[18F]fluoro-ethylcholine-PET Plus 4D-CT (FEC-PET-CT): A Break-Through Tool to Localize the "Negative" Parathyroid Adenoma. One Year Follow Up Results Involving 170 Patients.

BACKGROUND: The diagnostic performance of [18F]fluoro-ethylcholine-PET-CT&4D-CT (FEC-PET&4D-CT) to identify parathyroid adenomas (PA) was analyzed when ultrasound (US) or MIBI-Scan (MS) failed to localize. Postsurgical one year follow-up data are presented. METHODS: Patients in whom US and MS delivered either incongruent or entirely negative findings were subjected to FEC-PET&4D-CT and cases from July 2017 to June 2020 were analyzed, retrospectively. Cervical exploration with intraoperative PTH-monitoring (IO-PTH) was performed. Imaging results were correlated to intraoperative findings, and short term and one year postoperative follow-up data. RESULTS: From July 2017 to June 2020 in 171 FEC-PET&4D-CTs 159 (92.9%) PAs were suggested. 147 patients already had surgery, FEC-PET&4D-CT accurately localized in 141; false neg. 4, false pos. 2, global sensitivity 0.97; accuracy 0.96, PPV 0.99. All of the 117 patients that already have completed their 12-month postoperative follow up had normal biochemical parameter, i.e., no signs of persisting disease. However, two cases may have a potential for recurrent disease, for a cure rate of at least 98.3%. CONCLUSION: FEC-PET&4D-CT shows unprecedented results regarding the accuracy localizing PAs. The one-year-follow-up data demonstrate a high cure rate. We, therefore, suggest FEC-PET-CT as the relevant diagnostic tool for the localization of PAs when US fails to localize PA, especially after previous surgery to the neck.

Is there any additional benefit of contrast-enhanced CT as part of routine PET/CT protocols for the differentiation of suspicious incidental gastrointestinal 2-deoxy-(18)F-FDG uptake?

OBJECTIVE: Suspicious incidental gastrointestinal FDG uptake during positron-emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) examinations can be caused by different diseases, including malignancies. However, differentiation with PET alone is difficult. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of PET alone, contrast-enhanced CT (ceCT), and low-dose CT (ldCT) in routine PET/CT protocols for differentiation of incidental gastrointestinal lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty patients with incidental gastrointestinal lesions who underwent a routine PET/CT protocol with ldCT and ceCT were retrospectively analysed. The PET lesions were evaluated regarding their FDG uptake patterns and the standard uptake value. The anatomical correlates in both CT protocols were compared in regard to the correct lesion classification with the reference standard endoscopy. RESULTS: Sixty-two lesions were found in 60 patients (17 malignant, 10 premalignant, 5 benign, 13 inflammatory, 17 physiological). The differentiation of the FDG uptake patterns did not enable reliable lesion classification. The positive predictive value for pathology was 0.81 for ceCT in PET/CT and 0.70 for ldCT. Malignancies were detected in 100% of the patients by ceCT vs. 29.4% by ldCT. The false negative rate of ceCT for all pathologies was 31.1%, vs. 68.9% for ldCT. False positive results (17/62) could not be excluded sufficiently by either CT protocol. CONCLUSION: PET/ceCT protocols provide additional benefit especially in detecting gastrointestinal malignancies as a cause of suspicious incidental gastrointestinal FDG uptake. However, since follow-up endoscopy cannot be forgone due to the considerable false negative rate even with ceCT, the addition of ceCT to a routine PET/ldCT protocol cannot be recommended for this purpose.

Preoperative assessment of peritoneal carcinomatosis: intraindividual comparison of 18F-FDG PET/CT and MRI.

