Prognostic significance of integrating total metabolic tumor volume and EGFR mutation status in patients with lung adenocarcinoma.

Background: The objective of this study was to investigate the prognostic significance of total metabolic tumor volume (TMTV) derived from baseline 18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT), in conjunction with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation status, among patients with lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis on 141 patients with LUAD (74 males, 67 females, median age 67 (range 34-86)) who underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT and had their EGFR mutation status determined. Optimal cutoff points for TMTV were determined using time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. The survival difference was compared using Cox regression analysis and Kaplan‒Meier curves. Results: The EGFR mutant patients (n = 79, 56.0%) exhibited significantly higher 2-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) rates compared to those with EGFR wild-type (n = 62, 44.0%), with rates of 74.2% vs 69.2% (P = 0.029) and 86.1% vs 67.7% (P = 0.009), respectively. The optimal cutoff values of TMTV were 36.42 cm3 for PFS and 37.51 cm3 for OS. Patients with high TMTV exhibited significantly inferior 2-year PFS and OS, with rates of 22.4% and 38.1%, respectively, compared to those with low TMTV, who had rates of 85.8% and 95.0% (both P < 0.001). In both the EGFR mutant and wild-type groups, patients exhibiting high TMTV demonstrated significantly inferior 2-year PFS and OS compared to those with low TMTV. In multivariate analysis, EGFR mutation status (hazard ratio, HR, 0.41, 95% confidence interval, CI [0.18-0.94], P = 0.034) and TMTV (HR 8.08, 95% CI [2.34-28.0], P < 0.001) were independent prognostic factors of OS, whereas TMTV was also an independent prognosticator of PFS (HR 2.59, 95% CI [1.30-5.13], P = 0.007). Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that the integration of TMTV on baseline 18F-FDG PET/CT with EGFR mutation status improves the accuracy of prognostic evaluation for patients with LUAD.

Association between cigarette smoking history, metabolic phenotypes, and EGFR mutation status in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: Cigarette smoking exerts a significant impact on metabolic phenotypes and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation status; however, their correlation remains insufficiently established. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the association between cigarette smoking history, metabolic phenotypes, and EGFR mutation status in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 198 consecutive patients with NSCLC who underwent 18F-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) before treatment and were tested for EGFR mutation status between September 2019 and March 2022. Metabolic phenotypes, including the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of the primary tumors (pSUVmax), metastatic lymph nodes (nSUVmax), and distant metastases (mSUVmax) were assessed. Patients were classified into never-smokers and smokers based on detailed smoking history. The correlations between smoking status, metabolic parameters, and EGFR mutation status were evaluated in patients with NSCLC. Results: We observed EGFR mutations in 73 (60.3%) of 121 never-smokers and 18 (23.4%) of 77 smokers (P<0.001). EGFR-mutant NSCLC had a lower pSUVmax than that of EGFR wild-type (WT; 8.9±4.5 vs. 12.7±6.9, P<0.001). Smokers had a higher pSUVmax than never-smokers (12.5±6.4 vs. 9.9±5.9, P=0.004). With the increase of cumulative smoking dose, the pSUVmax increased significantly (r=0.198, P=0.005). There was no significant difference between nSUVmax and mSUVmax in patients with or without EGFR mutation and smoking history. Cumulative smoking dose, pSUVmax, and their combination predicted EGFR mutation status with areas under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves (AUCs) 0.688, 0.673, and 0.753, respectively. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that cigarette smoking may be one of the triggers for increased pSUVmax and decreased EGFR mutations, further suggesting that EGFR mutations are associated with low pSUVmax, which may guide clinicians in risk stratification and treatment strategy selection for patients with NSCLC.

Radiology Residents' Perceptions of Artificial Intelligence: Nationwide Cross-Sectional Survey Study.

