FDG-PET/MRI fused data sets for the detection of liver metastases in patients undergoing systemic anticancer treatment

To retrospectively describe imaging characteristics of liver metastases on fused FDG-PET/MRI data sets and to compare the diagnostic accuracy of MRI and fused FDG-PET/MRI data sets for the detection of liver metastases in patients undergoing systemic anticancer treatment. 43 oncological patients [mean age: 56 +/- 11 years] were investigated by FDG-PET/CT and liver MRI. FDG-PET data from PET/CT scans were fused with MRI. 556 lesions were evaluated. 5 different evaluation algorithms were used for FDG-PET/MRI evaluation. The sensitivity, specifity, PPV, NPV and accuracy of MRI and FDG-PET/MRI data for the detection of liver metastases were calculated. A mean follow-up of 647 days served as reference standard. McNemar's test was used to test for statistically significant differences between MRI and FDG-PET/MRI [p<0.5]. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV and accuracy of MRI for the detection of liver metastases were 86%, 81%, 97%, 47%, and 85% and 50%, 100%, 100%, 22%, and 56%, for FDGPET/MRI. FDG-PET/MRI was significantly less accurate than MRI alone [p<.001]. In opposite to patients before systemic anticancer therapy the fusion of FDG-PET data with liver MRI cannot be recommended for the detection of liver metastases in patients undergoing systemic oncological therapy

Alveolar stability under different combinations of positive end-expiratory pressure and tidal volume: alveolar microscopy in isolated injured rat lungs / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>High positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) and low tidal volume (VT) ventilation is thought to be a protective ventilation strategy. It is hypothesized that the stabilization of collapsible alveoli during expiration contributes to lung protection. However, this hypothesis came from analysis of indirect indices like the analysis of the pressure-volume curve of the lung. The purpose of this study was to investigate isolated healthy and injured rat lungs by means of alveolar microscopy, in which combination of PEEP and VT is beneficial with respect to alveolar stability (I-E%).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Alveolar stability was investigated in isolated, non-perfused mechanically ventilated rat lungs. Injured lungs were compared with normal lungs. For both groups three PEEP settings (5, 10, 20 cmH2O) were combined with three VT settings (6, 10, 15 ml/kg) resulting in nine PEEP-VT combinations per group. Analysis was performed by alveolar microscopy.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In normal lungs alveolar stability persisted in all PEEP-VT combinations (I-E% (3.2 +/- 11.0)%). There was no significant difference using different settings (P > 0.01). In contrast, alveoli in injured lungs were extremely instable at PEEP levels of 5 cmH2O (mean I-E% 100%) and 10 cmH2O (mean I-E% (30.7 +/- 16.8)%); only at a PEEP of 20 cmH2O were alveoli stabilized (mean I-E% of (0.2 +/- 9.3)%).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>In isolated healthy lungs alveolar stability is almost unaffected by different settings of PEEP and VT. In isolated injured lungs only a high PEEP level of 20 cmH2O resulted in stabilized alveoli whereas lower PEEP levels are associated with alveolar instability.</p>