OBJECTIVE: Exact determination of localization and extent of peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) before peritonectomy and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is crucial for the clinical outcome. Our study compares dynamic contrast enhanced 3D MRI (T1wDCE) and 18F-FDG PET/CT regarding diagnostic accuracy in correlation with surgical exploration (SE) and histological (HI) results. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 15 patients with PC were examined on a 1.5T MRI and 16 slice PET/CT. MRI: coronal T1wDCE covering the complete abdomen (0.15 mmol Gd-chelate/kg BW, 2000 mL mannitol solution p.o., 40 mg buscopan i.v.). PET-CT: contrast enhanced 16slice CT (120 mL ultravist 370 i.v., 1000 mL mannitol solution p.o., 40 mg buscopan i.v.), PET: 350 MBq 18-FDG i.v., 3 min acquisition time/bed, 60 min after tracer injektion). Assessment by two independent, experienced observers in correlation with results of SE and HI for each abdominal segment based on the peritoneal cancer index (PCI) proposed by Sugarbaker and co-authors. RESULTS: MRI and PET/CT provided reliable detection of PC. One patient had to be excluded from statistical analysis. In summary, 182 segments were assessed (13/patient, 14 patients, one patient excluded from statistical analysis). PC was found in 118 by MRI, 124 by PET/CT. 4 segments were classified false positive for MRI, 2 for PET/CT. False negative segments (MRI: 17, PET/CT: 9) did not result in irresectability. Positive predictive value for PC/segment was 97/98%, negative predictive value 73/84%, sensitivity 87/93%, specificity 92/96%, and diagnostic accuracy 88/94% (MRI/PET/CT). CONCLUSION: With high diagnostic accuracy for PC of both, MRI and PET/CT, PET/CT provides better diagnostic accuracy and especially better NPV.

Multiphase contrast-enhanced CT with highly concentrated contrast agent can be used for PET attenuation correction in integrated PET/CT imaging.

PURPOSE: State-of-the-art positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) systems incorporate multislice CT technology, thus facilitating the acquisition of multiphase, contrast-enhanced CT data as part of integrated PET/CT imaging protocols. We assess the influence of a highly concentrated iodinated contrast medium (CM) on quantification and image quality following CT-based attenuation correction (CT-AC) in PET/CT. METHODS: Twenty-eight patients with suspected malignant liver lesions were enrolled prospectively. PET/CT was performed 60 min after injection of 400 MBq of (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) and following the biphasic administration of an intravenous CM (400 mg iodine/ml, Iomeron 400). PET images were reconstructed with CT-AC using any of four acquired CT image sets: non-enhanced, pre-contrast (n-PET), arterial phase (art-PET), portal venous phase (pv-PET) and late phase (late-PET). Normal tissue activity and liver lesions were assessed visually and quantitatively on each PET/CT image set. RESULTS: Visual assessment of PET following CT-AC revealed no noticeable difference in image appearance or quality when using any of the four CT data sets for CT-AC. A total of 44 PET-positive liver lesions was identified in 21 of 28 patients. There were no false-negative or false-positive lesions on PET. Mean standardized uptake values (SUV) in 36 evaluable lesions were: 5.5 (n-PET), 5.8 (art-PET), 5.8 (pv-PET) and 5.8 (late-PET), with the highest mean increase in mean SUV of 6%. Mean SUV changes in liver background increased by up to 10% from n-PET to pv-PET. CONCLUSION: Multiphase CT data acquired with the use of highly concentrated CM can be used for qualitative assessment of liver lesions in torso FDG PET/CT. The influence on quantification of FDG uptake is small and negligible for most clinical applications.

Peritoneal carcinomatosis: comparison of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging with surgical and histopathologic findings.

OBJECTIVE: In patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) accurate preoperative assessment is essential to determine indication and surgical procedure to ensure optimal outcome. Purpose of our study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy (DA) of multiphasic dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI to determine the extent of PC in correlation with surgical and histopathological findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 14 Patients with proven PC were examined on a 1.5T system before peritonectomy and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy. Patient preparation included oral application of 2000 mL mannitol solution and 40 mg butylscopolaminiumbromid i.v. Coronal contrast-enhanced multiphasic dynamic T1w 3D gre sequences (T1W DCE) (0.15 mmol Gd-chelate/kg bw) covering the whole abdomen were acquired (TR 2.9 ms, TE 1.1 ms, resolution 2.0 × 2.0 × 1.8 mm, FOV 400 × 400 mm). MRI was assessed by two radiologists and correlated with surgical exploration (SE) and histopathology for each segment based on the peritoneal cancer index proposed by Sugarbaker et al. RESULTS: In total, 182 segments were evaluated. PC was found in 118/121 of 182 segments (reader 1/2) by MRI and in 131 segments by SE. In 4/7 segments MRI was false positive. False negative segments 17/17 in MRI did not result in irresectability. The positive predictive value for PC per segment of MRI was 97%/94%, the negative predictive value 73%/72%, the sensitivity 87%/87% and the specificity 92%/86%. The DA was 88%/87%. CONCLUSION: T1W DCE is an accurate and clinical valuable tool for the preoperative assessment of peritoneal tumor spread.

