Primary non Hodgkin's lymphoma of the lacrimal sac

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Primary Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL) of the lacrimal sac is rare.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The clinical features of a 78 year old female who presented with epiphora and swelling of the left lacrimal sac are described.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Computerised tomography showed a mass involving the left lacrimal sac. Histopathological examination revealed a diffuse large B cell NHL. Immunohistological examination demonstrated B cell origin. Chemotherapy could not be administered due to co morbid conditions. The patient was treated with radiotherapy to a dose of 45 Gy in 25 fractions. Patient is disease free and on follow up after 36 months.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Primary radiotherapy is a treatment option with curative potential for localized NHL of the lacrimal sac and may be considered in patients who cannot tolerate appropriate chemotherapy.</p

Multisegmented radiation therapy as an alternative to 3D conformal radiation therapy, with special reference to breast cancer tangential fields

The paper compares the techniques of 3DCRT and MSCRT in terms of PTV coverage and doses to OARs. The study population consisted of 175 breast cancer patients in whom treatement was analysed in regard to the use of lateral and medial tangential fields. Although we have failed to establish statistical significance at the P=0.05 levelthe results look clinically promising in favour of MSCRT

FDG PET imaging in hereditary thyroid cancer

Aim: To report the role of different imaging methods in staging individuals with multiple endocrine neoplasia 2A (MEN2A) or familial medullary thyroid carcinoma (FMTC). Material and methods: Fourteen newly diagnosed gene carriers underwent cervical ultrasound scanning (US), cervical and mediastinal CT, MRI and whole-body meta-[(131) I]iodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) scintigraphy and [F-18]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET scanning.Results: US identified seven true primary cancer. CT and MRI located only tumors greater than or equal to5 mm in diameter. MIBG scintigraphy and FDG PET could not identify MTC foci within the thyroid. Whole-body FDG PET identified two true-positive and one false-positive lymph node metastases. MIBG scintigraphy did not identify lymph node metastases. Total thyroidectomy was performed in 12 cases, and subtotal thyroidectomy in two subjects.Conclusions: Whole-body FDG PET and cervical US help stage individuals carrying mutant genes verifying MEN2A or FMTC. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

PET identifies transitional metabolic change in the spinal cord following a subthreshold dose of irradiation

Positron emission tomographic ( PET) investigations were performed to obtain in vivo information on symptomless radiation-induced pathological changes in the human spinal cord. PET investigations were carried out prior to radiotherapy and during the regular follow-up in an early hypopharyngeal cancer patient ( the spinal cord was irradiated with a biologically effective dose of 80 Gy(2)), with [F-18] fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG), [C-11] methionine and [O-15] butanol as tracers; radiosensitivity and electroneuronographic (ENG) studies were also performed. A very low background FDG accumulation ( mean standardized uptake values, i.e. SUV: 0.84) was observed in the spinal cord before the initiation of radiotherapy. An increased FDG uptake was measured 2 months after the completion of radiotherapy ( mean SUV: 1.69), followed by a fall-off, as measured 7 months later ( mean SUV: 1.21). By 44 months after completion of irradiation, the FDG accumulation in the irradiated segments of the spinal cord had decreased to a level very close to the initial value (mean SUV: 1.11). The simultaneous [O-15] butanol uptake results demonstrated a set of perfusion changes similar to those observed in connection with the FDG accumulation. The patient exhibited an extremely low [C-11] methionine uptake within the irradiated and the nonirradiated spinal cord during the clinical course. She has not had any neurological symptoms, and the results of central ENG measurements before radiotherapy and 2 months following its completion proved normal. Radiobiological investigations did not reveal unequivocal signs of an increased radiosensitivity. A transitory increased spinal cord FDG uptake following radiotherapy may be related to the posttherapeutic mild inflammatory and regenerative processes. The normal [C-11] methionine accumulation observed is strong evidence against intensive cell proliferation. The high degree of normalization of the temporarily increased FDG uptake of the irradiated spinal cord segments by 44 months is in good agreement with the results of monkey studies, which demonstrated a nearly complete recovery from radiation-induced spinal cord injury