Difficulties in Differentiating Cardiac Lymphoma and Metastasis Based on Radiologic Features:Two Case Reports

Cardiac tumors are rare diseases with various imaging findings. However, differentiating cardiac tumors based on imaging findings is challenging because of similarities in imaging features. We present two cases of cardiac tumors, including primary cardiac lymphoma and cardiac metastasis, in which the differential diagnosis was difficult.

Clinical Implication of 18F-FDG-PET in Diagnosing and Monitoring Disease Activity in a Case of Subclinical Stage of Giant Cell Arteritis

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a systemic vasculitis which typically occurs in persons over 50 years old. GCA is closely related to polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR). A temporal artery biopsy is the gold standard test for the diagnosis of GCA. Recently, there is increasing evidence for the role of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG-PET) in diagnosis of vasculitis. Here, we report on a case of a 67-year-old Korean male who was diagnosed with atypical GCA in subclinical stage concomitant with PMR by 18F-FDG-PET. After treatment, abnormal findings of 18F-FDG-PET were improved.

Usefulness of (18)F-FDG PET/CT in Locoregional Recurrence of Differentiated Thyroid Cancer: Comparison PET/CT to PET and Neck Ultrasonography for Biopsy-proven Lesions / 핵의학분자영상

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the usefulness of (18)F-FDG PET/CT with neck ultrasonography (neck US) in patients with recurrent, papillary thyroid cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This retrospective study (December 2006 to April 2008) enrolled sixty-one patients (ninety-one lesions) who underwent high-dose (131)I-ablation therapy after total thyroidectomy, and evaluated recurred papillary thyroid cancer. All lesions were confirmed by histopathology and compared histopathologic findings to PET, PET/CT, and neck US findings. RESULTS: In sixty-one patients (57 women, 4 men; age range, 24-81 years, mean 49 years; 61 papillary carcinomas), the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy of (18)F-FDG PET/CT was 87.2%, 64.0%, 78.1% on a patient basis and 92.3%, 66.7%, 80.9% on a lesion basis, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy of (18)F-FDG PET was 71.8% (p=0.03), 59.0% (p=1.00), 67.2% (p=0.03) on a patient basis and 78.8% (p<0.01), 64.1% (p=1.00), 72.5% (p=0.02) on a lesion basis, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy of neck US was 71.1% (p=0.07), 52.2% (p=0.75), 63.9% (p=0.05) on a patient basis and 71.2% (p<0.01), 61.5% (p=1.00), 67.0% (p=0.06) on a lesion basis, respectively. Combined (18)F-FDG PET/CT with neck US improved the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy to 94.7% (p=0.50), 82.6% (p=0.13), 90.2% (p=0.03) on a patient basis and 96.2% (p=0.50), 89.7% (p<0.01), 93.4% (p<0.01) on a lesion basis, respectively. CONCLUSION: (18)F-FDG PET/CT demonstrated significantly higher sensitivity than neck US for the detection of recurred papillary thyroid cancer lesions. Furthermore, combined (18)F-FDG PET/CT with neck US showed more improved sensitivity, specificity, accuracy for diagnosis of recurrent papillary thyroid cancer.

(18)F-FDG PET/CT for the Preoperative Diagnosis of Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma: The Value of Dual Time Point Imaging / 핵의학분자영상

PURPOSE: We studied the patterns of FDG uptake of primary papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMCa) lesions and benign thyroid nodules in dual time point (18)F-FDG PET/CT imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Consecutive 134 patients (154 lesions) with PTMCa and 49 patients (61 nodules) with benign thyroid nodules equal to or less than 1.0 cm who underwent dual time point (18)F-FDG PET/CT study before surgery were enrolled. We calculated the maximum standardized uptake value of PTMCa and benign nodules in both time points, and percent change of SUVmax (delta%SUVmax) and lesion to background ratio of SUVmax (delta%L:B ratio) between both time points. The mean time interval between scans was 23.4+/-4.4 minutes (thyroid to thyroid interval: 10.7+/-4.4 minutes). RESULTS: The mean of SUVmax of PTMCa was increased from 4.9+/-4.3 to 5.3+/-4.7 (p<0.001) and delta%SUVmax was 12.3+/-23.6%. But, the mean of SUVmax of benign nodules was no definite change (2.1+/-1.0 to 2.1+/-1.3, p=0.686) and delta%SUVmax was -0.3+/-20.5%. Of the 154 PTMCa, 100 nodules (64.9%) showed an increase in SUVmax over time, while 19 (31.1%) of the 61 benign thyroid nodules showed an increase (p<0.001). The dual time point (18)F-FDG PET/CT found more PTMCa in visual assessment (62.3% vs. 76.6%, p=0.006), even in smaller than 0.5 cm (38.6% vs. 60.0%, p=0.011). CONCLUSION: Dual time time (18)F-FDG PET/CT imaging was more useful than single time point (18)F-FDG PET/CT imaging for distinction between PTMCa and benign nodule, especially when nodule showed equivocal or negative findings in single time point (18)F-FDG PET/CT imaging or was smaller than 0.5 cm.