MRI-based attenuation correction for whole-body PET/MRI: quantitative evaluation of segmentation- and atlas-based methods.

UNLABELLED: PET/MRI is an emerging dual-modality imaging technology that requires new approaches to PET attenuation correction (AC). We assessed 2 algorithms for whole-body MRI-based AC (MRAC): a basic MR image segmentation algorithm and a method based on atlas registration and pattern recognition (AT&PR). METHODS: Eleven patients each underwent a whole-body PET/CT study and a separate multibed whole-body MRI study. The MR image segmentation algorithm uses a combination of image thresholds, Dixon fat-water segmentation, and component analysis to detect the lungs. MR images are segmented into 5 tissue classes (not including bone), and each class is assigned a default linear attenuation value. The AT&PR algorithm uses a database of previously aligned pairs of MRI/CT image volumes. For each patient, these pairs are registered to the patient MRI volume, and machine-learning techniques are used to predict attenuation values on a continuous scale. MRAC methods are compared via the quantitative analysis of AC PET images using volumes of interest in normal organs and on lesions. We assume the PET/CT values after CT-based AC to be the reference standard. RESULTS: In regions of normal physiologic uptake, the average error of the mean standardized uptake value was 14.1% ± 10.2% and 7.7% ± 8.4% for the segmentation and the AT&PR methods, respectively. Lesion-based errors were 7.5% ± 7.9% for the segmentation method and 5.7% ± 4.7% for the AT&PR method. CONCLUSION: The MRAC method using AT&PR provided better overall PET quantification accuracy than the basic MR image segmentation approach. This better quantification was due to the significantly reduced volume of errors made regarding volumes of interest within or near bones and the slightly reduced volume of errors made regarding areas outside the lungs.

PET/CT with 18F-FLT: does it improve the therapeutic management of metastatic germ cell tumors?

UNLABELLED: Because (18)F-FDG PET alone has only limited value in metastatic germ cell tumors (GCTs), we investigated the addition of 3'-deoxy-3'-(18)F-fluorothymidine (FLT) to (18)F-FDG for early response monitoring and prediction of the histology of residual tumor masses in patients with metastatic GCT. METHODS: Eleven patients with metastatic GCT were examined with both (18)F-FDG PET/CT and (18)F-FLT PET/CT before chemotherapy, after the first cycle of chemotherapy (early response), and 3 wk after completion of chemotherapy. In 1 patient with negative (18)F-FLT PET/CT results before chemotherapy, no further (18)F-FLT scanning was performed. PET images were analyzed visually and, using standardized uptake values (SUVs), semiquantitatively. The results were compared with the findings of CT and tumor marker levels and validated by histopathologic examination of resected residual masses, including Ki-67 immunostaining (7 patients), or by clinicoradiologic follow-up for at least 6 mo (4 patients). A responder was defined as a patient showing the presence of necrosis, a complete remission, or a marker-negative partial remission within a minimum progression-free interval of 6 mo. Early treatment response was judged according to the criteria of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer. RESULTS: Before chemotherapy, reference lesions showed increased (18)F-FDG uptake (mean SUV, 8.8; range, 2.9-15.0) in all patients and moderate (18)F-FLT uptake (mean SUV, 3.7; range, 1.7-9.7) in 10 of 11 patients. After 1 cycle of chemotherapy, mean SUV decreased in responders and nonresponders by 64% and 60%, respectively, for (18)F-FDG (P = 0.8) and by 58% and 48%, respectively, for (18)F-FLT (P = 0.5). After the end of chemotherapy, mean SUV decreased in responders and nonresponders by 85% and 73%, respectively, for (18)F-FDG (P = 0.1) and by 68% and 65%, respectively, for (18)F-FLT (P = 0.8). The results of early and final PET were inconsistent in 6 of 11 patients for (18)F-FDG and in 4 of 10 patients for (18)F-FLT. Both patients with teratoma had false-negative results on both (18)F-FDG and (18)F-FLT. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value for detection of viable tumor after 1 cycle of chemotherapy were 60%, 33%, 43%, and 50%, respectively, for (18)F-FDG and 60%, 80%, 75%, and 67%, respectively, for (18)F-FLT PET/CT. The respective values after the end of chemotherapy were 20%, 100%, 100%, and 60% for (18)F-FDG and 0%, 100%, 0%, and 50% for (18)F-FLT PET/CT. CONCLUSION: PET-negative residual masses after chemotherapy of metastatic GCT still require resection, since the low negative predictive value of (18)F-FDG PET for viable tumor cannot be improved by application of (18)F-FLT.

