Attenuation-Corrected vs. Nonattenuation-Corrected 2-Deoxy-2-[F-18]fluoro-d-glucose-Positron Emission Tomography in Oncology, A Systematic Review

Purpose: To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the diagnostic accuracy of attenuation-corrected (AC) vs. nonattenuation-corrected (NAC) 2-deoxy-2-[F-18] fluoro-D-glucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) in oncological patients. Procedures: Following a comprehensive search of the literature, two reviewers independently assessed the methodological quality of eligible studies. The diagnostic value of AC was studied through its sensitivity/specificity compared to histology, and by comparing the relative lesion detection rate reported with NAC-PET vs. AC, for full-ring and dual-head coincidence PET (FRand DH-PET, respectively). Results: Twelve studies were included. For FR-PET, the pooled sensitivity/specificity on a patient basis was 64/97 % for AC and 62/99 % for NAC, respectively. Pooled lesion detection with NAC vs. AC was 98 % [95 % confidence interval (95 % CI): 96Y99%, n=1,012 lesions] for FR-PET, and 88 % (95 % CI:81Y94%, n=288 lesions) for DH-PET. Conclusions: Findings suggest similar sensitivity/specificity and lesion detection for NAC vs. AC FR-PET and significantly higher lesion detection for NAC vs. AC DH-PET

Update of the fdg pet search strategy

The comprehensive search strategy for identification of FDG PET literature in the electronic databases MEDLINE and EMBASE, published in 2000, has been updated for PubMed. The new search strategy presented here is freely available at the VU website and can be easily copied from there and pasted into the PubMed search window. In addition, the strategy can be stored using the ‘Cubby’ feature on the PubMed interface and run whenever needed in a minimum of time. It can therefore be used for quick searches during clinical practice as well as extensive searches for systematic reviews. To increase sensitivity, new search terms and term combinations for ‘PET’ and ‘FDG’ were added. The existing truncations and field qualifications had to be changed for PubMed. The new strategy is even more sensitive than the previous and therefore identifies more articles without affecting precision (proportion of the retrieved articles that are relevant). Since 2000, MeSH indexing of FDG and PET has hardly improved. Our proposal to introduce the MeSH ‘positron emission tomography’ as a narrower term of the current ‘Tomography, emission-computed’ and to replace the current MeSH ‘Fludeoxyglucose F-18’ by ‘18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose’ has been accepted by the National Library of Medicine. The new MeSH terms will be included in the MeSH edition for 2004-2005

Suffering from dementia - The patient's perspective: A review of the literature

Background: Among the general public there is a deep fear of developing dementia, which has led to an increasing number of people "at risk" seeking ways (such as advance directives) to avoid undergoing progressive mental decline. The views of people with dementia are vital in obtaining a real answer to the question of how the disease affects people's lives and whether it actually involves the suffering that so many fear. Method: A review of the international literature is provided on what is known about living through dementia from the patient's perspective. Results: A total of 50 papers met the inclusion criteria. The findings of these reviewed papers give insight into the impact of dementia and the ways that those who have it deal with its effects by using different coping strategies. The literature on the perspective of the patient gives no solid support to the widespread assumption that dementia is necessarily a state of dreadful suffering. Although the impact of dementia and the experiences of loss resulting in multiple "negative" emotions cannot be denied, our findings also indicate that people do not undergo the disease passively and use both emotion-oriented and problem-oriented coping strategies to deal with its challenges. The experiences of living through dementia as told by the sufferers appear to yield a more subtle picture than the assumptions made by the general public. Conclusion: The overview provides a good starting point for improving the adjustment of care to the experience and wishes of people with dementia

Systematic review: accuracy of imaging tests in the diagnosis of recurrent laryngeal carcinoma after radiotherapy

