The rare case of positive FDG-positron emission tomography for giant cavernous hemangioma of the liver

Hemangioma is the most common benign liver tumor and the second most common liver tumor after metastases. Large hemangiomas are often heterogeneous. When they exceed 4 cm in diameter, they are termed giant hemangiomas. These giant hemangiomas often present heterogeneous patterns. These heterogeneous appearances are shown because of intratumoral changes due to several degenerative phenomena. PET/CT is reported to be useful for the differentiation of benign from malignant liver lesions. We report the case of a large hepatic hemangioma characterized by high FDG uptake

A mixed behavioural and data-driven method for assessing the shift potential to electric micromobility: evidence from Rome

Electric micromobility, both as a private option and as a shared service, can represent an alternative to cars, particularly for given user groups (market segments) and specific classes of travel distance. The paper explores the potential for shifting from cars to electric micromobility (specifically, e-bikes and e-scooters) for commuting trips, investigated through floating car data (FCD). The methodology combines the calibration of random utility models (RUMs) and the subsequent simulation through the adoption of FCD spanning the entire city of Rome (Italy). The data used for the calibration of RUM models have been sourced from an online revealed preferences and stated preferences survey carried out between November 2020 and January 2021. Socioeconomic factors, along with transport features (travel time, access time, monetary costs, and perceived safety levels), enter into the definition of the mode choice probability. The first results showed that in Rome, the potential demand for electric micromobility could range between 14% of the FCD sample in the best case (low cost, high accessibility, and road infrastructures with a high perceived level of safety) and about 2% in the worst case (high cost, low accessibility, and a low perceived level of safety)

Unexpected detection of abscessualized lung carcinoma on tc-99m-hmpao-labeled leukocytes scintigraphy misdiagnosed on chest computed tomography

Teknesyum-99m (Tc-99m)-heksametilpropilen amin oksim (HMPAO) işaretli lökosit sintigrafisi, kemik ve yumuşak dokudaki enfeksiyonları araştırmak ve teşhis etmek ve ayrıca gizli enfeksiyonu saptamak için iyi bir şekilde tasarlanmıştır. Yakın zamanda sağ akciğerde bronkopulmoner nöroendokrin tümörü teşhisi konan 71 yaşındaki bir kadın, son bir ay içinde geceleri üşüme ile ilişkili bilinmeyen kaynaklı aralıklı ateş nedeniyle sevk edildi. Toraks bilgisayarlı tomografisi (BT) taraması, üst vena kavanın trombotik yayılımını ve sağ akciğerin alt lobunun üst segmentindekarşılıklı atelektazisi olan katı patolojik dokuyu gösterdi. Bir kateter portu taşıyıcısı olduğundan, bu cihazın bir enfeksiyonundan şüpheleniliyordu. Bu nedenle, Tc-99m-HMPAO işaretli lökosit tek foton emisyonlu bilgisayarlı tomografi (SPECT) gerçekleştirildi ve eşleşen BT taraması ve Tc-99mHMPAO işaretli beyaz kan hücresi SPECT görüntü çiftleri birleştirildi. Bu yolla, artmış radyofarmasötik tutulumun, sağ akciğerin alt lobunda lokalize BT taraması ile tespit edilen yumuşak doku yoğunluğu kütlesine karşılık geldiği bulundu. Hibrid SPECT/BT füzyon görüntüleme, bilinen akciğer kanseri bölgesi ile uyumlu olarak lokalize edilmiş bir akciğer apsesinin varlığının teşhisi için çok önemliydi.Technetium-99m (Tc-99m)-hexamethylpropylene amine oxime (HMPAO)-labeled leukocytes scintigraphy is well established for investigating and diagnosing infections in bone and soft tissue, as well as for the detection of occult infection. A 71-year-old female who was recently diagnosed with bronchopulmonary neuroendocrine tumor of the right lung was referred for an intermittent fever of unknown origin associated with chill at night for the last month. Chest computed tomography (CT) scan showed a thrombotic widespread of the superior vena cava and a solid pathological tissue in the superior segment of the inferior lobe of the right lung with consensual atelectasis. Being a carrier of port-a-cath, an infection of this device was suspected. Therefore, Tc-99m-HMPAO-labeled leukocytes single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) was performed, and matching pairs of CT scan and Tc-99m-HMPAO-labeled white blood cell SPECT images were fused. Through this means, it was found that the area of the radiotracer increased uptake corresponded with the soft tissue density mass detected by CT scan localized at the inferior lobe of the right lung. The hybrid SPECT/CT fused imaging was crucial for diagnosis of the presence of a lung abscess localized in correspondence with the known lung cancer region

111In-Octreoscan SPECT/CT hybrid imaging and 68Ga-DOTANOC PET/CT in neuroendocrine adenoma of the middle ear (NAME)