Presumed tuberculosis-induced retinal vasculitis, diagnosed with positron emission tomography (18F-FDG-PET/CT), aspiration biopsy, and culture.

PURPOSE: The diagnosis of tuberculosis as an etiological factor in patients with uveitis is difficult because of lack of specific diagnostic tests. The authors report 2 cases of occlusive retinal vasculitis, in which (18)F-FDG-PET/CT was helpful for the diagnosis of tuberculosis as a presumptive cause of intraocular inflammation. METHODS: In 2 patients with severe occlusive retinal vasculitis and positive QuantiFERON TB-Gold test, (18)F-FDG-PET/CT, transbronchial needle-aspiration biopsy, and microbiological investigation were performed. RESULTS: (18)F-FDG-PET/CT showed increased fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in some mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes. After needle-aspiration biopsy of PET-positive lymph nodes, M. tuberculosis was recovered in culture in both cases. Remission of uveitis was achieved only after a combination therapy with 3 anti-tubercular agents and systemic steroids. CONCLUSION: The authors favor the use of (18)F-FDG-PET/CT in patients with sight-threatening intraocular inflammation and positive interferon-gamma release assay. Anti-tubercular therapy, together with anti-inflammatory treatment, may lead to a remission in such patients.

(18)F-FDG-PET/CT to select patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis for cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Cytoreductive surgery followed by hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is associated with significantly longer survival in patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC). So far, no morphological imaging method has proven to accurately assess the intra-abdominal tumor spread. This study was designed to predict tumor load in patients with PC using dual-modality (18)FDG-PET/CT and to compare the results with those of PET and CT alone by correlating imaging findings with intraoperative staging. METHODS: Twenty-two patients with PC from gastrointestinal (n = 13), ovarian cancer (n = 8), and mesothelioma (n = 1) underwent contrast-enhanced (18)FDG-PET/CT before surgery and HIPEC. In a retrospective analysis PET, CT, and fused PET/CT were separately and blindly reviewed for the extent of peritoneal involvement using the Peritoneal Cancer Index (PCI). Imaging results were correlated with the intraoperative PCI using Pearson's correlation coefficient and linear regression analysis. RESULTS: There was a strong correlation between the PCI obtained with PET/CT and the surgical PCI with respect to the total score (r = 0.951) as well as in the regional analysis (small bowel, r = 0.838; other, r = 0.703). The correlation was slightly lower for CT alone (total score, r = 0.919; small bowel, r = 0.754; other, r = 0.666) and significantly lower (p = 0.002) for PET alone (total score, r = 0.793; small bowel, r = 0.553, other, 0.507). CONCLUSIONS: Contrast-enhanced CT is superior compared with PET alone to predict the extent of PC. In our patient group, the combination of both modalities (contrast enhanced PET/CT) yielded the best results and proved to be a useful tool for selecting candidates for peritonectomy and HIPEC.

MRI-based attenuation correction for PET/MRI: a novel approach combining pattern recognition and atlas registration.

UNLABELLED: For quantitative PET information, correction of tissue photon attenuation is mandatory. Generally in conventional PET, the attenuation map is obtained from a transmission scan, which uses a rotating radionuclide source, or from the CT scan in a combined PET/CT scanner. In the case of PET/MRI scanners currently under development, insufficient space for the rotating source exists; the attenuation map can be calculated from the MR image instead. This task is challenging because MR intensities correlate with proton densities and tissue-relaxation properties, rather than with attenuation-related mass density. METHODS: We used a combination of local pattern recognition and atlas registration, which captures global variation of anatomy, to predict pseudo-CT images from a given MR image. These pseudo-CT images were then used for attenuation correction, as the process would be performed in a PET/CT scanner. RESULTS: For human brain scans, we show on a database of 17 MR/CT image pairs that our method reliably enables estimation of a pseudo-CT image from the MR image alone. On additional datasets of MRI/PET/CT triplets of human brain scans, we compare MRI-based attenuation correction with CT-based correction. Our approach enables PET quantification with a mean error of 3.2% for predefined regions of interest, which we found to be clinically not significant. However, our method is not specific to brain imaging, and we show promising initial results on 1 whole-body animal dataset. CONCLUSION: This method allows reliable MRI-based attenuation correction for human brain scans. Further work is necessary to validate the method for whole-body imaging.

