(18)F-FDG positron emission tomography in the early diagnosis of enterocolitis: preliminary results.

Collagenous and eosinophilic colitis are rare diseases characterised by chronic watery diarrhoea. Radiographic evaluation of the gastrointestinal tract and colonoscopy are usually non-diagnostic since as many as one-third of patients will have minor abnormalities. To date a few investigators have reported increased fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose ((18)F-FDG) uptake on positron emission tomography (PET) in patients with acute enterocolitis, but there have been no reports on the use of (18)F-FDG PET for the diagnosis of collagenous or eosinophilic colitis in an early clinical stage. The aim of this preliminary study was to evaluate the usefulness of (18)F-FDG PET in the early diagnosis of patients with colitis. We investigated five women (mean age 61.2+/-12.1 years) who had been diagnosed as having colitis in an early clinical stage. In all but one of the patients, the diagnosis of colitis was based on biopsy. Magnetic resonance colonography, ultrasonography and colonoscopy were performed in all but one of the patients. Two women were identified as having collagenous colitis in an early clinical stage. Another two patients had eosinophilic colitis. The morphological imaging methods, magnetic resonance colonography and ultrasonography, yielded no suspicious findings, and the results of colonoscopy similarly showed no abnormalities. One patient had colitis due to bacterial infection. In all patients (18)F-FDG PET showed a pathological increase in tracer uptake in the large bowel, suggestive of colitis. In four of the five patients, colitis was confirmed by histology, and in one, by bacterial analysis. (18)F-FDG PET was able to detect colitis in an early clinical stage, when morphological imaging methods and colonoscopy were non-diagnostic. The early performance of (18)F-FDG PET imaging in patients with possible colitis is encouraging.

Clinical outcome of radiosynoviorthesis: a meta-analysis including 2190 treated joints.

A variety of indications for radiosynoviorthesis have been reported in literature, but the clinical outcome differs and depends on the primary disease and the pre-existing degenerative changes. This metaanalysis was carried out to establish groups for radiosynoviorthesis based on clinical outcome with respect to primary disease, clinical stage and the pre-existing degenerative changes. The literature search was carried out using the MEDLINE search term 'radionuclide synovectomy'. Based on reports in the literature we determined groups for radiosynoviorthesis for clinical use. Our literature list comprised 2190 joints that were treated with radiosynoviorthesis. The overall response rate for all treated joints was 72.5+/-17%. The mean improvement rate for the treated joints in rheumatoid arthritis was 66.7+/-15.4%. For osteoarthritis the success rate was 56+/-11%, with better results in case of minimal radiological changes. Radiosynoviorthesis in patients with changes according to Steinbrocker I and II was successful in 72.8+/-12.3%, and in 64+/-17.3%, respectively. Steinbrocker III and IV had a mean success rate of 52.4+/-23.6%. In the case of haemophilia and Willebrand's disease a reduction of joint bleedings and factor usages after radiosynoviorthesis was evident in 91+/-4.3%. In patients with pigmented villonodular synovitis radiosynoviorthesis was successful in 77.3+/-25.3%. It is concluded that radiosynoviorthesis provides better results in rheumatoid arthritis than in osteoarthritis. Minimal or moderate changes according to Steinbrocker stages I and II respond better to radionuclide therapy than do stages III and IV. Deformed or unstable joints might fail treatment and therefore surgical interventions should be considered. Close cooperation with orthopaedists and rheumatologists is necessary to consider radiosynoviorthesis in each patient to ensure optimal medical care.

Evaluation of head and neck cancer with 18F-FDG PET: a comparison with conventional methods.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of 18F-FDG PET in the diagnosis and staging of primary and recurrent malignant head and neck tumours in comparison with conventional imaging methods [including ultrasonography, radiography, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)], physical examination, panendoscopy and biopsies in clinical routine. A total of 54 patients (13 female, 41 male, age 61.3+/-12 years) were investigated retrospectively. Three groups were formed. In group I, 18F-FDG PET was performed in 15 patients to detect unknown primary cancers. In group II, 24 studies were obtained for preoperative staging of proven head and neck cancer. In group III, 18F-FDG PET was used in 15 patients to monitor tumour recurrence after radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy. In all patients, imaging was obtained at 70 min after the intravenous administration of 180 MBq 18F-FDG. In 11 of the 15 patients in group I, the primary cancer could be found with 18F-FDG, yielding a detection rate of 73.3%. In 4 of the 15 patients, CT findings were also suggestive of the primary cancer but were nonetheless equivocal. In these patients, 18F-FDG showed increased 18F-FDG uptake by the primary tumour, which was confirmed by histology. One patient had recurrence of breast carcinoma that could not be detected with 18F-FDG PET, but was detected by CT. In three cases, the primary cancer could not be found with any imaging method. Among the 24 patients in group II investigated for staging purposes, 18F-FDG PET detected a total of 13 local and three distant lymph node metastases, whereas the conventional imaging methods detected only nine local and one distant lymph node metastases. The results of 18F-FDG PET led to an upstaging in 5/24 (20.8%) patients. The conventional imaging methods were false positive in 5/24 (20.8%). There was one false positive result using 18F-FDG PET. Among the 15 patients of group III with suspected recurrence after radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy, 18F-FDG was true positive in 7/15 (46.6%) and true negative in 4/15 (26.6%). The conventional imaging methods were true positive in 5/15 (33.3%) and true negative in 4/15 (26.6%). One false negative (6.6%) and three false positive findings (20%) on 18F-FDG PET were due to inflamed tissue. The conventional imaging methods were false positive in three (20%) and false negative in three cases (20%). It is concluded that in comparison to conventional diagnostic methods, 18F-FDG PET provides additional and clinically relevant information in the detection of primary and metastatic carcinomas as well as in the early detection of recurrent or persistent head and neck cancer after radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy. 18F-FDG PET should therefore be performed early in clinical routine, usually before CT or MRI.