BACKGROUND: Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming various fields, with health care, especially diagnostic specialties such as radiology, being a key but controversial battleground. However, there is limited research systematically examining the response of "human intelligence" to AI. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to comprehend radiologists' perceptions regarding AI, including their views on its potential to replace them, its usefulness, and their willingness to accept it. We examine the influence of various factors, encompassing demographic characteristics, working status, psychosocial aspects, personal experience, and contextual factors. METHODS: Between December 1, 2020, and April 30, 2021, a cross-sectional survey was completed by 3666 radiology residents in China. We used multivariable logistic regression models to examine factors and associations, reporting odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs. RESULTS: In summary, radiology residents generally hold a positive attitude toward AI, with 29.90% (1096/3666) agreeing that AI may reduce the demand for radiologists, 72.80% (2669/3666) believing AI improves disease diagnosis, and 78.18% (2866/3666) feeling that radiologists should embrace AI. Several associated factors, including age, gender, education, region, eye strain, working hours, time spent on medical images, resilience, burnout, AI experience, and perceptions of residency support and stress, significantly influence AI attitudes. For instance, burnout symptoms were associated with greater concerns about AI replacement (OR 1.89; P<.001), less favorable views on AI usefulness (OR 0.77; P=.005), and reduced willingness to use AI (OR 0.71; P<.001). Moreover, after adjusting for all other factors, perceived AI replacement (OR 0.81; P<.001) and AI usefulness (OR 5.97; P<.001) were shown to significantly impact the intention to use AI. CONCLUSIONS: This study profiles radiology residents who are accepting of AI. Our comprehensive findings provide insights for a multidimensional approach to help physicians adapt to AI. Targeted policies, such as digital health care initiatives and medical education, can be developed accordingly.

Identification of EGFR mutation status in male patients with non-small-cell lung cancer: role of 18F-FDG PET/CT and serum tumor markers CYFRA21-1 and SCC-Ag.

BACKGROUND: The high incidence of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations is usually found in female patients with lung adenocarcinoma who have never-smoked. However, reports concerning male patients are scarce. Thus, this study aimed to explore a novel approach based on 18F-fluoro-2-deoxy-2-deoxyglucose (18F-FDG) PET/CT and serum tumor markers (STMs) to determine EGFR mutation status in male patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: A total of 121 male patients with NSCLC were analyzed between October 2019 and March 2022. All patients underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT scan before treatment and monitored 8 STMs (cytokeratin 19 fragment [CYFRA21-1], squamous cell carcinoma-related antigen [SCC-Ag], carcinoembryonic antigen [CEA], neuron-specific enolase [NSE], carbohydrate antigen [CA] 50, CA125, CA72-4, and ferritin). A comparison was done between EGFR mutant and wild-type patients in terms of the maximum standardized uptake value of primary tumors (pSUVmax) and 8 STMs. We performed receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and multiple logistic regression analyses to determine predictors for EGFR mutation status. RESULTS: EGFR mutations were detected in 39 patients (32.2%). Compared with patients with EGFR wild-type, EGFR-mutant patients had lower concentrations of serum CYRFA21-1 (2.65 vs. 4.01, P = 0.002) and SCC-Ag (0.67 vs. 1.05, P = 0.006). No significant differences of CEA, NSE, CA 50, CA125, CA72-4 and ferritin were found between the two groups. The presence of EGFR mutations was significantly associated with low pSUVmax (< 8.75), low serum SCC-Ag (< 0.79 ng/mL) and CYFRA21-1 (< 2.91 ng/mL) concentrations. The area under ROC curve values were 0.679, 0.655, 0.685 and 0.754, respectively, for low CYFRA21-1, SCC-Ag, pSUVmax and the combination of these three factors. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that low concentrations of CYFRA21-1 and SCC-Ag, as well as low pSUVmax, were associated with EGFR mutations, and that the combination of these factors resulted in a higher differentiation of EGFR mutation status in male patients with NSCLC.

Metabolic phenotypes, serum tumor markers, and histopathological subtypes in predicting bone metastasis: analysis of 695 patients with lung cancer in China.