Computed tomography, positron emission tomography, positron emission tomography/computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging for staging of limited pleural mesothelioma: initial results.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate and compare the role of computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET), PET/CT, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the correct staging of patients with limited malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-four patients with an epithelial MPM (34 men and 20 women) were included in this study. Patients were referred to our department for staging in a predicted resectable state (stage II/III). Within 3 days, PET/CT and MRI was performed in all patients. Images were evaluated by 3 specialists in the field of PET/CT and MRI. The subexaminations of PET/CT, PET, and CT were independently evaluated with respect to tumor stage. Subexaminations were compared with each other, with MRI and PET/CT. N-stage was verified by mediastinoscopy. Afterward, consensus reading was performed.In 52 patients, surgery served as gold standard. In 2 patients, follow-up control served as gold standard as an inoperable situation with distant metastases was found. Additionally, interobserver variability (kappa value) was calculated. RESULTS: In stage II, accuracy was 0.77 (CT), 0.86 (PET), 0.8 (MRI), 1.0 (PET/CT), and in stage III 0.75, 0.83, 0.9, 1.0. PET/CT was significantly more accurate (P < 0.05) in stages II and III compared with all other techniques. CT and MRI were not able to detect distant metastases in 2 patients, which changed therapy (operable vs. inoperable). Interobserver variability was 0.7, 0.9, 0.8, 1.0 in stage II and 0.9, 0.9, 0.9, 1.0 in stage III. CONCLUSION: PET/CT makes it possible to stage patients with limited MPM with high accuracy and low interobserver variability.

Single and dual energy attenuation correction in PET/CT in the presence of iodine based contrast agents.

In present positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) scanners, PET attenuation correction is performed by relying on the information given by a single CT scan. The scaling of the linear attenuation coefficients from CT x-ray energy to PET 511 keV gamma energy is prone to errors especially in the presence of CT contrast agents. Attenuation correction based upon two CT scans at different energies but performed at the same time and patient position should reduce such errors and therefore improve the accuracy of the reconstructed PET images at the cost of introduced additional noise. Such CT scans could be provided by future PET/CT scanners that have either dual source CT or energy sensitive CT. Three different dual energy scaling methods for attenuation correction are introduced and assessed by measurements with a modified NEMA 1994 phantom with different CT contrast agent concentrations. The scaling is achieved by differentiating between (1) Compton and photoelectric effect, (2) atomic number and density, or (3) water-bone and water-iodine scaling schemes. The scaling method (3) is called hybrid dual energy computed tomography attenuation correction (hybrid DECTAC). All three dual energy scaling methods lead to a reduction of contrast agent artifacts with respect to single energy scaling. The hybrid DECTAC method resulted in PET images with the weakest artifacts. Both, the hybrid DECTAC and Compton/photoelectric effect scaling resulted also in images with the lowest PET background variability. Atomic number/density scaling and Compton/photoelectric effect scaling had problems to correctly scale water, hybrid DECTAC scaling and single energy scaling to correctly scale Teflon. Atomic number/density scaling and hybrid DECTAC could be generalized to reduce these problems.

Histological verification of 11C-choline-positron emission/computed tomography-positive lymph nodes in patients with biochemical failure after treatment for localized prostate cancer.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the potential of (11)C-choline-positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) for planning surgery in patients with prostate cancer and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) relapse after treatment with curative intent. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 10 patients with PSA recurrence after either external beam radiation (two) or radical retropubic prostatectomy (eight) for prostate cancer, and who had a laparoscopic lymphadenectomy for suspicious lymph nodes detected on (11)C-choline-PET/CT. The histological results and PET/CT findings were compared. RESULTS: In all, 22 suspicious lymph nodes were found on PET/CT, and 14 on conventional CT or magnetic resonance imaging. Comparing the conventional imaging showed concordance in 13 lymph nodes. Three of the 10 patients had no metastatic lymph node disease on definitive histology. The mean (SD) PSA level for these patients was 1.0 (0.4) ng/mL, whereas that in patients with lymph node metastases was 15.1 (9.2) ng/mL (statistically significant difference, P < 0.05). The positive predictive value was seven of 10. All of the patients initially regressed, with PSA increases after lymphadenectomy. Two of the patients are being managed by watchful waiting, two had radiotherapy of the prostate fossa and two had chemotherapy with docetaxel. Four patients were treated by hormone-deprivation therapy. After a mean (SD) follow up of 11 (7) months, one patient died, one has PSA progression, but none of those with negative histology has clinical signs of local recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: (11)C-choline-PET is a valuable tool for detecting recurrent prostate cancer, but the limited positive predictive value should lead to a critical interpretation of the results.

