than Q?SPECT (χ2=4.167, 7.111, both P0.05) . Q?SPECT/CT had higher diagnostic Ac than Q?SPECT (χ2=4.167, P0.05). (4)Kappa values of 4 imaging methods for radiologist 1 and 2 were 0.902, 0.915, 0.973, and 0.884. Conclusions Q?SPECT/CT imaging provides good Se and Sp. The diag?nostic efficiency of Q?SPECT/CT is better than that of Q?SPECT and is corresponded roughly to the efficien?cy of CTPA, Q?SPECT/CTPA. The diagnosis of two radiologists on Q?SPECT/CT images has the best con?sistency.

Evaluation of lung function with SPECT/CT lung perfusion imaging and the potential factors of perfusion defects in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer / 中华核医学与分子影像杂志

Objective To assess the value of SPECT/CT lung perfusion imaging (SPECT/CT-LPI) in evaluation of the regional lung function and the correlation between lung perfusion defects (LPD) and the clinical findings in NSCLC patients.Methods A total of 48 NSCLC patients (43 males,5 females;average age 61.06 years) who underwent pulmonary function tests (PFT),CT and 99Tcm-MAA SPECT/CT-LPI from December 2006 to March 2013,were retrospectively studied.LPD were divided into four grades:grade 0 (no lung perfusion defect was identified),grade 1 (the area of lung perfusion defect (LPDA) was similar to the size of local tumor),grade 2 (the LPDA was larger than local tumor and extends to 1 pulmonary lobe),grade 3 (the LPDA exceeded 1 pulmonary lobe).x2 test,one-way analysis of variance and Logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the correlation of the lung perfusion function and clinical findings.Results LPD were found in 44 patients (91.67％,44/48),including 18 with grade 1,15 with grade 2,11 with grade 3.The abnormal results of PFT were found in 16 patients (33.33％,16/ 48).The abnormal findings by SPECT/CT-LPI were more than that by PFT (x2=34.844,P＜0.01).The rates of LPD with grade ≥ 2 were significant different between patients with central lung cancer and those with peripheral lung cancer (x2 =8.392,P＜0.01),and between hilar lymph nodes positive group and negative group (x2=10.801,P＜0.01).The degree of LPD was related to tumor location (1 was assigned for central lung cancer,2 was assigned for peripheral lung cancer),tumor size (1 was assigned for maximum diameter ≤3.0 cm,2 was assigned for ＞3.0 cm and ≤5.0 cm,3 was assigned for ＞5.0 cm) and hilar lymph node (1 was assigned for with metastasis,0 was assigned for no metastasis) (Wald=8.176,5.352,10.100,all P＜0.05).Conclusions Compared with PFT,SPECT/CT-LPI has a more significant value in assessment of the regional lung function in NSCLC patients.Tumor location,tumor size and metastasis of hilar lymph nodes may be helpful for LPD grading.SPECT-LPI may be beneficial for patients with central lung cancer,large tumor and hilar lymph nodes metastasis.

Preliminary study on effective dose of patients in SPECT/CT fusion imaging / 中华核医学与分子影像杂志

Objective To assess the patient effective dose during SPECT/CT imaging.Methods A total of 157 patients (85 males,72 females;mean age:(60.46±13.44) years,range:24-88 years) who underwent SPECT/CT from April 2013 to September 2014 were retrospectively analyzed.They were divided into 3 groups:99Tcm-MDP bone scan group (n=113),99Tcm-MIBI parathyroid imaging group (n=23) and 99Tcm-MAA pulmonary perfusion imaging group (n=21).The injection dose (MBq) was recorded and the effective dose (mSv) was estimated according to the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) guideline.The volume-weighted computed tomography dose index (CTDIvol) and dose length product (DLP) of CT were also recorded and the effective dose (mSv) due to CT was calculated.The effective doses among different groups were statistically compared by Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test and Wilcoxon rank sum test.Results The effective dose from radiopharmaceuticals were (4.02±0.35) mSv for 99Tcm-MDP bone scan,(6.13±0.53) mSv for 99Tcm-MIBI parathyroid imaging and (1.66±0.13) mSv for 99Tcm-MAA pulmonary perfusion imaging (x2=96.853;Z =7.533,7.262 and 5.676;all P＜ 0.05).The effective dose due to CT were (3.84±1.98),(1.04±0.19),(4.05±0.47) mSv respectively (x2 =41.225,P＜0.05),and there were significant differences between 99Tcm-MIBI parathyroid imaging group and 99Tcm-MDP bone scan group,99Tcm-MAA pulmonary perfusion imaging group(Z=6.046 and 5.672,both P＜0.05).The total effective dose during SPECT/CT imaging were (7.86± 1.98),(7.21±0.81) and (5.71±0.45) mSv (x2 =28.988,P＜ 0.05).There were significant differences between 99Tcm-MAA pulmonary perfusion imaging group and 99Tcm-MDP bone scan group,99Tcm-MIBI parathyroid imaging group(Z=4.967 and 4.994,both P＜0.05).Conclusions The increase in effective dose due to spiral CT during SPECT/CT examination should be concerned.Appropriate utilization and optimization of SPECT/CT is needed.