Background: Patients with lung cancer who develop bone metastasis (BM) generally have an adverse prognosis. Although several clinical models have been used to predict BM in patients with lung cancer, the results are unsatisfactory. In this retrospective study, we investigated the role of 18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (FDG) metabolic activity, serum tumor markers, and histopathological subtypes in predicting BM in patients with lung cancer. Methods: This study included 695 consecutive patients with lung cancer who underwent 18F-FDG positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) and in whom serum tumor markers were detected prior to treatment. The maximum standardized uptake value of primary tumors (pSUVmax), metastatic lymph nodes (nSUVmax) and distant metastases (mSUVmax), 8 serum tumor markers [carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), neuron-specific enolase (NSE), squamous cell carcinoma-related antigen (SCCA), cytokeratin 19 fragment (CYFRA21-1), carbohydrate antigen (CA) 125, CA50, CA72-4, and ferritin], and histopathological subtypes were compared between patients with and without BM. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to identify predictors of BM in patients with lung cancer. Results: BM was identified in 133 (19.1%) patients and not in 562 (80.9%). Patients with BM had significantly higher pSUVmax, nSUVmax, and mSUVmax than did those without BM. High concentrations of 6 serum tumor markers (i.e., CEA, ferritin, NSE, CA50, CA125, and CYFRA21-1) were significantly associated with BM. There were significant differences in the proportion of histopathological subtypes between patients with and without BM (χ2=32.35; P<0.001). The area under ROC-derived curve based on metabolic parameters was 0.737 (95% CI: 0.644-0.829) and 0.884 (95% CI: 0.825-0.943) when combined with the 6 serum tumor markers and histopathological subtypes, respectively. Conclusions: High pSUVmax, nSUVmax, and mSUVmax favor the presence of BM in patients with lung cancer, and serum tumor markers and histopathological subtypes are important factors for predicting BM in these patients.

Ultrasound-based radiomics in the diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome: The influence of regions of interest delineation method on mode.

BACKGROUND: In the recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms have been used to accurately diagnose musculoskeletal diseases. However, it is not known whether the particular regions of interest (ROI) delineation method would affect the performance of the AI algorithm. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of ROI delineation methods on model performance and observer consistency. METHODS: In this retrospective analysis, ultrasound (US) measures of median nerves affected with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) were compared to median nerves in a control group without CTS. Two methods were used for delineation of the ROI: (1) the ROI along the hyperechoic medial edge of the median nerve but not including the epineurium (MN) (ROI1); and (2) the ROI including the hyperechoic epineurium (ROI2), respectively. The intra group correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to compare the observer consistency of ROI features (i.e. the corresponding radiomics parameters). Parameters α1 and α2 were obtained based on the ICC of ROI1 features and ROI2 features. The ROC analysis was used to determine the area under the curve (AUC) and evaluate the performance of the radiologists and network. In addition, four indices, namely sensitivity, specificity, positive prediction and negative prediction were analyzed too. RESULTS: A total of 136 wrists of 77 CTS group and 136 wrists of 74 control group were included in the study. Control group was matched to CTS group according to the age and sex. The observer consistency of ROI features delineated by the two schemes was different, and the consistency of ROI1 features was higher (α1 Ëƒ α2). The intra-observer consistency was higher than the inter-observer consistency regardless of the scheme, and the intra-observer consistency was higher when chose scheme one. The performances of models based on the two ROI features were different, although the AUC of each model was greater than 0.8.The model performed better when the MN epineurium was included in the ROI. Among five artificial intelligence algorithms, the Forest models (model1 achieved an AUC of 0.921 in training datasets and 0.830 in testing datasets; model2 achieved an AUC of 0.967 in training datasets and 0.872 in testing datasets.) obtained the highest performance, followed by the support vector machine (SVM) models and the Logistic models. The performances of the models were significantly better than the inexperienced radiologist (Dr. B. Z. achieved an AUC of 0.702). CONCLUSION: Different ROI delineation methods may affect the performance of the model and the consistency of observers. Model performance was better when the ROI contained the MN epineurium, and observer consistency was higher when the ROI was delineated along the hyperechoic medial border of the MN.

The satisfaction with radiology residency training in China: results of a nationwide survey.

