Gastrointestinal malignancies evaluated with (18)F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography.

(18)F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography has demonstrated high accuracy in the staging and evaluation of colorectal and esophageal carcinomas. FDG PET is demonstrating increasing utility in a number of other gastrointestinal tumours and clinical scenarios. The established clinical indications for its use, the diagnostic accuracy, and limitations will be reviewed. Data on the emerging indications and limitations for pancreatic, hepatocellular, and gastric carcinomas, as well as gastrointestinal stromal tumours, cholangiocarcinoma, and carcinoma of unknown primary will also be briefly discussed. The use of combined PET-CT is demonstrating further improvements in diagnostic accuracy.

Effect of cadmium chloride on the pituitary, thyroid and gonads in the catfish, Clarias batrachus (Linn.).

The effect of cadmium chloride on the pituitary ACTH cells, gonadotropin- and thyrotropin-secreting cells, thyroid gland and gonads of the catfish, Clarias batrachus was investigated. Exposure to cadmium chloride caused a significant increase in the ACTH cell nuclear indices at day 7, 14 and 28, whereas the thyrotropin- and gonadotropin-secreting cells showed inactivation and accumulation of secretary products. The epithelial height of the thyroid follicles was also significantly reduced (P < 0.001) as compared to that of the untreated control fish. In experimental female fish, the gonosomatic index had undergone a significant reduction at all intervals studied (day 7, 14 and 28). However, in the male catfish a significant reduction in the gonosomatic index was observed only after exposure for 28 days. Ovarian maturation seems to have become arrested at perinucleolar stage and spermatogenesis at spermatocyte stage. The possible involvement of the hypothalamo-hypophyseal system in gonadal regression was discussed.