Comparison of quantitative analysis to qualitative analysis for interpretation of lower‑limb lymphoscintigraphy

Qualitative analysis of lymphoscintigrams is subject to wide variability and may miss subtle differences in ilioinguinal uptake between normal and abnormal limbs. This study compared quantitative analysis to qualitative analysis of lower‑limb lymphoscintigraphy in diagnosing lymphedema. Fifty‑two lymphoscintigrams performed using standardized protocol, 99‑metastable technetium nanocolloid intradermal injection at the first interdigital space, were analyzed quantitatively. Fifty‑three normal and 51 abnormal limbs were analyzed. For each limb, a region of interest (ROI) was drawn around the injection site, and ilioinguinal nodes on the 1.5 h static images and the counts in these ROIs were recorded. Percentage ilioinguinal nodes uptake was then computed. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to determine the difference in ilioinguinal uptake between normal and abnormal limbs. Specificity and sensitivity were calculated and the figures were used to plot a receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve. Thirty‑six females and 16 males (104 limbs) were analyzed. ANOVA revealed a significant difference between the mean uptake in normal (19.7%) and abnormal limbs (5.5%) (F = 81, P \u3c 0.001). ROC had a maximal area under the curve of 0.924 (P \u3c 0.001). The significant difference in the means of ilioinguinal uptake between normal and lymphedema limbs infers reduced lymphatic function. Ilioinguinal lymph node uptake is thus a reliable parameter in quantitative analysis of lymphoscintigrams

Prostate-specific Antigen as a Risk Factor for Skeletal Metastasis in Native Ethnic African Men with Prostate Cancer: A Case-control Study

Prostate cancer is the most common noncutaneous cancer in males. Men of African origin are at a significantly higher risk as reflected in the higher incidence and mortality rates in this racial group. Metastases incidence increases parallel to serum levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), contributing significantly to morbidity and mortality. Staging of the disease involves bone scans, which are sensitive in detecting skeletal metastases. Suggestions that these scans may be omitted in some situations in patients with low prostate specific antigen levels have drawn attention to the matter. In this case-control study, using radiology and pathology records, a registry of prostate cancer patients recorded as being of dark-skinned ethnicity was obtained. Images were presented to image reviewers blinded to the PSA level, to determine the presence of skeletal metastases. The risk factor for the outcome of interest (skeletal metastases) was PSA level above 20 ng/mL. The reliability of image reporting was also assessed. Of the 122 patients, skeletal metastases were present in 50 (41%) while these were absent in 72 (59%). The prevalence of metastases among the high PSA group was 55.9% [95% confidence interval (CI) 44.1–67.7%] and among the normal/low PSA group was 22.2% (95% CI 11.1–33.3%). The odds ratio (OR) for skeletal metastases in the exposed (high PSA) group was 4.4 (95% CI, 2.01–9.78.) Intraobserver agreement on image interpretation was 88.5% with a Kappa statistic of 0.76. A relatively higher prevalence of skeletal metastasis is seen in regional dark-skinned African males with prostate cancer at both low and high prostate specific antigen levels. Bone scanning in this population should therefore, be considered even at PSA levels below 20 ng/mL

A rare case of Biliary Atresia with Biliary Ascites on a (Hepatobiliary Iminodiacetic Acid) HIDA scan

Biliary atresia is one of the most challenging conditions in pediatric surgery even when it is the only finding. Here we present a rare case of biliary atresia complicated with biliary ascites due to ductal perforation identified on a hepatobiliary iminodiacetic acid (HIDA) scan

Bone scintigraphy imaging of cardiac amyloidosis

Transthyretin-related cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR) amyloidosis is an aggressive, rapidly progressive, and fatal disease, for which several promising therapies are in development. This condition is frequently underdiagnosed because of the limited specificity of echocardiography and the traditional requirement for histological diagnosis. It is well known that 99mtechnetium-labeled bone scan radiotracers can localize in the myocardial amyloid deposits, but the use of this imaging modality to differentiate between the two subtypes has only lately been revisited. We report a case of a 76-year-old man with a clinical diagnosis of amyloidosis who underwent a bone scan that had features of ATTR amyloidosis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report in Sub-Saharan Africa

CardiOvaScular Mechanisms In Covid-19: methodology of a prospective observational multimodality imaging study (COSMIC-19 study)

