2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) can identify chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) stage A et stage B patients

Purpose: There is no data in the literature concerning the utility of 2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL), except for the diagnosis of Richter\u27s transformations. The purpose of this study was to assess the potential role of FDG-PET in CLL stages A and B. Materials and methods: Thirty-five patients (61 ± 9 years; 11 women, 24 men; 8B and 27A) have benefited of a FDG-PET scan at baseline, for example, before an eventual treatment. FDG-PET scans were analyzed visually and the maximum values of the Standardised Uptake Value (SUVmax) were measured in the main lymph nodes areas. The ability of FDG-PET to differentiate stages A and B patients was evaluated by Student\u27s tests and Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) analysis. Results: All patients with a normal FDG-PET (n = 18) were stages A. The remaining 17 patients (9A and 8B) showed hypermetabolisms in nodal areas above (n = 17) and below (n = 9) the diaphragm, and no visceral involvement. The lymph nodes hypermetabolisms were always bilateral, and of low intensity (≤ mediastinum; 9A), or of higher intensity (≥ liver, 8B). The SUVmax of stage B (n = 8) were significantly higher than those of the 27 stages A, in all lymph nodes areas except in mediastinum. The highest intensity of FDG uptake was observed in axillary area in stages B patients (SUVmax = 2.74 ± 1.03). An axillary SUVmax of 1.33 is the most suitable value for the discrimination between stages A and B patients (ROC; AUC = 0.968; sensitivity 1.00; specificity 0.91). Conclusion: Lymph nodes hypermetabolisms are constant in the B stage, and more intense than in stage A. These anomalies are always bilateral, unlike what is observed in Richter\u27s transformation. The intensity of axillary lymph nodes FDG uptake can distinguish CLL stages A and B

Radiological treatment of HCC: Interventional radiology at the heart of management

Interventional radiology is involved practically at each stage in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma, as recommended in the EASL-EORTC guidelines. It is even becoming more important as technological advances progress and as its long-term efficacy is assessed. Used curatively, thermoablation can obtain five-year survival rates of 40 to 70%, with a survival rate of 30% at 10years. As there are many tools available in order to be used, it requires a thorough pre-treatment assessment and discussion in a multidisciplinary team meeting. Regular patient reassessment is needed in order to be able to adjust treatment because of the complementarity of the treatments available and the course of the disease

Serum levels of mitochondrial inhibitory factor 1 are independently associated with long-term prognosis in coronary artery disease: the GENES Study

Background Epidemiological and observational studies have established that high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) is an independent negative cardiovascular risk factor. However, simple measurement of HDL-C levels is no longer sufficient for cardiovascular risk assessment. Therefore, there is a critical need for novel non-invasive biomarkers that would display prognostic superiority over HDL-C. Cell surface ecto-F1-ATPase contributes to several athero-protective properties of HDL, including reverse cholesterol transport and vascular endothelial protection. Serum inhibitory factor 1 (IF1), an endogenous inhibitor of ecto-F1-ATPase, is an independent determinant of HDL-C associated with low risk of coronary artery disease (CAD). This work aimed to examine the predictive value of serum IF1 for long-term mortality in CAD patients. Its informative value was compared to that of HDL-C. Method Serum IF1 levels were measured in 577 male participants with stable CAD (age 45–74 years) from the GENES (Genetique et ENvironnement en Europe du Sud) study. Vital status was yearly assessed, with a median follow-up of 11 years and a 29.5 % mortality rate. Cardiovascular mortality accounted for the majority (62.4 %) of deaths. Results IF1 levels were positively correlated with HDL-C (rs = 0.40; P < 0.001) and negatively with triglycerides (rs = −0.21, P < 0.001) and CAD severity documented by the Gensini score (rs = −0.13; P < 0.01). Total and cardiovascular mortality were lower at the highest quartiles of IF1 (HR = 0.55; 95 % CI, 0.38–0.89 and 0.50 (0.28–0.89), respectively) but not according to HDL-C. Inverse associations of IF1 with mortality remained significant, after multivariate adjustments for classical cardiovascular risk factors (age, smoking, physical activity, waist circumference, HDL-C, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes) and for powerful biological and clinical variables of prognosis, including heart rate, ankle-brachial index and biomarkers of cardiac diseases. The 10-year mortality was 28.5 % in patients with low IF1 (<0.42 mg/L) and 21.4 % in those with high IF1 (≥0.42 mg/L, P < 0.02). Conclusions We investigated for the first time the relation between IF1 levels and long-term prognosis in CAD patients, and found an independent negative association. IF1 measurement might be used as a novel HDL-related biomarker to better stratify risk in populations at high risk or in the setting of pharmacotherapy

Infection de prothèse vasculaire : 18TEP-FDG vs scintigraphie aux leucocytes marqués (planaires et TEMP/TDM)