Evaluation of head and neck cancer with (18)F-FDG PET: a comparison with conventional methods.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of (18)F-FDG PET in the diagnosis and staging of primary and recurrent malignant head and neck tumours in comparison with conventional imaging methods [including ultrasonography, radiography, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)], physical examination, panendoscopy and biopsies in clinical routine. A total of 54 patients (13 female, 41 male, age 61.3±12 years) were investigated retrospectively. Three groups were formed. In group I, (18)F-FDG PET was performed in 15 patients to detect unknown primary cancers. In group II, 24 studies were obtained for preoperative staging of proven head and neck cancer. In group III, (18)F-FDG PET was used in 15 patients to monitor tumour recurrence after radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy. In all patients, imaging was obtained at 70 min after the intravenous administration of 180 MBq (18)F-FDG. In 11 of the 15 patients in group I, the primary cancer could be found with (18)F-FDG, yielding a detection rate of 73.3%. In 4 of the 15 patients, CT findings were also suggestive of the primary cancer but were nonetheless equivocal. In these patients, (18)F-FDG showed increased (18)F-FDG uptake by the primary tumour, which was confirmed by histology. One patient had recurrence of breast carcinoma that could not be detected with (18)F-FDG PET, but was detected by CT. In three cases, the primary cancer could not be found with any imaging method. Among the 24 patients in group II investigated for staging purposes, (18)F-FDG PET detected a total of 13 local and three distant lymph node metastases, whereas the conventional imaging methods detected only nine local and one distant lymph node metastases. The results of (18)F-FDG PET led to an upstaging in 5/24 (20.8%) patients. The conventional imaging methods were false positive in 5/24 (20.8%). There was one false positive result using (18)F-FDG PET. Among the 15 patients of group III with suspected recurrence after radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy, (18)F-FDG was true positive in 7/15 (46.6%) and true negative in 4/15 (26.6%). The conventional imaging methods were true positive in 5/15 (33.3%) and true negative in 4/15 (26.6%). One false negative (6.6%) and three false positive findings (20%) on (18)F-FDG PET were due to inflamed tissue. The conventional imaging methods were false positive in three (20%) and false negative in three cases (20%). It is concluded that in comparison to conventional diagnostic methods, (18)F-FDG PET provides additional and clinically relevant information in the detection of primary and metastatic carcinomas as well as in the early detection of recurrent or persistent head and neck cancer after radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy. (18)F-FDG PET should therefore be performed early in clinical routine, usually before CT or MRI.

Tc-99m-tetrofosmin scintimammography: a prospective study in primary breast lesions.

UNLABELLED: Despite low specificity routine mammography is the method of choice to screen women for breast cancer. In addition high frequency ultrasonography (US) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can improve breast cancer diagnosis. However there is a lack of conventional imaging to improve the high rate of false positive results that make biopsy or surgery necessary. AIM: The purpose of our study was to evaluate prospectively the sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of scintimammography with a new cationic complex Tc-99m-tetrofosmin. METHODS: Fourtyeight patients in whom mammography and/or high resolution ultrasonography (10 MHz) revealed suspicious breast lesions were studied with Tc-99m-tetrofosmin scintimammography. In thirtyfour of them biopsy and/or surgery was performed for histological evaluation. After intravenous injection of 555 MBq Tc-99m-tetrofosmin dynamic images over three minutes (1 frame/10 sec.) planar images in anterior and lateral projections (5 min. p.i.) and SPECT imaging including 3-D-reconstruction (20 min. p.i.) were performed. Scintimammography was evaluated as negative, equivocal (+), probably (+2) or definitely (+3) positive RESULTS: Scintimammography with Tc-99m-tetrofosmin was negative in 18 patients (17 t.p., 1 f.n.) and positive in 16 patients (10 t.p., 6 f.p.). The false negative scintimammography was observed in a patient with infiltrating ductal carcinoma pT1, the false positive results in a patient with fibrocystic disease; all of the five fibroadenomas were also "false" positive. Sensitivity of Tc-99m-tetrofosmin scintimammography in this prospective study was 91%, specificity 74%, PPV 63% and NPV 94%. Scintimammographic results in patients with suspicious breast lesion show, that Tc-99m-tetrofosmin accumulates in breast cancer as well as in fibroadenoma. However the high NPV of 94% excludes breast cancer in suspicious mammographic lesions in a very high degree and therefore reduces the need of biopsy and/or surgery in most of these patients CONCLUSION: Our first results show that scintimammography with Tc-99m-tetrofosmin might play a role as further diagnostic step before surgery for women in whom mammography and/or ultrasonography show suspicious lesions.