BACKGROUND: National data on the satisfaction of radiology residents enrolled in standardized residency training (SRT) are rather scarce in China. This study identified a set of potential factors concerning SRT satisfaction among radiology residents as well as the association between SRT satisfaction and post-competency and well-being. METHODS: A total of 3666 radiology residents who were receiving SRT during 2020 in China were recruited across all 31 provinces. The cumulative odds logistic regression was used to examine the potential factors associated with SRT satisfaction as well as associations between satisfaction and well-being, burnout, professional identity and competency. RESULTS: The prevalence of satisfaction with SRT was 68.6%. Participants who were male, worked in central China, aged more than 28 years old, had long working hours and claimed increased workload during the COVID-19 pandemic were more likely to be unsatisfied with the SRT program. Participants who were more satisfied with the radiation protection were more likely to report higher degree of SRT satisfaction (OR = 3.00, 95% CI 2.58-3.50). In addition, SRT satisfaction was positively associated with well-being, professional identity, competency and lower burnout. CONCLUSIONS: Perceived satisfaction can be introduced into hospital management, as it may reflect the overall situation of the residents during residency training and influence radiologists' well-being, professional identification and competency. Appropriate measures should be taken to reduce the risk of radiation exposure, ensure employee safety (such as risk assessment system and paid time off), provide radiology residents with fair treatment and guarantee the time out of working for optimizing their professional ability.

A Review of the Correlation Between Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Mutation Status and 18F-FDG Metabolic Activity in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

PET/CT with 18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (18F-FDG) has been proposed as a promising modality for diagnosing and monitoring treatment response and evaluating prognosis for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The status of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation is a critical signal for the treatment strategies of patients with NSCLC. Higher response rates and prolonged progression-free survival could be obtained in patients with NSCLC harboring EGFR mutations treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) when compared with traditional cytotoxic chemotherapy. However, patients with EGFR mutation treated with TKIs inevitably develop drug resistance, so predicting the duration of resistance is of great importance for selecting individual treatment strategies. Several semiquantitative metabolic parameters, e.g., maximum standard uptake value (SUVmax), metabolic tumor volume (MTV), and total lesion glycolysis (TLG), measured by PET/CT to reflect 18F-FDG metabolic activity, have been demonstrated to be powerful in predicting the status of EGFR mutation, monitoring treatment response of TKIs, and assessing the outcome of patients with NSCLC. In this review, we summarize the biological and clinical correlations between EGFR mutation status and 18F-FDG metabolic activity in NSCLC. The metabolic activity of 18F-FDG, as an extrinsic manifestation of NSCLC, could reflect the mutation status of intrinsic factor EGFR. Both of them play a critical role in guiding the implementation of treatment modalities and evaluating therapy efficacy and outcome for patients with NSCLC.

Effects of cigarette smoking on metabolic activity of lung cancer on baseline 18F-FDG PET/CT.