BACKGROUND: Diagnosing recurrent laryngeal tumor after radiotherapy is challenging. The most reliable method is direct laryngoscopy under general anesthesia. However, many futile laryngoscopies are performed in disease-free patients. Imaging tests selecting patients for this invasive procedure would be useful. The aim of this systematic review was summarizing the available evidence and determining the diagnostic accuracy of CT, MRI, thallium-201 (201Tl) scintigraphy, and F-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18FDG-PET). METHODS: A systematic review was performed according to the guidelines of the Cochrane Collaboration. Two reviewers scored the articles according to A-, B-, and C-items. Statistical meta-analysis was performed producing summary pooled estimates of sensitivity and specificity. RESULTS: There were 8 eligible studies on 18FDG-PET. The validity of the 18FDG-PET studies was reasonable; the pooled estimates (95% CI) for sensitivity and specificity were 89% and 74%. CONCLUSION: The diagnostic accuracy of 18FDG-PET is promising and warrants a randomized trial comparing a strategy based on conventional diagnostic work-up to one based on 18FDG-PE

18F-fluoro-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography for post-treatment evaluation of malignant lymphoma: a systematic review

Despite the increasing number of publications concerning 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) for post-treatment evaluation of lymphoma and the increasing availability of this novel diagnostic modality, its exact role in response assessment after therapy is still unknown. The aim of this study was to systematically review the literature regarding the diagnostic performance of dedicated FDG-PET in evaluation of first-line therapy of Hodgkin's disease and (aggressive) non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and to calculate summary estimates of its sensitivity and specificity. The databases of PubMed and Embase were searched for relevant studies up to January 2004. Two reviewers independently assessed the methodological quality of each study. As a valid reference test, histology or follow-up of at least 12 months were accepted. A meta-analysis of the reported sensitivity and specificity of each study was performed. Fifteen studies, involving 705 patients, met the inclusion criteria. The studies had several design deficiencies. The majority of studies did not describe whether the reference test was interpreted without knowledge of the FDG-PET findings. In all studies, there was a description of the spectrum of patients included, i.e. all patients for post-treatment evaluation or only patients with substantial residual masses post-treatment. Pooled sensitivity and specificity for detection of residual disease in Hodgkin's lymphoma were 84% (95% CI 71-9192%) and 90% (95% CI 84-9394%), respectively. For non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, pooled sensitivity and specificity were 72% (95% CI 61-82%), and 100% (95% CI 97-100%), respectively. FDG-PET showed reasonable sensitivity and high specificity for evaluation of first-line therapy in Hodgkin's and in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Standardization of procedures is required before implementation in clinical practic

Physical and psychosocial benefits of yoga in cancer patients and survivors, a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Background This study aimed to systematically review the evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and to conduct a meta-analysis of the effects of yoga on physical and psychosocial outcomes in cancer patients and survivors. Methods A systematic literature search in ten databases was conducted in November 2011. Studies were included if they had an RCT design, focused on cancer patients or survivors, included physical postures in the yoga program, compared yoga with a non-exercise or waitlist control group, and evaluated physical and/or psychosocial outcomes. Two researchers independently rated the quality of the included RCTs, and high quality was defined as >50% of the total possible score. Effect sizes (Cohen’s d) were calculated for outcomes studied in more than three studies among patients with breast cancer using means and standard deviations of post-test scores of the intervention and control groups. Results Sixteen publications of 13 RCTs met the inclusion criteria, of which one included patients with lymphomas and the others focused on patients with breast cancer. The median quality score was 67% (range: 22–89%). The included studies evaluated 23 physical and 20 psychosocial outcomes. Of the outcomes studied in more than three studies among patients with breast cancer, we found large reductions in distress, anxiety, and depression (d = −0.69 to −0.75), moderate reductions in fatigue (d = −0.51), moderate increases in general quality of life, emotional function and social function (d = 0.33 to 0.49), and a small increase in functional well-being (d = 0.31). Effects on physical function and sleep were small and not significant. Conclusion Yoga appeared to be a feasible intervention and beneficial effects on several physical and psychosocial symptoms were reported. In patients with breast cancer, effect size on functional well-being was small, and they were moderate to large for psychosocial outcomes