Does 18F-Fluorocholine PET/CT add value to positive parathyroid scintigraphy in the presurgical assessment of primary hyperparathyroidism?

IntroductionTo investigate the value of presurgical 18F-FCH PET/CT in detecting additional hyperfunctioning parathyroids despite a positive 99mTc-sestamibi parathyroid scintigraphy in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT).MethodsThis is a retrospective study involving patients with pHPT, positive parathyroid scintigraphy performed before 18F-FCH PET/CT, and parathyroid surgery achieved after PET/CT. Imaging procedures were performed according to the EANM practice guidelines. Images were qualitatively interpreted as positive or negative. The number of pathological findings, their topography, and ectopic location were recorded. Histopathology, Miami criterion, and biological follow-up were considered to ensure effective parathyroidectomy confirming the complete excision of all hyperfunctioning glands. The impact of 18F-FCH PET/CT on therapeutic strategy was recorded.Results64/632 scanned pHPT patients (10%) were included in the analysis. According to a per lesion-based analysis, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of 99mTc-sestamibi scintigraphy were 82, 95, 87, and 93%, respectively. The same values for 18F-FCH PET/CT were 93, 99, 99, and 97%, respectively. 18F-FCH PET/CT showed a significantly higher global accuracy than 99mTc-sestamibi scintigraphy: 98% (CI: 95–99) vs. 91% (CI: 87–94%). Youden Index was 0.79 and 0.92 for 99mTc-sestamibi scintigraphy and 18F-FCH PET/CT, respectively. Scintigraphy and PET/CT were discordant in 13/64 (20%) patients (49 glands). 18F-FCH PET/CT identified nine pathologic parathyroids not detected by 99mTc-sestamibi scintigraphy in 8 patients (12.5%). Moreover, 18F-FCH PET/CT allowed the reconsideration of false-positive scintigraphic diagnosis (scinti+/PET-) for 8 parathyroids in 7 patients (11%). The 18F-FCH PET/CT influenced the surgical strategy in 7 cases (11% of the study population).ConclusionIn a preoperative setting, 18F-FCH PET/CT seems more accurate and useful than 99mTc-sestamibi scan in pHPT patients with positive scintigraphic results. Positive parathyroid scintigraphy could be not satisfactory before neck surgery particularly in patients with multiglandular disease, suggesting a need to evolve the practice and define new preoperative imaging algorithms including 18F-FCH PET/CT at the fore-front in pHPT patients

Convenient and Practical Alkynylation of Heteronucleophiles with Copper Acetylides

Copper acetylides, readily available reagents which are characterized by their lack of reactivity, can be simply activated by oxidation with oxygen in the presence of simple nitrogen ligands such as TMEDA or imidazole derivatives. Upon activation, these nucleophilic species undergo a formal umpolung and can transfer their alkyne subunit to a wide range of heteronucleophiles, including amides, oxazolidinones, imines, and dialkyl phosphites. This alkynylation, which provides one of the most practical entry to useful building blocks such as ynamides, ynimines, and alkynylphosphonates, proceeds under especially mild conditions and can be easily performed on a multigram scale.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

18F-FDOPA PET/CT Combined with MRI for Gross Tumor Volume Delineation in Patients with Skull Base Paraganglioma

In this simulation study, we assessed differences in gross tumor volume (GTV) in a series of skull base paragangliomas (SBPGLs) using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), 18F-dihydroxyphenylalanine (18F-FDOPA) combined positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT), and 18F-FDOPA PET/MRI images obtained by rigid alignment of PET and MRI. GTV was delineated in 16 patients with SBPGLs on MRI (GTVMRI), 18F-FDOPA PET/CT (GTVPET), and combined PET/MRI (GTVPET/MRI). GTVPET/MRI was the union of GTVMRI and GTVPET after visual adjustment. Three observers delineated GTVMRI and GTVPET/MRI independently. Excellent interobserver reproducibility was found for both GTVMRI and GTVPET/MRI. GTVPET and GTVMRI were not significantly different. However, there was some spatial difference between the locations of GTVMRI, GTVPET, and GTVPET/MRI. The Dice similarity coefficient median value was 0.4 between PET/CT and MRI, and 0.8 between MRI and PET/MRI. The combined use of PET/MRI produced a larger GTV than MRI alone. Nevertheless, both the target-delivered dose and organs-at-risk conservancy were respected when treatment was planned on the PET/MRI-matched data set. Future integration of 18F-FDOPA PET/CT into clinical practice will be necessary to evaluate the influence of this diagnostic modality on SBPGL therapeutic management. If the clinical utility of 18F-FDOPA PET/CT and/or PET/MRI is confirmed, GTVPET/MRI should be considered for tailored radiotherapy planning in patients with SBPGL

Head-to-head comparison between 18F-FDOPA PET/CT and MR/CT angiography in clinically recurrent head and neck paragangliomas