Background: Never-smokers with lung cancer usually have a higher survival rate than that of smokers. The high metabolic activity of lung cancer on 18F-2-Fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (18F-FDG) PET/CT generally indicates a poor outcome. However, there is a lack of reports on the association between cigarette smoking and 18F-FDG metabolic activity in patients with lung cancer. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of cigarette smoking on metabolic activity of lung cancer on 18F-FDG PET/CT. Materials and Methods: A total of 338 patients (230 males, 108 females; mean age: 66.3, range 34-86) with pathologically diagnosed lung cancer were enrolled from September 2019 to April 2021. All patients underwent baseline 18F-FDG PET/CT and the maximum standard uptake value (SUVmax) of the primary tumor (pSUVmax), lymph node (nSUVmax) and distant metastasis (mSUVmax) were measured. The associations between cigarette smoking status, clinical stage, pathological subtypes and metabolic parameters on 18F-FDG PET/CT were analyzed. Results: Of the 338 patients, cigarette smoking was identified in 153 patients (45.3%) and the remaining 185 (54.7%) were never-smokers. Smoking was found more frequently in males, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and stage III-IV diseases. The pSUVmax in smokers was significantly higher than that in never-smokers (t = 3.386, P < 0.001), but the nSUVmax and mSUVmax revealed no statistically significant differences (t = 0.399, P = 0.690 and t = 0.057, P = 0.955; respectively). With the increase of cumulative smoking dose, pSUVmax increased significantly (r = 0.217, P < 0.001). In addition, the pSUVmax in patients with stage III-IV was significantly higher than that in stage I-II (t = 8.509, P < 0.001). Smokers showed a higher pSUVmax than never-smokers for patients with stage I-II (t = 3.106, P = 0.002), but not in stage III-IV (t = 0.493, P = 0.622). The pSUVmax was significantly different among patients with different pathological subtypes of lung cancer (F = 11.45, P < 0.001), while only the adenocarcinoma (ADC) and SCC groups showed a difference in pSUVmax (t = 6.667, P < 0.001). Smokers with ADC showed a higher pSUVmax when compared to never-smokers, but not in SCC. There were no significant differences of pSUVmax between smokers and never-smokers at stage I-II ADC or SCC and stage III-IV ADC or SCC. Conclusions: This study demonstrated a close association between cigarette smoking and the metabolic activity of lung cancer and suggests that smoking may be a potential risk factor of higher pSUVmax in early lung cancer on 18F-FDG PET/CT.

Report of Eleven Patients of Subcutaneous Panniculitis-Like T-Cell Lymphoma: Clinicopathologic Features, 18F-FDG PET/CT Findings and Outcome.

OBJECTIVES: Subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma (SPTCL) is a fairly rare subtype of primary cutaneous lymphoma. This study aims to investigate the clinicopathologic features, 18F-FDG PET/CT findings, and outcome of patients with SPTCL. METHODS: A retrospective single-center study enrolled 11 patients with SPTCL between August 2010 and March 2020. A total of 26 18F-FDG PET/CT scans were performed, and the initial and follow-up PET/CT imaging features, clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical characteristics, and outcome were analyzed. RESULTS: The male-to-female ratio was 1.2. The mean age at diagnosis was 24.2 years (age range: 13-48 years). Histopathological examinations revealed atypical T-lymphocyte rimming of individual subcutaneous adipocytes, mostly with CD2+, CD3+, CD4-, CD5+, CD8+, CD56-, T-cell intracellular antigen-1+, Granzyme B+, and high Ki-67 index. Multiple large skin ulcerations with a maximum diameter of 10 cm were observed in one of the 11 patients (9.1%, 1/11), and hemophagocytic syndrome was found in another one. At initial PET/CT scans, the lesions in all 11 patients showed increased uptake of 18F-FDG with a wide range of maximum standard uptake value (SUVmax) from 2.0 to 14.9. The morphology of the lesions presented as multiple nodules and/or disseminated plaques mainly involving the trunk and/or limbs. Five patients had extracutaneous non-lymph node lesions with SUVmax of 5.6 ± 2.8 on 18F-FDG PET/CT. No significant correlation between SUVmax and Ki-67 index was observed (r = 0.19, P > 0.05). Follow-up 18F-FDG PET/CT scans in six patients showed complete remission of the disease in two, partial remission in three, and progressive disease in one. During the follow-up period, there was no death except for the patient with multiple ulcerations who died 4 months after diagnosis of SPTCL. CONCLUSIONS: SPTCL may be a group of heterogeneous diseases with varying degrees of 18F-FDG uptake. 18F-FDG PET/CT demonstrates its usefulness in detecting disease extent, providing diagnostic work-up, staging, and evaluating treatment response of SPTCL. Multiple large skin ulcerations may be a factor of poor prognosis for patients with SPTCL.

A case report of primary pulmonary meningioma masquerading as lung metastasis in a patient with rectal carcinoma: role of 18F-FDG PET/CT.