A Discrepancy between (131)I-Metaiodobenzylguanidine ((131)I-MIBG) Scintigraphy and (18)F-FDG PET/CT after (131)I-MIBG Therapy in a Patient with Recurred Malignant Pheochromocytoma / 핵의학분자영상

A 59-year-old woman who was diagnosed with malignant pheochromocytoma underwent (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography ((18)F-FDG PET/CT). She had undergone left adrenalectomy for pheochromocytoma 4 years previously. Recent multiple metastatic pulmonary nodules were noted on the chest X-ray. After treatment with (131)I-metaiodobenzylguanidine ((131)I-MIBG) with 7.4 GBq, post-therapy (131)I-MIBG scintigraphy depicted multiple distant metastases including lung, liver, abdominal para-aortic and mesenteric lymph nodes. (18)F-FDG PET/CT also depicted multiple metastases in lung, liver, and abdominal para-aortic lymph nodes, but some lesions were not shown. In this case, (131)I-MIBG scintigraphy found additional lesions in metastatic malignant pheochromocytoma.

(99m)Tc-HDP Bone Scintigraphy Finding of Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Bone Lesion Changed from Hot to Cold Lesion: Comparing with (18)F-FDG PET/CT / 핵의학분자영상

A 26-year-old man with renal cell carcinoma underwent (99m)Tc-HDP bone scintigraphy for detecting bony metastasis after left total nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma. (99m)Tc-HDP bone scintigraphy showed small hot lesion in the first lumbar spine. About 12 months later, he underwent spinal MRI for lower back pain. A large mass was seen around spinous process of the first lumbar spine (L1) on spinal MRI and confirmed as metastatic renal cell carcinoma by bone biopsy. (99m)Tc-HDP bone scintigraphy and (18)F-FDG PET/CT were underwent for further evaluation. (99m)Tc-HDP bone scintigraphy showed cold lesion in the first lumbar spine which was initially hot and newly developed hot lesion in the twelfth thoracic spine, and which were shown as hypermetabolic lesions in (18)F-FDG PET/CT. We report a case of bony metastasis from renal cell carcinoma which is changed from hot lesion to cold lesion in (99m)Tc-HDP bone scintigraphy and compare with (18)F-FDG PET/CT.

Partial Obstruction of an Armored Endotracheal Tube during a Carotid Endarterectomy due to Tracheal Deviation in a Pnemonectomized Patient / 대한마취과학회지

Endotracheal tube obstruction during anesthesia can have many causes. Hyperinflation of the remaining lung after a pneumonectomy can severely displace the trachea, and attachment of an endotracheal tube tip to the wall of a deviated trachea may also cause severe airway obstruction. The right lung of the patient was removed 3 years ago due to lung cancer. Compensatory hyperinflation of the left lung and severe right-sided tracheal deviation was seen on a chest X-ray. An armored endotracheal tube without Murphy's eye was used. Two hours after beginning the operation, peak airway pressure and PETCO2 began to increase gradually. A wheezing-like sound was heard. Bronchospasm was suspected, but signs of a spasm were not relieved by medications. The signs completely disappeared after pulling the tube 2 cm proximal. The position of the tube should be confirmed by fiberoptic bronchoscopy or chest X-ray after intubation when the trachea is deviated.

The infusion rate of mivacurium or atracurium for cesarean section compared with gynecological procedures

Mivacurium is mainly metabolized by plasma cholinesterase, whereas atracurium is removed by Hofman elimination. The purpose of this study was to compare the infusion rate of atracurium and mivacurium in maintaining surgical relaxation, and to compare their recovery indices between parturients and non-pregnant women. Muscle relaxation was maintained by the continuous infusion of relaxants to retain the first response of train-of-four (TOF) at 5% of control. When mivacurium was used, Bolus-T5 (duration from the end of mivacurium bolus injection to 5% single twitch recovery) was measured. After discontinuing the infusion, the recovery index was measured. The infusion rate of mivacurium, not atracurium, was significantly lower in parturients and Bolus-T5 of parturients was significantly longer than that of non-pregnant women. There was no significant difference in the recovery indices of both relaxants. The authors concluded that the infusion rate of mivacurium in maintaining muscle relaxation in parturients should be reduced compared to the rate in non-pregnant women and measuring Bolus-T5 may be helpful in determining the infusion rate to maintain muscle relaxation.

Clinical and Hemodynamic Characteristics of Double Chambered Right Ventricle

No abstract available.