99mTc-Pertechnetate in Diagnosis of Meckel Diverticulum in an Adult.

One of the most common malformations of the gastrointestinal tract is Meckel diverticulum (MD). MD complications can range from minor to major, such as intestinal obstruction, intussusception, hemorrhage, ulceration, vesicodiverticular fistulae, and tumors. Bleeding from ectopic gastric mucosa is more common in children than in adults. In the current case, MD in a 25-y-old man was diagnosed by 99mTc-pertechnetate scanning. 99mTc-pertechnetate scanning helps to diagnose MD noninvasively and has a potential role in the evaluation of MD even in adults.

99mTc-Sulfur Colloid SPECT/CT in Diagnosis of Splenogonadal Fusion.

A congenital abnormal connection between an accessory spleen and a gonad is called splenogonadal fusion. The parent of a 3-y-old boy brought him to King Saud Medical City because he had left scrotal swelling that had begun 1 y previously. 99mTc-sulfur colloid (SC) imaging has superior sensitivity and specificity in targeting the liver, spleen, and bone marrow, in that these are the only organs that 99mTc-SC can visualize. Furthermore, if these tissues appear anywhere other than their usual locations, such as in the case of an accessory spleen, 99mTc-SC imaging can identify them even without biopsy or-in the case of splenogonadal fusion-orchiectomy. In the current case, the patient underwent laparoscopy, the masses were removed, and orchiectomy was avoided. Histopathologic examination confirmed normal splenic tissue, matching the imaging results.

Acute tibial tubercle avulsion fractures in the sporting adolescent.

INTRODUCTION: The authors report 7 cases of acute tibial tubercle avulsion fractures. The fracture occurred in 6 out of the 7, after an abrupt tension of the patellar tendon in male sporting adolescents (age 13-17 years). Two patients presented symptoms of homolateral Osgood-Schlatter's disease before the lesion. METHOD: According to Ogden's classification, the tibial tubercle avulsion fracture was not displaced in 3 cases (stage IA) and was treated conservatively by immobilization for 6 weeks. In 4 cases, the fracture was displaced and necessitated an internal fixation with plaster for about 6 weeks. A torn patellar tendon was noted in one adolescent having a stage IIIB avulsion fracture. RESULT: The mean follow-up was of 4.5 years (1.5-7.5 years). The results were satisfactory: complete functional recovery, resumption of sport at the previous level and absence of recurvatum.

Isotopic exploration of hepatic hydrothorax: ten cases.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the performance of peritoneal scintigraphy for the diagnosis of peritoneopleural communication in patients with cirrhosis and to discuss its role in therapeutic management. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Ten patients with cirrhosis and pleural effusion were included in this study. Cirrhosis was due to viral hepatitis in eight patients, auto-immune disease in one patient and of unknown origin in one. The pleural effusion was right-sided in nine patients and bilateral in one. 99m-technetium sulfur colloid peritoneal scintigraphy was performed in all patients. RESULTS: Scintigraphy revealed peritoneopleural communication in nine patients. In four patients, radioactivity appeared in the pleural cavity within a few minutes after injection of the radiotracer. In three of them, a large diaphragmatic defect was demonstrated by ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging or thoracoscopy. Complete response to medical treatment was observed in four patients. Scintigraphy revealed rapid radioactivity migration in four patients; diuretic treatment led to resolution of the hydrothorax in one of them. Three patients whose hydrothorax was refractory to medical treatment were treated by pleurodesis with talc. Resolution of the hydrothorax was achieved in one of them. CONCLUSION: Peritoneal scintigraphy is a simple non-invasive method enabling confirmation of peritoneopleural communication in cirrhotic patients. The importance of the diaphragmatic defect can also be evaluated, providing a significant contribution to therapeutic decision-making.

Preoperative scintigraphic visualization of an orbital metastasis before identification of carcinoma in a nonfunctioning thyroid nodule.

Preoperative accumulation of Tc-99m pertechnetate and radioiodine in metastases of well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma is uncommon. The authors report the case of a 51-year-old woman with follicular thyroid carcinoma revealed by a right orbital metastasis. I-131 scintigraphy performed before thyroidectomy showed intense uptake in an orbital metastasis despite the presence of an intact thyroid gland.

Preoperative scintigraphic visualization of lymph nodes and pulmonary metastases from papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Preoperative accumulation of Tc-99m pertechnetate and radioiodine in metastases of well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma is uncommon. We report herein the case of a 39-year-old woman with occult papillary thyroid cancer revealed by widespread miliary lung metastases. Ultrasonography revealed the presence of an infracentimetric hypoechoic nodule and cervical lymph nodes. Scintigraphy, realized with Tc-99m pertechnetate and I-131 prior to thyroidectomy, failed to delineate the primary thyroid tumor, but revealed functional cervical nodes on the central and left lateral compartments, with pulmonary accumulation.

Large diaphragmatic defect as the cause of hydrothorax in a cirrhotic patient: demonstration with peritoneal scintigraphy and magnetic resonance imaging.