BACKGROUND: Primary pulmonary meningioma (PPM) is an extremely rare disease, which is often misdiagnosed as lung metastasis. Previous studies indicated that PPM usually showed homogeneous enhancement on enhanced CT and high uptake of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) on positron emission tomography/CT (PET/CT). In this study, we report a case of PPM with atypical enhanced CT and 18F-FDG PET/CT features in a patient with rectal carcinoma. CASE PRESENTATION: A 70-year-old male was demonstrated to have rectal carcinoma by biopsy while a solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN) with well-defined edges measuring 13 × 13 × 15 mm was almost simultaneously found in the right lower robe on chest CT scan. Contrast-enhanced CT and PET/CT revealed mild centripetal enhancement of the nodule without accumulation of 18F-FDG. A thoracoscopic wedge resection of the right lower lobe was finally performed and histopathologic examinations and PET/CT imaging showed that the nodule was a PPM. CONCLUSION: PPM is a rare disease with heterogeneity not only in blood supply but also in glucose metabolism. 18F-FDG PET/CT may be an effective method for differentiating benign and malignant SPNs. The diagnosis of PPM depends on pathological and radiological examinations.

Chest CT imaging features and clinical outcome of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): A single-center case study in Ningbo, China.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the chest CT imaging features and clinical outcome of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Ningbo, China. METHODS: In this retrospective study, twenty-eight confirmed and seven highly suspected cases of COVID-19 were enrolled in Ningbo first hospital from January 26, 2020 to March 5, 2020. Cases were confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The initial and follow-up chest CT imaging features, epidemiological history, and outcome were analyzed. RESULTS: The average age of the patients was 57.3 ± 15.3 years (range: 27-96 years), including 25 females and 10 males. On CT images, 89.3% (25/28) confirmed and 100% (7/7) suspected patients had ground-glass opacities (GGOs), and GGOs with mixed consolidations were observed in 35.7% (10/28) confirmed and 42.9% (3/7) suspected cases, most of these lesions were distributed under the peripheral of both lungs. 17 confirmed and 4 suspected cases had a history of participating in Ningbo Tian-tong Temple rituals and all had GGOs in their lungs during the initial CT scan. As of March 25, 2020, the lung lesions of our cases were significantly resolved and all patients have been discharged from the hospital. CONCLUSION: The most common chest CT features are multiple bilateral and peripheral GGOs with mixed consolidations or not in the lungs of patients with COVID-19. Chest CT plays an important role in the diagnosis and monitoring treatment response of this disease. There was no reported death in our cases.

Usefulness of the cytokines expression of Th1/Th2/Th17 and urinary CD80 excretion in adult-onset minimal change disease.

BACKGROUND: Minimal change disease (MCD) is a common form of nephrotic syndrome in adults. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the pathogenesis of MCD remains incompletely understood. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of the cytokines expression of Th1/Th2/Th17 and urinary CD80 excretion in adult-onset MCD patients. METHODS: The lymphocyte subsets, 34 cytokine levels of Th1/Th2/Th17, serum and urine concentrations of CD80, and expression of CD80 in glomeruli were analyzed in 28 cases (15 males and 13 females; average age: 34.1 years, age range: 18-56 years), including 10 patients with MCD in relapse, nine patients with MCD in remission and nine healthy controls. RESULTS: There was no significant difference of CD3+CD4+ cells proportion among patients with MCD in relapse, MCD in remission and healthy controls (P = 0.802). The cytokine levels of GM-CSF and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related activation-induced cytokine (TRANCE) in patients with MCD in relapse increased 1.5 times higher than those in remission. An evident increase in the excretion of urinary CD80 was found in patients with relapsed MCD compared with those in remission (598.4 ± 115.8 vs 81.78 ± 7.04 ng/g creatinine, P < 0.001) and healthy controls (598.4 ± 115.8 vs 67.44 ±  8.94  ng/g creatinine, P < 0.001). CD80 expression was observed in podocyte of MCD patient in relapse by immunofluorescence technique. CONCLUSIONS: The cytokines GM-CSF and TRANCE are increased and the urinary CD80 levels are elevated in adult-onset MCD patients in relapse, indicating a disorder of Th1/Th2/Th17 balance and that the elevated excretion of CD80 may underlie the pathogenesis and development of adult-onset MCD.

