Pleural FDG Uptake More Than a Decade after Talc Pleurodesis

Talc pleurodesis induces a strong local inflammatory reaction which can be detected by PET scan for years after the procedure. When patients undergo PET scanning in the workup of a suspected malignancy later in life, pleural FDG uptake may unnecessarily lead to an additional invasive diagnostic workup. We present two cases of positive pleural PET findings more than 10 years after talc pleurodesis, where we adopted a watchful waiting approach. Positive pleural PET findings as a result of prior talc pleurodesis should always be included in the differential diagnosis of pleural abnormalities

Anaphylactic Reaction to Tc-99m Macrosalb

A 49-year-old woman developed an anaphylactic reaction to Tc-99m macrosalb used for pulmonary scintigraphy. The patient received an intravenous injection of Tc-99m macrosalb 120 MBq, containing macroaggregates of human albumin 0.14 mg. Within 1 min she developed itching all over her body, an itching throat and dyspnoea. This was followed by urticaria and facial oedema. She was diagnosed with an anaphylactic shock. The patient received clemastine and prednisone, and fully recovered after release from the hospital. According to the Naranjo assessment algorithm, the relationship between the allergic reaction and the administration of Tc-99m macrosalb should be considered as 'probable'

Youth economic agency and exclusion in fragile settings : Field evidence from South Sudan and Burundi

This report reflectsthe findings of the research project: Youth economic exclusion and violence in Burundi and South Sudan: Improving economic opportunity interventions for young people in fragile settings, a joint project of Wageningen University and five Dutch NGOs: CARE, Save the Children, ZOA, OxfamNovib, and SPARK, funded through the Applied Research Fund of the Knowledge Network Security and Rule of Law, and carried out between May-December 2016

PET in Benign Bone Marrow Disorders

This review aims to describe the current status of benign bone marrow (BM) imaging using PET. BM imaging is important as the BM is not only involved in poiesis of different vital cell lines and. can be affected by primary BM disorders, but it is also frequently affected by several extramedullary diseases. Indications for the use of PET in benign BM disorders are the detection of extramedullary hematopoiesis, evaluation of patients with a discrepancy between BM histology and clinical status, visualizing BM infarctions, location of the optimal site for BM biopsy, diagnosing and staging of other hematological BM disorders, evaluation of radiotherapy effect on BM, and evaluation of BM transplantation. The 3'-F-18-fluoro-3'-deoxy-L-thymidine (FLT) and 2-F-18-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) are the current main PET tracers to image BM physiology and pathology. FLT is a DNA synthesis-related tracer that can be used effectively in primary BM disorders in both diagnosis and monitoring treatment response, for example, in aplastic anemia. In secondary benign BM disorders, FDG-PET reveals that the prevalence of BM involvement in several benign diseases is more common than thought before. Novel PET tracers, such as the proliferation marker 4DST and hypoxia markers FAZA, MISO, and ATSM, are promising to visualize (benign) BM pathology more specifically. PET/MRI using innovative MRI sequences is promising to improve BM imaging in the near future. Additional trials are recommended to evaluate possible clinical applications of these newer tracers and new applications of PET/MRI in daily practice. This should be followed by updated guidelines on the use of PET in benign BM diseases