Radionuclide pulmonary perfusion and ventilation scan in pediatric patients with bronchiolitis obliterans / 中华核医学与分子影像杂志

Objective To investigate the clinical application of radionuclide pulmonary V/Q scan in the diagnosis,evaluation of the severity and prognosis of pediatric patients with bronchiolitis obliterans (BO).Methods From February 2005 to April 2011,30 BO pediatric patients (18 males,12 females,age range:7 months-14 years) were prospectively recruited for radionuclide pulmonary V/Q scan.The relationship between the radionuclide pulmonary V/Q scan and clinical presentations was analyzed.Results Perfusion defects were seen in 25 cases (83.3％) and ventilation defects in 27 cases(90.0％).Among the 27patients with abnormal V/Q scan,matched abnormalities were seen in 13 cases (48.1％),mismatched in 1 case (3.7％) and reverse mismatched in 13 cases (48.1％).Of the 3 patients with mild disease,1 had normal V/Q scan while 2 showed V/Q defect in 1 segment.In the 10 patients with moderate disease,the mean number of segments having perfusion and ventilation defects was 3.7 and 5.6,respectively.In the 17 patients with severe disease,the mean number of segments having perfusion and ventilation defects was 6.0 and 8.2,respectively.During follow-up,all 8 patients with progressive disease presented with severe impairment of pulmonary perfusion and ventilation;while the 16 patients with improvement had mild impairment of pulmonary perfusion and ventilation or normal V/Q scan.Conclusion Radionuclide pulmonary V/Q scan is valuable for diagnosis,evaluation of the disease severity,and prognosis in pediatric patients with BO.

Measurement of Auditory Discrimination using the Mismatch Negativity (MMN) for the Healthy Youth in the Horizontal Plane / 听力学及言语疾病杂志

Objective To explore whether the changes of sound source in the horizontal azimuth can induce mismatch negativity (MMN) ,and quantify the minimal audible angle which could elicit the MMN and to find effec‐tive way to test human's ability of sound localization in the horizontal plane .Methods With the self developed sound localization device and Bio - logic auditory evoked potentiometer ,in the free field hearing tests were performed on 30 healthy young volunteers according to oddball stimulation sequence .We adopted 1 000 Hz pure tone as the stand‐ard stimuli , the change of sound source location as experimental models ,using minimum audible angle (MAA ) measure procedure ,sound localization test was conducted at 0° ,± 45° ,± 90°standard positions in the horizontal plane .MMN was obtained by subtracting the ERP of deviant stimuli from the ERP of standard stimuli .The latency and amplitude of each MMN were recorded .Results The MMAs of normal young people were recorded and normal values of latency and amplitude of MMN were obtained .The results of the sound localization test for the youth were :MAA(0°)= 2 .09 ± 1 .81° ,MAA( - 45°)= 3 .84 ± 1 .61° ,MAA (45°) = 3 .69 ± 2 .39° ,MAA ( - 90°) = 4 .41 ± 1 . 41° ,MAA(90°)= 4 .23 ± 3 .22° ,separately .There was a significant effect of the location of the deviant stimulus , with those presented at 90° eliciting larger peaks and longer latency period than those presented at 0° .Conclusion Our findings suggest that changes of sound position in the horizontal azimuth can induce mismatch negative waves , and MMN on the basis of MAA test procedure could be used to evaluate the ability of sound localization .

