Role of 18F-FDG PET/CT in the diagnosis of clinically suspected Marjolin ulcer.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study is to retrospectively determine the diagnostic role of (18)F-FDG PET/CT at the primary lesion site in burned patients with chronic nonhealing ulcers who are suspected of having Marjolin ulcers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-three burn scar contractures with nonhealing chronic ulcer in 28 patients were included in this study. The lesions were sorted into two groups: 22 squamous cell carcinomas and one basal cell carcinoma were assigned to group 1 (Marjolin ulcer), and 10 lesions of chronic ulcer with inflammation and fibrosis were assigned to group 2. The maximum standardized uptake value (SUV(max)) and the lesion thickness and size for the two groups were evaluated. To determine the utility of PET/CT in the evaluation of invasion depth, we compared the imaging findings of PET/CT with surgical or pathologic results and the findings of additional imaging modalities, such as CT or MRI. RESULTS: The SUV(max) and the lesion thickness for group 1 were significantly higher than those for group 2 (p < 0.01 and p = 0.03, respectively). The sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve were 82.6%, 90%, and 0.900, respectively, for SUV(max) and 65.2%, 80%, and 0.741, respectively, for lesion thickness. PET/CT was helpful and showed quite good correlation with surgical or pathologic results in determining invasion depth. CONCLUSION: PET/CT is useful in differentiating Marjolin ulcer from benign inflammatory conditions of chronic nonhealing ulcer in burn scars. It is also useful in the evaluation of the depth of invasion in Marjolin ulcer cases.

Usefulness of stent implantation for treatment of intracranial atherosclerotic stenoses.

PURPOSE: We evaluated the usefulness of intracranial stent implantation for treating patients with atherosclerotic stenosis and with recurrent, ischemic, neurological symptoms despite having undergone medical therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between March 2004 and April 2010, we attempted intracranial, stent-assisted angioplasty in 77 patients with 85 lesions (anterior circulation 73 cases, posterior circulation 12 cases) and who had ischemic neurological symptoms with more than 50% major cerebral artery stenosis. We analyzed the results regarding the technical success rate, complication rate, and restenosis rate during the mean 29.4 month follow-up period. RESULTS: Intracranial stent implantation was successfully performed in 74 cases (87.1%). In nine cases among the 11, failed cases, stent implantation failure was due to the tortuosity of the target vessel. One patient experienced middle cerebral artery rupture during the procedure, and we embolized the vessel using a microcoil. Five patients developed cerebral infarction in three weeks after the procedure, three of whom improved using conservative management, although the other, two patients expired. The mean number of residual stenoses decreased from 72.3% to 14.7%. Three patients demonstrated significant in-stent restenosis, i.e. more than 50%, during the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: As stent-assisted angioplasty in intracranial, atherosclerotic stenosis is effective and relatively safe, it can be considered as an alternative treatment for patients with recurrent, ischemic, neurologic symptoms despite having undergone medical therapy.