A 52-year-old man with history of post-hepatitic cirrhosis presented with ascitis and respiratory distress. Chest X-ray on admission showed a large right hydrothorax. Thoracentesis yielded a large volume of a clear transudate fluid. Peritoneal scintigraphy showed rapid migration of radiotracer into the right pleural cavity, confirming the abdominal origin of the pleural fluid and suspecting a large diaphragmatic defect. MR imaging study using ultrafast sequences confirmed the large diaphragmatic defect.

Bone scan in initial staging of prostate cancer.

Bone scans of 64 patients with newly diagnosed prostate cancer were retrospectively analysed. Metastases were present in 29 patients (45%). In 75% of these cases, the pattern was manifeastly metastatic. The third threshold has high negative and positive predictive values. The topography of metastatic lesions is in favour of a systemic spread. There were no metastatic cases with a PSA level under 10 ng/ml. Multiple IAU and intense IAU are the most specific patterns of metastatic lesions. Also, focal lesions on sacroiliacs are also in favour of metastatic origin. The distribution of metastases is globally similar to that of the bone marrow in adult and systemic spread is the most probable. Staging bone scan must be reserved to patients with PSA level greater than 10 ng/ml, poorly degree of differentiation and advanced clinical stage.

Hypothyroidism presenting as a hot pertechnetate nodule.

The authors report an uncommon finding of hot nodule on Tc-99m sodium pertechnetate thyroid scan in three patients with hypothyroidism. Data indicate that hypothyroidism is secondary to Hashimoto's disease (HD). There was a concordant aspect on I-131 scan in two; a nodular discrepancy (cold nodule with I-131) was associated with the highest microsomal antibodies titer. The findings of thyroid scan and ultrasonographic findings indicate that hot nodules may be observed either on initial or advanced stages of HD. Color flow Doppler sonography, showed an absence of internal increase of vascularization. These data suggest that the observed hot nodules correspond to localized hyperplasia of the less diseased portions secondary to chronic stimulation by TSH.

Scintigraphic findings in a case of bilateral urinomas and ascites secondary to posterior urethral valves.

The authors present the scintigraphic findings in a case of bilateral urinomas and ascites secondary to posterior urethral valves in a 9-day-old boy. There was progressive tracer accumulation in the urinomas and ascites with a distinct urine jet medially from the upper left kidney, which suggested direct urinary egress into the peritoneal cavity.

Incidental discovery of pulmonary metastases during I-131 scintigraphy after total thyroidectomy.

We report the case of a 40-year-old man with radiographically silent pulmonary metastases of papillary thyroid cancer discovered during I-131 scintigraphy following total thyroidectomy performed 10 years after unilateral lobectomy. The residual lobe was histologically normal. After a dose of 11.1 GBq (300 mCi), there was no I-131 uptake in the thyroid bed and lung metastases, and serum thyroglobulin became undetectable. Conservative therapy could be associated with a delay in the possibility of diagnosing and treating extrathyroidal metastases.

Radionuclide bone scan in initial staging of breast cancer.

Radionuclide bone scans of 100 patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer were retrospectively analysed. The number and topography of increased area of uptake were noted. Diagnosis criterion was defined by at least four foci of increased uptake, outside peripheral articular joints. In case of a number between one and three, the result was considered doubtful and radionuclide bone scan was confronted to available standard X Rays or/and radionuclide bone scan follow-up. Correlations of radionuclide bone scans with T, N and the clinical stage were assessed using chi-square methods. Metastases were present in 9 patients (9%). In five of these cases, the pattern was manifestly metastatic without the need to other investigation. In the other cases, interpretation required complementary investigation. The yield of metastases was very low in localized stages, this pointed out the difficulty in interpretation of radionuclide bone scans for localized stages, probably due to a less skeletal extension.

[Role of iodine-131 in the management of differentiated thyroid cancers (vesicular origin)]. / Apport de l'iode 131 dans la prise en charge des cancers differencies de la thyroïde (d'origine vesiculaire).

Radioodine-131 has an important place in the management of well-differentiated thyroid cancer. Patient preparation for radioiodine-131 administration must be rigorous and is based on the stimulation of endogenous TSH production, which requires a hypothyroid state after withdrawal of suppressive T4-therapy. The introduction of recombinant human TSH would simplify the protocol of preparation and improve the quality of life of patients. The diagnosis place of radioiodine-131 knew significant changes following the introduction of the serum thyroglobulin measurement. This tumour marker has a central role in the strategy of follow-up and tends to be the principal element of indication for a diagnosis exploration with radioidine-131. The systematic ablation of thyroid remnants remains controversial particularly in patients with good prognosis factors; the efficacy of low activities is also still debatable. The optimal follow-up strategy and the indication of remnant ablation must take in account the prognosis factors of survival and recurrence. Radioiodine-131 therapy permits frequently the cure of distant metastases, particularly in infraradiological pulmonary forms. This fact outlines the importance of an early detection of tumour recurrence based on the conjunction of radioiodine-131 and thyroglobulin. Side effects of radioiodine-131 therapy are generally limited if the precautionary measures are well applied; leukaemia constitutes the main risk but this complication is very uncommon and occurs after a high cumulative activity.