A follow-up study with radionuclide imaging and angiocardiography for pulmonary perfusion after Fontan operation / 中华核医学与分子影像杂志

Objective To study the long-term effect of total right heart bypass on pulmonary perfusion after extracardiac total cavopulmonary connection (ETCPC).Methods Fifty-three patients (29males,24 females; average age (10.8±6.1) years) undergoing ETCPC from March 1990 to December 2005were retrospectively analyzed.Forty-three patients had full set of pulmonary perfusion data at 1 month and 5years postoperation.The perfusion ratios of each lung segment were calculated based on 99Tcm-MAA radionuclide imaging.The PVR and pulmonary artery index were calculated from angiocardiography measurements.All data were compared with paired t test.Results Compared with the early postoperative data,the perfusion ratio of superior/inferior segment(0.72±0.20 vs 0.75±0.01; t =2.54,P＜0.05),the PVR ((142.98±2.61) vs (146.95±2.54) dyn · s · cm-5; t=2.08,P＜0.05; 1 dyn · s · cm-5 =0.1 kPa · s · L-1) and vena cava pressure ((9.35±0.24) vs (9.95±0.23) mmHg; t=2.69,P＜0.05; 1 mmHg=0.133 kPa) decreased significantly in follow-up data; while the ratio of posterior basal segment perfusion increased significantly (0.12±0.00 vs 0.10±0.03; t=2.16,P＜0.05).The arterial oxygen saturation ((92.70±0.30)％ vs (92.86±0.29) ％ ; t =1.12,P＞0.05),the total pulmonary nuclear counts ((701.91 ± 8.26) × 103 vs (698.93 ± 12.0) ×103 ; t=0.38,P＞0.05) and the perfusion ratio of inferior vena cava to the right lung (0.61±0.06 vs 0.60±0.06 ; t =0.74,P ＞ 0.05) were similar between the two terms of follow-up.The early angiographic and radionuclide perfusion studies did not match in 5 patients.Conclusions Hypostatic redistribution of pulmonary blood flow is the characteristics in long-term follow-up of ETCPC patients.The radionuclide imaging is superior to angiocardiography in revealing functional pulmonary blood perfusion.

Ventilation/perfusion scan in the diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism in elderly patients / 中华核医学与分子影像杂志

Objective To compare the diagnostic efficacy of the V/Q scan and CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) for the detection of acute pulmonary embolism (PE) in elderly patients.Methods Fortyfour patients (age ≥60 years old) with suspected acute PE underwent V/Q scan and CTPA.The diagnosis of PE by V/Q scan was based on the criteria of prospective investigation of PE diagnosis (PIOPED) Ⅱ and the prospective investigative study of acute PE diagnosis (PISA-PED).The final diagnosis was made clinically.The sensitivities,specificities and accuracies of PIOPED Ⅱ,PISA-PED,CTPA and Wills score were calculated and compared using x2 and Fisher's exact tests.Kappa analysis was used to analyze the diagnostic accordance rate of PIOPED Ⅱ and PISA-PED.Results The sensitivities of PIOPED Ⅱ,PISA-PED and CTPA in the diagnosis of PE were 70.00％ (14/20),84.62％ (22/26) and 65.22％ (15/23),respectively (x2 =0.069-1.545,all P＞0.05).The sensitivity of Wills score was significantly lower (23.08％,3/13).The specificity of CTPA (93.75％,15/16) was significantly higher than those of PIOPED lⅡ and PISAPED (80.00％,12/15 and 61.11％,11/18,both P＜0.05).The accuracies of PIOPED Ⅱ,PISA-PED and CTPA were 74.29％ (26/35),75.00％ (33/44) and 76.92％ (30/39),respectively (x2 =0.005-0.070,all P＞0.05).The accuracy of Wills score was significantly lower (52.17％,12/23).The diagnostic accordance rate of PIOPED Ⅱ and PISA-PED criteria was 77.14％(27/35),Kappa=0.547,P＜0.05.Conclusion V/Q scan and CTPA have no significant difference for the diagnosis of PE in the elderly patients.

Lung ventilation/perfusion imaging in the diagnosis of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension in comparison with CT pulmonary angiography / 中华核医学与分子影像杂志