Interim 18F-FDG PET/CT and BCL2 for predicting the prognosis of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in the rituximab era.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we investigated the prognostic role of interim fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose PET/computed tomography (I-PET/CT) and BCL2 in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients treated with rituximab-containing chemotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 106 patients with newly diagnosed DLBCL underwent PET/CT scans at baseline and a subsequent I-PET/CT after the fourth cycle of chemotherapy. I-PET/CT was analyzed using the Deauville five-point score. The prognostic significance of I-PET/CT and BCL2 was evaluated by predicting progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: With a median follow-up of 25 months, the 2-year PFS and OS were 78 and 95% in the I-PET/CT-negative group and 33 and 57% in the I-PET/CT-positive group (P<0.001). Patients with BCL2 positivity showed a shorter PFS than the BCL2-negative patients (P=0.002), but not in OS (P=0.068). In multivariate analysis, I-PET/CT and BCL2 were independent variables in assessing the outcome of PFS. I-PET/CT was also an independent factor for OS. Irrespective of the results of BCL2, patients with I-PET/CT positivity had a significant inferior outcome than the I-PET/CT-negative patients. In the I-PET/CT-negative group, patients with BCL2 positivity had a significantly shorter PFS than the BCL2-negative patients (P=0.005). CONCLUSION: I-PET/CT and BCL2 were two significant independent indicators of outcome for patients with DLBCL in the rituximab era. I-PET/CT was much better than BCL2 for patient stratification. BCL2 showed its supplementary role for further patient stratification when I-PET/CT was negative.

Interim 18F-FDG PET/CT improves the prognostic value of S-IPI, R-IPI and NCCN-IPI in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

The current study aimed to explore whether the efficiency of the standard International Prognostic Index (S-IPI), revised-IPI (R-IPI) and enhanced-IPI (NCCN-IPI) in evaluating the prognosis of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) may be improved by interim 18F-FDG PET/CT. A total of 185 patients with newly diagnosed DLBCL were enrolled in the current study. All patients underwent interim PET/CT following the 4th cycle of chemotherapy. Patients were divided into different risk groups using S-IPI, R-IPI and NCCN-IPI and further subdivided into risk groups using interim PET/CT. Interpretations were evaluated for 2-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). With a median follow-up time of 44 months, the 2-year PFS and OS were 60% [95% confidence interval (CI) 53-67%] and 81% (95% CI 74-86%), respectively. Analysis of S-IPI and NCCN-IPI identified no significant difference in PFS and OS between high intermediate and high risk groups. However, there were significant differences in the PFS and OS between the low and low intermediate risk groups (P<0.01). Interim PET/CT was used to redistribute patients in the higher risk group into PET negative and positive groups (P<0.01) and arallel results were observed in the lower risk group. In R-IPI, interim PET/CT identified a significant difference between PFS and OS in the good and poor risk groups but not in the very good risk group. Therefore, the results of the current study indicate that S-IPI, R-IPI and NCCN-IPI are three clinically useful prognostic indexes for patients with DLBCL. Interim PET/CT may improve the prognostic value of S-IPI, R-IPI and NCCN-IPI in predicting 2-year PFS and OS, particularly in patients with a high IPI score.

Primary diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the left ureter: A case report.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma occurring in various sites, but rarely involving the ureters. Primary DLBCL is a rare entity. Imaging studies in a 82-year-old male patient revealed left hydronephrosis and an area of nodular soft tissue density in the upper ureteral wall. On enhanced computed tomography scans, the lesion exhibited early enhancement. As the lesion was considered to be malignant, a left nephroureterectomy was performed for the purpose of pathological diagnosis. Histological analysis and immunohistochemistry revealed DLBCL. Since the surgery, the patient has survived for 16 months without evidence of a relapse. Thus, in cases with ureteral stenosis or obstruction for which the cause is uncertain, the possibility of primary lymphoma of the ureter should be considered and further histopathological examination of bioptic samples should be performed as soon as possible.