Positron emission tomography/computed tomography and whole-body magnetic resonance imaging in staging of advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer--initial results.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate and compare positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) with whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (wbMRI) in the correct staging of patients with advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-two patients with an NSCLC stage IIIa or IIIb (36 males and 16 females) were included in this study. Patients were referred to our department for restaging. Within 1 week PET/CT and wbMRI were performed in all patients. Images were examined independently by 2 experienced physicians from the Department of Nuclear Medicine and Radiology. Afterward, consensus reading was performed. In 22 patients, surgery served as gold standard, whereas in 30 patients, follow-up controls (after 2 months) were performed. RESULTS: The use of wbMRI correctly T-staged all patients. Especially volume interpolated breathhold examination sequence correctly T-staged all tumors. PET/CT did not correctly stage chest wall infiltration in 4 cases [sensitivity 92.3% (P < 0.05 to wbMRI)/specificity 100%], verified by surgery. PET/CT correctly N-staged 51 patients (sensitivity 96.1%/specificity 100%). WbMRI showed a significant tendency to understage N-status [sensitivity 88.5% (P < 0.05)/specificity 96.1%]. Different N-status by PET/CT changed operability in 4 patients. In 2 patients, distant metastases were detected by both techniques. CONCLUSION: In the correct staging of advanced NSCLC, PET/CT has advantages in N-staging. This is of high relevance for therapy planning. WbMRI especially using volume interpolated breathhold examination sequences, has certain advantages in T-staging.

Tumor detection by diffusion-weighted MRI and ADC-mapping--initial clinical experiences in comparison to PET-CT.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical potential of diffusion-weighted-imaging (DWI) with apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC)-mapping for tumor detection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A single-shot echo-planar-imaging DWI sequence with fat suppression and ability for navigator-based respiratory triggering was implemented. Nineteen patients (11 melanoma, 4 prostate cancer, 1 non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and 3 lung cancer) were examined by positron emission tomography (PET) with an integrated computed tomography scanner (PET-CT) and DWI. Images at b = 0, 400, and 1000 s/mm2 were acquired and ADC maps were generated. PET examinations were used as a reference for tumor detection. Four hundred twenty-four regions of interest were used for DWI and 73 for PET data evaluation. RESULTS: DWI and ADC maps were of diagnostic quality. Metastases with increased tracer uptake were clearly visualized at b = 1000 s/mm2 with the exception of mediastinal lymph node metastases in cases of lung cancer. ADC mapping did not improve detection rates. CONCLUSIONS: DWI is a feasible clinical technique, improving the assessment of metastatic spread in routine magnetic resonance imaging examinations.

Morphologic, functional, and metabolic magnetic resonance imaging-guided prostate biopsy in a patient with prior negative transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsies and persistently elevated prostate-specific antigen levels.

A 65-year-old patient was examined with [11C]-choline positron emission tomography-computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for possible tumor detection after two negative sessions of transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy and persistently elevated prostate-specific antigen levels for 27 months. Choline positron emission tomography revealed a small and circumscribed pathologic tracer uptake in the right dorsal peripheral gland. Whereas T2-weighted MRI and high b-value diffusion-weighted imaging were able to reproduce this suspicious area, proton MR spectroscopy showed no significant increase of the amplitude of choline-containing compounds. Magnetic resonance imaging-guided prostate biopsy was successfully performed. All specimens taken from the lesion showed a Gleason 5 tubular adenocarcinoma with low proliferative activity.