Objective To evaluate the lung V/Q imaging in the diagnosis of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH).Methods Seventy-six patients (46 males,30 females,age 27-84 y) with clinically suspected CTEPH who had undergone lung V/Q imaging,CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA),pulmonary angiography (PA) and right heart cardiac catheterization were studied.The sensitivity,specificity,accuracy,positive predictive value and negative predictive value of lung V/Q imaging in detecting CTEPH were calculated and compared with those of CTPA.The x2 test was used for statistical analysis with SPSS 11.5.The distribution of involvement of segments in 47 patients with CTEPH was analyzed.Results Forty-seven patients had a final diagnosis of CTEPH and 29 had non-CTEPH etiology.The sensitivity,specificity,accuracy,positive predictive value and negative predictive value of lung V/Q imaging were 97.9％ (46/47),86.2％ (25/29),93.4％ (71/76),92.0％ (46/50) and 96.2％ (25/26),while those of CTPA were 78.7％ (37/47),93.1％ (27/29),84.2％ (64/76),94.9％ (37/39) and 73.0％ (27/37),respectively.The sensitivity (x2 =5.818,P=0.012) and negative predictive value (x2 =5.693,P =0.017) for lung V/Q imaging were significantly higher than those of CTPA.V/Q imaging could identify patients with CTEPH from those with idiopathic PAH and familial PAH based on the almost normal ventilation imaging.The lung perfusion SPECT imaging detected 585 (62.2％) of involved segments among 940 segments in 47 patients with CTEPH,with an average of 12.4 involved segments in each patient.The number of involved segments in the right lung was significantly higher than that in the left lung (36.2％ (340/940) vs 26.1％ (245/940) ; x2 =40.85,P＜0.01).Conclusions Lung V/Q imaging plays an important role in diagnosis of CTEPH and in identification of CTEPH from other types of PAH.A normal V/Q imaging can effectively exclude CTEPH.In addition,V/Q imaging can provide more diagnostic information in patients with a clinical suspicion of CTEPH who had negative results by CTPA and PA.

Additional diagnostic value of low dose CT in ventilation/perfusion hybrid SPECT for pulmonary embolism / 中华核医学杂志

Objective To evaluate the assistant diagnostic value of low dose CT in patients with pulmonary embolism (PE) based on ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) SPECT imaging.Methods One hundred and two patients with clinical suspected PE had been enrolled for this retrospective study.The final diagnosis of PE was made according to the 2008 guidelines of European Society of Cardiology (ESC).All patients underwent V/Q SPECT/CT (Hawkeye 4,GE).The imaging findings from low dose CT lung window were used for differential diagnoses of abnormal regions in SPECT imaging.The diagnostic efficiency of V/Q SPECT alone was compared with that of V/Q SPECT combined with low dose CT scan.Crosstabsx2 test was performed using SPSS 13.0 software.Results Twenty-nine patients (28.43％,29/102) were finally diagnosed as PE.V/Q SPECT alone had a sensitivity of 93.10％ (27/29),a specificity of 90.41％ (66/73),and an accuracy of 91.18％ (93/102).With additional diagnostic information from low dose CT,the diagnostic specificity increased to 95.89％ (70/73,X2 =1.72,P ＞ 0.05 ),and the accuracy increased to 95.10％ (97/102,x2 =1.23,P ＞ 0.05) though the sensitivity remained the same.Conclusion Imaginginformation from low dose CT in hybrid SPECT/CT may enhance V/Q diagnostic accuracy for PE.

Pulmonary perfusion imaging combined with Wells score and D-dimer assay for the diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism / 中华核医学杂志

Objective To investigate the value of the Wells score and D-dimer assay in assisting pulmonary perfusion imaging (PPI) for the diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism (APE). Methods One hundred twenty-one patients with suspected APE were studied from January, 2006 to December, 2008. All patients underwent the Wells score, the quantitative D-dimer assay, chest X-ray photography, and PPI. The diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of PPI with the assistance of Wells score and D-dimer assay were calculated. Results Fifty (41.3%) patients were diagnosed with APE. PPI combined with chest X-ray photography (Q/X scan) showed positive results in 49 patients. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of the Q/X scan were 86.0% (43/50), 91.5% (65/71), 87.8% (43/49) and 90.3% (65/72), respectively. With assistance of Wells score >4 and D-dimer≥0. 5 mg/L, Q/X scan had a positive predictive value of 100.0% (29/29), for patients with Wells score ≤4 and D-dimer<0.5 mg/L, the negative predictive value for Q/X scan was 100.0% (41/41). Conclusion Combined with Wells score and D-dimer assay, PPI can make accurate diagnosis of APE.