International audiencePurpose: Head and neck paragangliomas (HNPGLs) can relapse after primary treatment. Optimal imaging protocols have not yet been established for posttreatment evaluation. The aim of the present study was to assess the diagnostic value of 18F-FDOPA PET/CT and MR/CT angiography (MRA/CTA) in HNPGL patients with clinical relapse during their follow-up.Methods: Sixteen consecutive patients presenting with local pain, tinnitus, dysphagia, hoarse voice, cranial nerve involvement, deafness, or retrotympanic mass appearing during follow-up after the initial treatment of HNPGLs were retrospectively evaluated. Patients underwent both 18F-FDOPA PET/CT and MRA (15 patents) or CTA (1 patent). Both methods were first assessed under blinded conditions and afterwards correlated. Head and neck imaging abnormalities without histological confirmation were considered true-positive results based on a consensus between radiologists and nuclear physicians and on further 18F-FDOPA PET/CT and/or MRA.Results: 18F-FDOPA PET/CT and MRA/CTA were concordant in 14 patients and in disagreement in 2 patients. 18F-FDOPA PET/CT and MRA/CTA identified, respectively, 12 and 10 presumed recurrent HNPGLs in 12 patients. The two lesions diagnosed by PET/CT only were confirmed during follow-up by otoscopic examination and MRA performed 29 and 17 months later. 18F-FDOPA PET/CT images were only slightly influenced by the posttreatment sequelae, showing a better interobserver reproducibility than MRA/CTA. Finally, in 2 of the 16 studied patients, 18F-FDOPA PET/CT detected two additional synchronous primary HNPGLs.Conclusion: 18F-FDOPA PET/CT is highly sensitive in posttreatment evaluation of patients with HNPGLs, and also offers better interobserver reproducibility than MRA/CTA and whole-body examination. We therefore suggest that 18F-FDOPA PET/CT is performed as the first diagnostic imaging modality in symptomatic patients with suspicion of HNPGL relapse after primary treatment when 68Ga-labeled somatostatin analogues are not available

A Journey in the Chemistry of Ynamides: From Synthesis to Applications

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

A Journey in the Chemistry of Ynamides: From Synthesis to Applications

Due to their combined stability and peculiar reactivity, ynamides have emerged as remarkably useful building blocks for chemical synthesis. The development of general and robust methods for their preparation resulted in a massive interest for their chemistry. This notably resulted in the development of incredibly efficient processes starting from these building blocks which also recently found various applications in medicinal chemistry and natural product synthesis. Our efforts and contributions to the chemistry of ynamides, for which we have developed several reactions both for their preparation and for their use in synthesis, are overviewed in this highlight review.SCOPUS: re.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Head-to-head comparison between 18F-FDOPA PET/CT and MR/CT angiography in clinically recurrent head and neck paragangliomas

International audiencePurpose: Head and neck paragangliomas (HNPGLs) can relapse after primary treatment. Optimal imaging protocols have not yet been established for posttreatment evaluation. The aim of the present study was to assess the diagnostic value of 18F-FDOPA PET/CT and MR/CT angiography (MRA/CTA) in HNPGL patients with clinical relapse during their follow-up.Methods: Sixteen consecutive patients presenting with local pain, tinnitus, dysphagia, hoarse voice, cranial nerve involvement, deafness, or retrotympanic mass appearing during follow-up after the initial treatment of HNPGLs were retrospectively evaluated. Patients underwent both 18F-FDOPA PET/CT and MRA (15 patents) or CTA (1 patent). Both methods were first assessed under blinded conditions and afterwards correlated. Head and neck imaging abnormalities without histological confirmation were considered true-positive results based on a consensus between radiologists and nuclear physicians and on further 18F-FDOPA PET/CT and/or MRA.Results: 18F-FDOPA PET/CT and MRA/CTA were concordant in 14 patients and in disagreement in 2 patients. 18F-FDOPA PET/CT and MRA/CTA identified, respectively, 12 and 10 presumed recurrent HNPGLs in 12 patients. The two lesions diagnosed by PET/CT only were confirmed during follow-up by otoscopic examination and MRA performed 29 and 17 months later. 18F-FDOPA PET/CT images were only slightly influenced by the posttreatment sequelae, showing a better interobserver reproducibility than MRA/CTA. Finally, in 2 of the 16 studied patients, 18F-FDOPA PET/CT detected two additional synchronous primary HNPGLs.Conclusion: 18F-FDOPA PET/CT is highly sensitive in posttreatment evaluation of patients with HNPGLs, and also offers better interobserver reproducibility than MRA/CTA and whole-body examination. We therefore suggest that 18F-FDOPA PET/CT is performed as the first diagnostic imaging modality in symptomatic patients with suspicion of HNPGL relapse after primary treatment when 68Ga-labeled somatostatin analogues are not available