Fixation devices for whole-body 18F-FDG PET/CT: patient perspectives and technical aspects.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the use of a fixation device in whole-body postiron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT). METHODS: Two hundred and thirty patients were prospectively included over a period of 3 months. Different single-phase and multiphase contrast-enhanced PET/CT protocols were used for whole-body examination. An unforced expiration state was applied as breathing protocol for CT examination. Patients were placed on a deflating device (1.0 m x 1.5 m) with arms elevated but supported in order to prevent full extension in shoulders and elbows providing comfortable positioning. Image quality was assessed by means of alignment of the liver quantitatively on co-registered PET/CT images. After the examination, patients were asked to complete a survey on subjective sensations such as pain in different body regions (yes/no). They were asked to give a final evaluation for the whole-body PET/CT examination (comfortable/not comfortable). Additionally, a control group (n=30) was assessed without the aid of additional devices. RESULTS: Examination protocols using the device showed minor misalignment of 5 mm. Different protocols did not reveal significant differences in misalignment. When comparing the control group misalignment was significantly higher with approx. 7 mm. The majority (75%) evaluated the positioning as comfortable despite 46% of the patients in this group feeling more or less severe pain in at least one body region. For controls, misalignment was slightly higher whereas only 39% found the positioning comfortable (chi(2)=13.03; P<0.0005) and 61% reported pain (NS). CONCLUSION: Both the technical aspects and patient evaluations favour the use of the vacuum device in whole-body PET/CT examinations. In particular, in time consuming protocols using multiphase CT examination the fixation device leads to excellent co-registration quality and patient compliance.

Prospective comparison of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography and whole-body magnetic resonance imaging in staging of advanced malignant melanoma.

The aim of our study was to compare the overall and site-based accuracy and impact on patient management of positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) and whole-body (wb) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in staging of advanced melanoma. In a prospective blinded study, 64 patients with American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage III/IV melanoma underwent 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT and wbMRI. In total 420 lesions were evaluated. The overall accuracy of PET/CT was 86.7% compared to 78.8% for wbMRI (P=0.0007). PET/CT was significantly more accurate in N-staging and detecting of skin and subcutaneous metastases, whereas wbMRI was more sensitive in detecting liver, bone and brain metastases. WbMRI was less sensitive but more specific than PET/CT in classifying pulmonary lesions. In 41 patients (64%) whole-body imaging caused changes of treatment. Whole-body staging of patients with advanced melanoma is most accurate by combining wbPET/CT and organ-specific wbMRI including a brain, liver and bone marrow protocol.

Low dose non-enhanced CT versus standard dose contrast-enhanced CT in combined PET/CT protocols for staging and therapy planning in non-small cell lung cancer.

PURPOSE: To evaluate low dose non-enhanced CT and standard dose contrast-enhanced CT in combined PET/CT protocols for staging and therapy planning of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: Retrospective analysis was performed of 50 consecutive patients with proven NSCLC who had been referred for primary staging (n=41) or restaging (n=9). All patients underwent a multi-phase PET/CT consisting of a low dose non-enhanced attenuation scan and an arterial and portal-venous contrast-enhanced CT scan followed by whole-body PET. Fused datasets of non-enhanced and contrast-enhanced PET/CT were compared per patient by using the TNM staging system, and per lesion regarding localisation, characterisation and delineation of tumour lesions. The staging results were validated either by histopathology or by clinical-radiological follow-up for >or=6 months. RESULTS: In 47/50 patients, the results of T staging did not differ between the two PET/CT protocols. Three patients could only be correctly classified as having T4 tumours after contrast application. Regarding N staging, both protocols yielded the same results. In M staging, there was only one patient with an improvement of the results as a result of contrast application. The lesion-based analysis of 92 sites showed no difference in the accuracy of lesion localisation and only one revision of lesion characterisation by contrast-enhanced PET/CT. The assessment of tumour delineation was altered by contrast application in 58/92 sites (p<0.0001). In 10/50 patients, contrast-enhanced PET/CT detected additional clinically important findings. CONCLUSION: In patients with advanced NSCLC, contrast-enhanced CT as part of the PET/CT protocol more accurately assessed the TNM stage in 8% of patients compared with non-contrast PET/CT. However, for planning of 3D conformal radiotherapy and non-conventional surgery, contrast-enhanced PET/CT protocols are indispensable owing to their superiority in precisely defining the tumour extent.