Risk stratification of patients with combined acute pulmonary embolism and pulmonary hypertension using dynamic and regular pulmonary perfusion imaging / 中华核医学杂志

Objective To stratify the risks of patients with acute pulmonary embolism (APE) and pulmonary hypertension (PH) by dynamic pulmonary perfusion imaging (DPPI) and pulmonary perfusion imaging (PPI). Methods From October 2007 to February 2009, 20 healthy volunteers ( 12 males, 8 females; mean age =48.47 ±13.47 years) and 31 APE patients (21 males, 10 females; mean age =47.68 ±18.06 years; from October 2007 to July 2009) were included in the study. DPPI and PPI were performed in all subjects. Percentage of perfusion defect scores ( PPDs% ) were calculated by semi-quantitative analysis of PPI. Risk levels were defined according to PPDs% calculated from PPI: normal (PPDs% =0); very low risk (0 ＜ PPDs% ≤10% ); low risk (10% ＜ PPDs% ≤20% ); moderate risk (20% ＜ PPDs% ≤40% );high risk (40% ＜ PPDs% ≤60% ) and very high risk ( PPDs% ＞ 60% ). Lung equilibrium time (LET)was calculated on region of interest (ROI) drawn over DPPI. Clinical risk was scored by Aujesky method.The t-test, ANOVA and correlation analysis were used with SPSS 13.0 software. Results ( 1 ) LET in healthy volunteers and APE patients was ( 12.18 ± 3.28) and (32.90 ± 14.29) s respectively (t = 6. 81,P ＜ 0. 01 ). (2) The correlation coefficient, coefficient of determination between LET and PPDs% in APE patients were 0.93 and 0. 87, respectively. The correlation coefficient between LET and clinical risk score was 0.86. (3)The mean LET of APE patients in very low risk (n =5), low risk (n = 12), moderate risk (n=9), high risk (n=4) and very high risk groups (n=1) were (19.59 ±0.04), (25.03 ±0.08),(36.07 ±0. 10), (57.15 ±0.06) and (70 ±0.00) s, respectively. There was significant difference among APE patients with different risk levels (F =16. 78, P ＜0.01). Conclusions ( 1 ) DPPI was a reliable, convenient and non-invasive method for the evaluation of PH in APE. (2) Combined LET of DPPI and PPDs% of PPI was valuable for risk stratification and prognosis estimation in APE patients.

Accurate localization of pulmonary segments on pulmonary perfusion SPECT/CT imaging / 中华核医学杂志

Objective To investigate the methods for localization of the lung segments on three-dimentional (3D) pulmonary perfusion SPECT/CT imaging.Methods Twelve healthy adults were recruited into this study.Lung segments were defined based on the anatomical criteria of CT on transaxial, sagittal and coronal images, including apical, posterior, anterior segments in right upper lobe ( RUL), lateral, medial segments in right middle lobe ( RML), superior, anterior basal, lateral basal, posterior basal segments in right lower lobe (RLL); apical posterior, anterior, superior lingual, inferior lingual segments of left upper lobe ( LUL), superior, medioanterior basal, lateral basal, posterior basal segments of left lower lobe (LLL).Results (1) Eleven typical sections were selected on transaxial SPECT pulmonary perfusion imaging:sternoclavicular joint, supra-arch vessels, aortic arch, azygous arch, right upper lobar bronchus, left upper lobar bronchus, middle lobar or lingual bronchus, basal trunk of bronchus, lower lobar vein, superior and inferior basal vein and basal vein.(2) Twelve typical sections were defined on sagittal imaging:left hilum, bifurcation of left principal bronchus, septa of left pulmonary artery, cardiac apex, the first and second sections left to cardiac apex; right hilum, bifurcation of intermite bronchus, interlobar artery, bifurcation of interlobar artery, the second and third sections right to right atrium.(3) Seven typical sections were defined on coronal imaging:sternoclavicular joint, ascending aorta, bifurcation of pulmonary artery, bifurcation of trachea, intermite bronchus, basal vein and thoracic aorta.Conclusion The developed method was able to localize lung segments on pulmonary perfusion SPECT imaging.

Diagnosis and Post-Therapeutic Evaluation of Arteriovenous Malformations in Extremities Using Transarterial Lung Perfusion Scintigraphy / 핵의학분자영상