Neuroendocrine adenoma of the middle ear (NAME) represents a rare tumour consisting of an adenoma with mixed neuroendocrine differentiation. A 40-year-old woman was referred to our attention to further investigate the occurrence of a pathological tissue located in the mastoid process of the left temporal bone depicted by head CT and MRI scans. Histopathological examination revealed an epithelial neoplasm with neuroendocrine differentiation features, consistent with the diagnosis of NAME. In order to obtain an accurate differential diagnosis and confirmation of this rare disease, 111In-Octreoscan single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/CT and 68Ga-DOTANOC positron emission tomography (PET)/CT were performed, both showing overexpression of somatostatin receptors and thus corroborating the histopathological findings

Role of PET gamma detection in radioguided surgery: a systematic review

Purpose This systematic review aimed to collect published studies concerning intraoperative gamma detection of positronemitting tracers for radioguided surgery (RGS) applications. Methods A systematic literature search of studies published until October 2022 was performed in Pubmed, Web Of Science, Central (Cochrane Library) and Scopus databases, including the following keywords: “Positron Emission Tomography” OR “PET” AND “Gamma” OR “γ” AND “Probe” AND “Radioguided Surgery” OR “RGS”. The included studies had to concern RGS procedures performed in at least 3 patients, regardless of the administered radiopharmaceutical and the field of application. Results Among to the 17 selected studies, all published between 2000 and 2022, only 2 investigations were conducted with gallium-68 (68Ga)-labeled somatostatin analogues, with fluorine-18-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose ([ 18F]FDG) being the most commonly used agent for RGS applications. Almost all studies were performed in oncologic patients, with only one paper also including inflammatory and infectious findings. The analysis showed that the largest part of procedures was performed through the intraoperative use of conventional gamma probes, not specifically designed for the detection of annihilation photons (n = 9), followed by PET gamma probes (n = 5) and with only three studies involving electronic collimation. Conclusions Regardless of the intraoperative devices, RGS with positron emitters seems to lead to significant improvements in surgeons’ ability to obtain a complete resection of tumors, even if the nature of photons resulting from positron–electron collision still remains extremely challenging and requires further technical advances

Advances in targeted Alpha therapy for prostate cancer

BACKGROUND: Amongst therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals, targeted alpha therapy (TαT) can deliver potent and local radiation selectively to cancer cells as well as the tumor microenvironment and thereby control cancer while minimizing toxicity. DESIGN: In this review, we discuss the history, progress, and future potential of TαT in the treatment of prostate cancer, including dosimetry-individualized treatment planning, combinations with small-molecule therapies, and conjugation to molecules directed against antigens expressed by prostate cancer cells, such as prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) or components of the tumor microenvironment. RESULTS: A clinical proof of concept that TαT is efficacious in treating bone-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer has been demonstrated by radium-223 via improved overall survival and long-term safety/tolerability in the phase III ALSYMPCA trial. Dosimetry calculation and pharmacokinetic measurements of TαT provide the potential for optimization and individualized treatment planning for a precision medicine-based cancer management paradigm. The ability to combine TαTs with other agents, including chemotherapy, androgen receptor (AR)-targeting agents, DNA repair inhibitors, and immuno-oncology agents, is under investigation. Currently, TαTs that specifically target prostate cancer cells expressing PSMA represents a promising therapeutic approach. Both PSMA-targeted actinium-225 and thorium-227 conjugates are under investigation. CONCLUSIONS: The described clinical benefit, safety and tolerability of radium-223 and the recent progress in TαT trial development suggest that TαT occupies an important new role in prostate cancer treatment. Ongoing studies with newer dosimetry methods, PSMA targeting, and novel approaches to combination therapies should expand the utility of TαT in prostate cancer treatment

18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) functionalized gold nanoparticles (GNPs) for plasmonic photothermal ablation of cancer. A review

The meeting and merging between innovative nanotechnological systems, such as nanoparticles, and the persistent need to outperform diagnostic-therapeutic approaches to fighting cancer are revolutionizing the medical research scenario, leading us into the world of nanomedicine. Photothermal therapy (PTT) is a non-invasive thermo-ablative treatment in which cellular hyperthermia is generated through the interaction of near-infrared light with light-to-heat converter entities, such as gold nanoparticles (GNPs). GNPs have great potential to improve recovery time, cure complexity, and time spent on the treatment of specific types of cancer. The development of gold nanostructures for photothermal efficacy and target selectivity ensures effective and deep tissue-penetrating PTT with fewer worries about adverse effects from nonspecific distributions. Regardless of the thriving research recorded in the last decade regarding the multiple biomedical applications of nanoparticles and, in particular, their conjugation with drugs, few works have been completed regarding the possibility of combining GNPs with the cancer-targeted pharmaceutical fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG). This review aims to provide an actual scenario on the application of functionalized GNP-mediated PTT for cancer ablation purposes, regarding the opportunity given by the 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) functionalization

