Radioactive seed localization of renal cell carcinoma in a patient with Von Hippel-Lindau disease

This report describes the case of a patient, who had successful radioactive seed localization (RSL) performed to improve the identification and excision of a renal cell carcinoma. RSL is a new method of preoperative localization, which can ease the surgical procedure, minimize tissue trauma, and ultimately benefit the patient

Effects of Anacetrapib in Patients with Atherosclerotic Vascular Disease

BACKGROUND: Patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease remain at high risk for cardiovascular events despite effective statin-based treatment of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels. The inhibition of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) by anacetrapib reduces LDL cholesterol levels and increases high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels. However, trials of other CETP inhibitors have shown neutral or adverse effects on cardiovascular outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 30,449 adults with atherosclerotic vascular disease who were receiving intensive atorvastatin therapy and who had a mean LDL cholesterol level of 61 mg per deciliter (1.58 mmol per liter), a mean non-HDL cholesterol level of 92 mg per deciliter (2.38 mmol per liter), and a mean HDL cholesterol level of 40 mg per deciliter (1.03 mmol per liter). The patients were assigned to receive either 100 mg of anacetrapib once daily (15,225 patients) or matching placebo (15,224 patients). The primary outcome was the first major coronary event, a composite of coronary death, myocardial infarction, or coronary revascularization. RESULTS: During the median follow-up period of 4.1 years, the primary outcome occurred in significantly fewer patients in the anacetrapib group than in the placebo group (1640 of 15,225 patients [10.8%] vs. 1803 of 15,224 patients [11.8%]; rate ratio, 0.91; 95% confidence interval, 0.85 to 0.97; P=0.004). The relative difference in risk was similar across multiple prespecified subgroups. At the trial midpoint, the mean level of HDL cholesterol was higher by 43 mg per deciliter (1.12 mmol per liter) in the anacetrapib group than in the placebo group (a relative difference of 104%), and the mean level of non-HDL cholesterol was lower by 17 mg per deciliter (0.44 mmol per liter), a relative difference of -18%. There were no significant between-group differences in the risk of death, cancer, or other serious adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease who were receiving intensive statin therapy, the use of anacetrapib resulted in a lower incidence of major coronary events than the use of placebo. (Funded by Merck and others; Current Controlled Trials number, ISRCTN48678192 ; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01252953 ; and EudraCT number, 2010-023467-18 .)

Quantitative position emission tomography with a combined PET/MR system

EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Intravenous contrast-enhanced CT can be used for CT-based attenuation correction in clinical ¹¹¹In-octreotide SPECT/CT

BACKGROUND: CT-based attenuation correction (CT-AC) using contrast-enhancement CT impacts (111)In-SPECT image quality and quantification. In this study we assessed and evaluated the effect. METHODS: A phantom (5.15 L) was filled with an aqueous solution of In-111. Three SPECT/CT scans were performed: (A) no IV contrast, (B) with 100-mL IV contrast, and (C) with 200-mL IV contrast added. Scan protocol included a localization CT, a low-dose CT (LD), and a full-dose CT (FD). Phantom, LD and FD scan series were performed at 90, 120, and 140 kVp. Phantom data were evaluated looking at mean counts in a central volume. Ten patients referred for (111)In-octreotide scintigraphy were scanned according to our clinical (111)In-SPECT/CT protocol including a topogram, a LD (140 kVp), and a FD (120 kVp). The FD/contrast-enhanced CT was acquired in both arterial (FDAP) and venous phase (FDVP) following a mono-phasic IV injection of 125-mL Optiray (4.5 mL/s). For patient data, we report image quality, Krenning scores, and mean/max values for liver and tumor regions. RESULTS: Phantoms: in uncorrected emission data, mean counts (average ± SD) decreased with increasing IV concentration: (A) 119 ± 9, (B) 113 ± 8, and (C) 110 ± 9. For all attenuation correction (AC) scans, the mean values increased with increasing iodine concentration. Patients: there were no visible artifacts in single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) following CT-AC with contrast-enhanced CT. The average score of image quality was 4.1 ± 0.3, 3.8 ± 0.4, and 4.2 ± 0.4 for LD, arterial phase, and venous phase, respectively. A total of 16 lesions were detected. The Krenning scores of 13/16 lesions were identical across all scan series. The max pixel values for the 16 lesions showed generally lower values for LD than for contrast-enhanced CT. CONCLUSIONS: In (111)In-SPECT/CT imaging of phantoms and patients, the use of IV CT contrast did neither degrade the SPECT image quality nor affect the clinical Krenning score. Reconstructed counts in healthy liver tissues were unaffected, and there was a generally lower count value in lesions following CT-AC based on the LD non-enhanced images. Overall, for clinical interpretation, no separate low-dose CT is required for CT-AC in (111)In-SPECT/CT