PURPOSE: Differential diagnosis between arteriovenous (AVMs) and non-arteriovenous malformations (nAVMs) is important in patients with congenital vascular malformations, because AVMs can cause hemodynamic alteration and require immediate treatment. We investigated whether transarterial lung perfusion scintigraphy (TLPS) was useful for the diagnosis and post-therapeutic evaluation of AVMs in extremities. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-seven patients (M:F=26:31, 21+/-13 yr, 9 upper and 48 lower extremities) suspected of congenital vascular malformations in extremities underwent TLPS using 99mTc-MAA before embolization/sclerotherapy. Dose-corrected shunt fraction (SF) was calculated from time-activity curve of the lung. Final diagnosis of AVMs was determined by angiography. In patients with AVMs, follow-up TLPS was done for post-therapeutic evaluation. RESULTS: Sixteen patients (8 upper and 8 lower extremities) had AVMs, while the remaining 41 had nAVMs (1 upper and 40 lower extremities). The mean SF of AVMs on TLPS was significantly higher than that of nAVMs (66.4+/-25.8% vs. 2.8+/-4.3%, p=0.003). The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of TLPS (cut-off of SF = 20.0%) in diagnosis of AVMs before treatment were 93.8% (15/16), 100% (41/41) and 98.2% (56/57), respectively. The follow-up TLPS and angiography for post-therapeutic evaluation showed concordant results in 13 of 16 patients (81.3%) with AVMs. The mean SF of TLPS was significantly decreased after embolization/sclerotherapy (69.5+/-24.0% vs. 41.0+/-34.7%, p=0.01). CONCLUSION: TLPS provides hemodynamic information of AVMs in extremities semiquantitatively. Furthermore, the results of TLPS showed a high concordance rate with angiographic findings. Therefore, TLPS is useful for the diagnosis and post-therapeutic evaluation of AVMs in extremities.

Hypoxemia In Liver Cirrhosis And Intrapulmonary Shunt Determination Using Tc-99m-MAA Whole Body Scan / 결핵

BACKGROUND: It is well known that severe hypoxemia is often associated with liver cirrhosis without preexisting cardiac or pulmonary diseases. Pulmonary vascular impairments, more specifically, intrapulmonary shunting have been considered as a major mechanism. Intrapulmonary shunting arises from pulmonary vascular dilatation at the precapillary level or direct arteriovenous communication and has relationship with the characteristic skin findings of spider angioma. However, these results are mainly from Western countries where alcoholic and primary biliary cirrhosis are dominant causes of cirrhosis. It is uncertain that tie same is true in viral hepatitiss associated liver cirrhosis, which is dominant causes of liver cirrhosis in Korea. We investigated the incidences of hypoxemia and orthodeoxia in Korean cirrhotic patients dominantly composed of postnecrotic cirrhosis and the significance of intrapulmonary shunting as the suggested mechanism of hypoxemia. METHOD: We performed the arterial blood gas analysis separately both at the supine and errect position in 48 stable cirrhotic patients without the evidences of severe complications such as ascites, variceal bleeding, and hepatic coma. According to the results of arterial blood gas analysis, all patients were divided into hypoxemic and normoxemic group. In each group, pulmonary function test and Tc-99m-MAA whole body scan were performed. The shunting fraction was calculated based on the fact that the sum of cerebral and bilateral renal blood flow is 32% of the systemic blood flow. RESULTS: The hypoxemia of PaO2 less than 80 mmHg was observed in 9 patients(18.8%) and Orthodeoxia more than 10 mmHg was observed in 8 patients(16.7%). Hut there was no patient with significant hypoxemia of PaO2 less than 60 mmHg. PaO2 was significantly decreased in the patients with spider angioma than the patients without spider angioma and showed no correlation with the serologic type and severities of liver function test findings. Any parameters of pulmonary function test did not demonstrate the difference between normoxemic and hypoxemic group. But hypoxemic group showed significantly increased shunt fraction of 11.4+/-4.1% than normoxemic group of 4.1+/-2.0% (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Hypoxemia is not infrequently observed complication in liver cirrhosis and intrapulmonary shunting is suggested to play a major role in the development of hypxemia. But there was no great likelihood of clinically significant hypoxemia in our domestic cirrhotic patients predominantly composed of postnecrotic type.

Mechanism of breviscapine entrapped by polymethacrylate nanospheres / 中成药

AIM: To prepare polymethacrylate nanospheres and study the mechanism of breviscapine entrapped by polymethacrylate nanospheres. METHODS: Polymethacrylate nanospheres were prepared by microemulsion polymerization with SDS as surfactant, n-butanol as cosurfactant, MAA and BMA as monomer, TRIM as cross-linker and AIBN as initiator. Breviscapine added would be divided into two ways:prior to polymerization (encapsulation) and after polymerization (sorption), respectively. RESULTS: The size of the nanospheres was found to be 50nm by measuring with TEM. The ? potential of the nanospheres was -27.2 mv and it was increased after breviscapine being entrapped. The drug content entrapped in nanospheres was proportional to the drugs amount added in encapsulation method while the drug content in nanospheres was increased step by step in sorption method. CONCLUSION: The polymethacrylate nanospheres prepared by microemulsion polymerization could be applied to encapsulate hydrophobic traditional Chinese medicine extracts.