International audienceVascular prosthesis infection is an uncommon but life-threatening complication. Its diagnosis is difficult to establish especially due to the low specificity of computed tomography (CT). The aim of this preliminary study was to compare the diagnostic value of positron emission tomography with18FDG (18FDG-PET) and 99mTc-HMPAO-labeled leukocytes scintigraphy in this indication. 18FDG-PET/CT and 99mTc-HMPAO-labeled leukocytes scintigraphy (planar at 6th and 24th hours after injection + SPECT/CT at the 6th hour) were prospectively performed in 11 patients (total of 22 vascular prosthesis with 14 clinical suspicions of infection). Both scans were retrospectively and blindly assessed by two independent nuclear medicine physicians. Interpretation was based on visual analysis. The gold standard was bacteriology findings or clinical follow-up greater than 6 months. Eight prostheses were considered as infected. PET found eight true-positive and one false-positive. Scintigraphy found eight true-positive and no false-positive. A focal or heterogeneous FDG-uptake higher or equal than hepatic uptake was considered as positive in PET. A focal prosthetic activity, stable or increased at the 24th hour was considered as positive in labeled leukocyte scintigraphy. SPECT/CT gave accurate anatomic localization and differentiated clearly infections of soft tissues from those of prostheses. 18FDG-PET could be performed in first-line in suspicion of vascular prosthesis infection. In litigious cases, a99mTc-HMPAO-labeled leukocytes scintigraphy in association with SPECT/CT could bring additional arguments for infection diagnosis.L’infection de prothèse vasculaire est une complication rare, mais grave. Son diagnostic est difficile, notamment car l’imagerie conventionnelle est peu spécifique. Le but de cette étude préliminaire était de comparer l’apport diagnostique de la tomographie par émission de positons au 18FDG (TEP-18FDG) à celui de la scintigraphie aux leucocytes marqués à l’HMPAO-99mTc dans cette indication. Réalisation prospective d’une TEP-18FDG couplée au scanner et d’une scintigraphie aux leucocytes marqués (planaires à la sixième et 24e heures&nbsp;+&nbsp;tomographie par émission monophotonique couplée à la tomodensitométrie [TEMP-TDM] à la sixième heure) chez 11&nbsp;patients (22&nbsp;prothèses au total avec suspicion clinique d’infection pour 14&nbsp;d’entre elles). Relecture rétrospective, en aveugle, des examens par deux médecins nucléaires. Interprétation basée sur une analyse visuelle de l’intensité et de l’aspect de la fixation des prothèses. L’étalon de référence était la bactériologie ou un suivi supérieur à six mois. L’infection de prothèse était retenue dans huit cas. La TEP retrouvait huit vrais positifs et un faux positif et la scintigraphie, huit vrais positifs et aucun faux positif. Une hyperfixation focale ou hétérogène supérieure ou égale à la fixation hépatique était retenue comme positive en TEP. Une hyperfixation focale stable ou augmentée à 24&nbsp;heures était retenue comme positive pour la scintigraphie. La TEMP-TDM a permis de localiser avec précision les infections limitées aux tissus mous. La TEP-18FDG pourrait être effectuée en première intention dans les suspicions d’infection de prothèses vasculaires et complétée, en cas de doute, par une scintigraphie aux leucocytes avec TEMP-TDM.</p

Imagerie phénotypique et peptides radiomarqués au gallium-68 : au-delà des analogues de la somatostatine

International audienceReceptor targeting with radiolabeled peptides has become very important in nuclear oncology in the past few years. The most frequently used peptides in the clinic are analogs of somatostatin. However, other radiolabeled analogs have also been developed and assessed in vitro and in vivo and some of them are already in clinical use. For instance, radiolabeled analogs of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH), neurotensin, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), bombesin (BN), substance P (SP), cholecystokinin (CCK), integrins… This review focuses on gallium-68&nbsp;radiolabeled peptides developed for PET imaging, except for somatostatin analogs, which are discussed in another article.Le ciblage de récepteurs avec des peptides radiomarqués est devenu très important en oncologie nucléaire au cours de ces dernières années. Les peptides les plus fréquemment utilisés en clinique sont les analogues de la somatostatine. Cependant, d’autres analogues radiomarqués ont également été développés et évalués in vitro et in vivo et pour certains déjà en clinique. Il s’agit par exemple de l’alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH), de la neurotensine, du peptide intestinal vasoactif (VIP), de la bombésine, de la substance P (SP) et de la cholécystokinine (CCK), des intégrines… Cette revue se focalise sur les peptides radiomarqués au gallium-68, développés pour l’imagerie TEP, en dehors des analogues de la somatostatine, qui sont discutés dans un autre article.</p

A 15-day course of donepezil modulates spectral EEG dynamics related to target auditory stimuli in young, healthy adult volunteers

To identify possible electroencephalographic (EEG) markers of donepezil's effect on cortical activity in young, healthy adult volunteers at the group level. METHODS: Thirty subjects were administered a daily dose of either 5mg donepezil or placebo for 15days in a double-blind, randomized, cross-over trial. The electroencephalogram during an auditory oddball paradigm was recorded from 58 scalp electrodes. Current source density (CSD) transformations were applied to EEG epochs. The event-related potential (ERP), inter-trial coherence (ITC: the phase consistency of the EEG spectrum) and event-related spectral perturbation (ERSP: the EEG power spectrum relative to the baseline) were calculated for the target (oddball) stimuli. RESULTS: The donepezil and placebo conditions differed in terms of the changes in delta/theta/alpha/beta ITC and ERSP in various regions of the scalp (especially the frontal electrodes) but not in terms of latency and amplitude of the P300-ERP component. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that ITC and ERSP analyses can provide EEG markers of donepezil's effects in young, healthy, adult volunteers at a group level. SIGNIFICANCE: Novel EEG markers could be useful to assess the therapeutic potential of drug candidates in Alzheimer's disease in healthy volunteers prior to the initiation of Phase II/III clinical studies in patients