Prognostic and theranostic applications of positron emission tomography for a personalized approach to metastatic castration‐resistant prostate cancer

Metastatic castration‐resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) represents a condition of pro-gressive disease in spite of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), with a broad spectrum of mani-festations ranging from no symptoms to severe debilitation due to bone or visceral metastatization. The management of mCRPC has been profoundly modified by introducing novel therapeutic tools such as antiandrogen drugs (i.e., abiraterone acetate and enzalutamide), immunotherapy through sipuleucel‐T, and targeted alpha therapy (TAT). This variety of approaches calls for unmet need of biomarkers suitable for patients’ pre‐treatment selection and prognostic stratification. In this sce-nario, imaging with positron emission computed tomography (PET/CT) presents great and still unexplored potential to detect specific molecular and metabolic signatures, some of whom, such as the prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA), can also be exploited as therapeutic targets, thus combining diagnosis and therapy in the so‐called “theranostic” approach. In this review, we per-formed a web‐based and desktop literature research to investigate the prognostic and theranostic potential of several PET imaging probes, such as18F‐FDG,18F‐choline and68Ga‐PSMA‐11, also covering the emerging tracers still in a pre‐clinical phase (e.g., PARP‐inhibitors’ analogs and the radioligands binding to gastrin releasing peptide receptors/GRPR), highlighting their potential for defining personalized care pathways in mCRPC

Comparison of the imaging performances for recently developed monolithic scintillators: CRY018 and CRY019 for dual isotope gamma ray imaging applications

The growing interest for new scintillation crystals with outstanding imaging performances (i.e. resolution and efficiency) has suggested the study of recently discovered scintillators named CRY018 and CRY019. The crystals under investigation are monolithic and have shown enhanced characteristics both for gamma ray spectrometry and for Nuclear Medicine imaging applications such as the dual isotope imaging. Moreover, the non-hygroscopic nature and the absence of afterglow make these scintillators even more attractive for the potential improvement in a wide range of applications. These scintillation crystals show a high energy resolution in the energy range involved in Nuclear Medicine, allowing the discrimination between very close energy values. Moreover, in order to prove their suitability of being powerful imaging systems, the imaging performances like the position linearity and the intrinsic spatial resolution have been evaluated obtaining satisfactory results thanks to the implementation of an optimized algorithm for the images reconstruction. © 2017 IOP Publishing Ltd and Sissa Medialab srl

Anisotropic and Heterogeneous Development of Microstructures. Combining Laboratory/Synchrotron X-rays and EBSD on a few SPD Metallic Systems

The onset of Severe Plastic Deformation (SPD) regime is quite instructive on the possible origins of the nano-microstructures developed in metals and alloys. It is known that grain fragmentation and dislocation accumulation, among other defects, proceed at different paces depending fundamentally on grain orientations and active deformation mechanisms. There have been many attempts to characterize nano-microstructure anisotropy, leading all of them to sometimes contradictory conclusions. Moreover, the characterizations rely on different measurements techniques and pos-processing approaches, which can be observing different manifestations of the same phenomena. On the current presentation we show a few experimental and computer pos-processing and simulation approaches, applied to some SPD/alloy systems. Williamson-Hall and Convolutional Multiple Whole Profile (CMWP) techniques will be applied to peak broadening analysis on experimental results stemming from laboratory Cu Ka X-rays, and synchrotron radiation from LNLS (Laboratório Nacional de Luz Síncrotron, Campinas, Brazil) and Petra III line (HEMS station, at DESY, Hamburg, Germany). Taking advantage of the EBSD capability of giving information on orientational and topological characteristics of grain boundaries, microstructures, grain sizes, etc., we also performed investigations on dislocation density and Geometrically Necessary Dislocation Boundaries (GNDB) and their correlation with texture components. Orientation dependent nano-microstructures and domain sizes are shown on the scheme of generalized pole figures and discussions provide some hints on nano-microstructure anisotropy.Fil: Bolmaro, Raul Eduardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Rosario. Instituto de Física de Rosario (i); ArgentinaFil: de Vincentis, Natalia Soledad. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Rosario. Instituto de Física de Rosario (i); ArgentinaFil: Benatti, Emanuel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Rosario. Instituto de Física de Rosario (i); ArgentinaFil: Kliauga, Andrea M.. Universidade Federal Do Sao Carlos. Departamento de Engenharia de Mteriales; BrasilFil: Avalos, Martina Cecilia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Rosario. Instituto de Física de Rosario (i); ArgentinaFil: Schell, Norbert. Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht; AlemaniaFil: Brokmeier, Heinz Günter. Institut für Werkstoffkunde und Werkstofftechnik; Alemani