RadioImmunotherapy for adenoid cystic carcinoma: a single-institution series of combined treatment with cetuximab

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Local control in adjuvant/definitive RT of adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is largely dose-dependent. However, some clinical situations do not allow application of tumouricidal doses (i.e. re-irradiation) hence radiation sensitization by exploitation of high endothelial growth factor receptor (EGFR)-expression in ACC seems beneficial. This is a single-institution experience of combined radioimmunotherapy (RIT) with the EGFR-inhibitor cetuximab.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Between 2006 and 2010, 9 pts received RIT for advanced/recurrent ACC, 5/9 pts as re-irradiation. Baseline characteristics as well as treatment parameters were retrieved to evaluate efficacy and toxicity of the combination regimen were evaluated. Control rates (local/distant) and overall survival were calculated using Kaplan-Meier estimation.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Median dose was 65 Gy, pts received a median of 6 cycles cetuximab. RIT was tolerated well with only one °III mucositis/dysphagia. Overall response/remission rates were high (77,8%); 2-year estimate of local control was 80% hence reaching local control levels comparable to high-dose RT. Progression-free survival (PFS) at 2 years and median overall survival were only 62,5% and 22,2 mo respectively.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>While local control and treatment response in RIT seems promising, PFS and overall survival are still hampered by distant failure. The potential benefit of RIT with cetuximab warrants exploration in a prospective controlled clinical trial.</p

The Interventioal Device Tracking Using Miniaturized Micro Coils

In the tendency towards high-field imaging, three-dimensional (3D) acquisition has potential advantages over its two-dimensional counterpart for functional MRI (fMRI). However, multi-slice 2D-EPI methods remain the conventional sequence in fMRI. Although various advanced 3D schemes have alternatively been applied, they come with individual limitations and are not widely available. The 3D-EPI sequence similarly presents temporal constraints, but holds the potential to be feasible by using the increased signal- and contrast-to-noise ratio of ultrahigh magnetic fields combined with the higher parallel imaging performance feasible at ultra-high fields. A hybrid 3D-EPI then offers the possibility for high 2D acceleration. This potential is exploited in this study at 7 Tesla to overcome the limitations and compare results with 2D acquisition and 1D acceleration. Results show the feasibility of a highly accelerated hybrid 3D-EPI scheme for high resolution whole-head acquisition in high-field fMRI, presenting excellent functional results

Manganese-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging for in vivo assessment of damage and functional improvement following spinal cord injury in mice.

In past decades, much effort has been invested in developing therapies for spinal injuries. Lack of standardization of clinical read-out measures, however, makes direct comparison of experimental therapies difficult. Damage and therapeutic effects in vivo are routinely evaluated using rather subjective behavioral tests. Here we show that manganese-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MEMRI) can be used to examine the extent of damage following spinal cord injury (SCI) in mice in vivo. Injection of MnCl2 solution into the cerebrospinal fluid leads to manganese uptake into the spinal cord. Furthermore, after injury MEMRI-derived quantitative measures correlate closely with clinical locomotor scores. Improved locomotion due to treating the detrimental effects of SCI with an established therapy (neutralization of CD95Ligand) is reflected in an increase of manganese uptake into the injured spinal cord. Therefore, we demonstrate that MEMRI is a sensitive and objective tool for in vivo visualization and quantification of damage and functional improvement after SCI. Thus, MEMRI can serve as a reproducible surrogate measure of the clinical status of the spinal cord in mice, potentially becoming a standard approach for evaluating experimental therapies

<em>In vivo</em> assessment of cold stimulation effects on the fat fraction of brown adipose tissue using DIXON MRI.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the volume and changes of human brown adipose tissue (BAT) in vivo following exposure to cold using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The clavicular region of 10 healthy volunteers was examined with a 3T MRI system. One volunteer participated twice. A cooling vest that was circulated with temperature-controlled water was used to expose each volunteer to a cold environment. Three different water temperature phases were employed: baseline (23&deg;C, 20&thinsp;min), cooling (12&deg;C, 90&thinsp;min), and a final warming phase (37&deg;C, 30&thinsp;min). Temperatures of the water in the circuit, of the body, and at the back skin of the volunteers were monitored with fiberoptic temperature probes. Applying the 2-point DIXON pulse sequence every 5 minutes, fat fraction (FF) maps were determined and evaluated over time to distinguish between brown and white adipose tissue. RESULTS: Temperature measurements showed a decrease of 3.8&thinsp;&plusmn;&thinsp;1.0&deg;C of the back skin temperature, while the body temperature stayed constant at 37.2&thinsp;&plusmn;&thinsp;0.9&deg;C. Focusing on the two interscapular BAT depots, a mean FF decrease of -2.9&thinsp;&plusmn;&thinsp;2.0%/h (P &lt; 0.001) was detected during cold stimulation in a mean absolute volume of 1.31&thinsp;&plusmn;&thinsp;1.43&thinsp;ml. Also, a correlation of FF decrease to back skin temperature decrease was observed in all volunteers (correlation coefficients:r&thinsp;=&thinsp;[0.51; 0.99]). CONCLUSION: We found that FF decreases in BAT begin immediately with mild cooling of the body and continue during long-time cooling