Background: 8-28% of patients infected with COVID-19 have evidence of cardiac injury, and this is associated with an adverse prognosis. The cardiovascular mechanisms of injury are poorly understood and speculative. We aim to use multimodality cardiac imaging including cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging, computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) and positron emission tomography with 2-deoxy-2-[fluorine-18]fluoro- D-glucose integrated with computed tomography (18F-FDG-PET/CT) to identify the cardiac pathophysiological mechanisms related to COVID-19 infections. Methods: This is a single-centre exploratory observational study aiming to recruit 50 patients with COVID-19 infection who will undergo cardiac biomarker sampling. Of these, 30 patients will undergo combined CTCA & 18F-FDG-PET/CT, followed by CMR. Prevalence of obstructive and non-obstructive atherosclerotic coronary disease will be assessed using CTCA. CMR will be used to identify and characterise myocardial disease including presence of cardiac dysfunction, myocardial fibrosis, myocardial oedema and myocardial infarction. 18F-FDG-PET/CT will identify vascular and cardiac inflammation. Primary endpoint will be the presence of cardiovascular pathology and the association with troponin levels. Discussion: The results of the study will identify the presence and modality of cardiac injury associated COVID-19 infection, and the utility of multi-modality imaging in diagnosing such injury. This will further inform clinical decision making during the pandemic

Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy Pathology and 2-Year Postsurgical Recurrence of Breast Cancer in Kenyan Women

Purpose: The goal of this study was to describe the pathologic findings and early follow-up experience of patients who underwent a sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) at Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) between 2008 and 2017. Patients and Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of women with breast cancer who underwent an SLNB at AKUH between 2008 and 2017. The SLNB was performed on patients with stage I and stage II breast cancer, and identification of the sentinel lymph node was made by radioactive tracer, blue dye, or both, per availability and surgeon preference. Demographic, surgical, and pathologic data, including immunohistochemistry of the surgical sample for estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2, were abstracted from the patient records. Follow-up data were available for a subset of patients. Results: Between 2008 and 2017, six surgeons performed SLNBs on 138 women, 129 of whom had complete records and were included in the study. Thirty-one of 129 (24%) had a positive SLNB, including 10 of 73 (14%) with stage I and 21 of 56 (38%) with stage II disease. Seventy-eight patients (60%) received systemic adjuvant chemotherapy and 79 (62%) received radiation therapy, and of the 102 patients who were estrogen receptor positive, 86 (85%) received endocrine therapy. Seventy-nine patients were observed for \u3e 2 years, and, of these, four (5.1%) had a regional recurrence. Conclusion: The SLNB positivity rates were similar to those of high-income country (HIC) cohorts. However, preliminary data suggest that recurrence rates are elevated at AKUH as compared with those of HIC cohorts, perhaps because of a lower use of radiotherapy and chemotherapy at AKUH compared with HIC cohorts or because of differences in the characteristics of the primary tumor in patients at AKUH as compared with those in HICs

Assessment of Cardiac, Vascular, and Pulmonary Pathobiology In Vivo During Acute COVID‐19

Background: Acute COVID‐19–related myocardial, pulmonary, and vascular pathology and how these relate to each other remain unclear. To our knowledge, no studies have used complementary imaging techniques, including molecular imaging, to elucidate this. We used multimodality imaging and biochemical sampling in vivo to identify the pathobiology of acute COVID‐19. Specifically, we investigated the presence of myocardial inflammation and its association with coronary artery disease, systemic vasculitis, and pneumonitis. Methods and Results: Consecutive patients presenting with acute COVID‐19 were prospectively recruited during hospital admission in this cross‐sectional study. Imaging involved computed tomography coronary angiography (identified coronary disease), cardiac 2‐deoxy‐2‐[fluorine‐18]fluoro‐D‐glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (identified vascular, cardiac, and pulmonary inflammatory cell infiltration), and cardiac magnetic resonance (identified myocardial disease) alongside biomarker sampling. Of 33 patients (median age 51 years, 94% men), 24 (73%) had respiratory symptoms, with the remainder having nonspecific viral symptoms. A total of 9 patients (35%, n=9/25) had cardiac magnetic resonance–defined myocarditis. Of these patients, 53% (n=5/8) had myocardial inflammatory cell infiltration. A total of 2 patients (5%) had elevated troponin levels. Cardiac troponin concentrations were not significantly higher in patients with and without myocarditis (8.4 ng/L [interquartile range, IQR: 4.0–55.3] versus 3.5 ng/L [IQR: 2.5–5.5]; P=0.07) or myocardial cell infiltration (4.4 ng/L [IQR: 3.4–8.3] versus 3.5 ng/L [IQR: 2.8–7.2]; P=0.89). No patients had obstructive coronary artery disease or vasculitis. Pulmonary inflammation and consolidation (percentage of total lung volume) was 17% (IQR: 5%–31%) and 11% (IQR: 7%–18%), respectively. Neither were associated with the presence of myocarditis. Conclusion: Myocarditis was present in a third patients with acute COVID‐19, and the majority had inflammatory cell infiltration. Pneumonitis was ubiquitous, but this inflammation was not associated with myocarditis. The mechanism of cardiac pathology is nonischemic and not attributable to a vasculitic process

Assessment of Cardiac, Vascular, and Pulmonary Pathobiology In Vivo During Acute COVID-19.

Background Acute COVID-19-related myocardial, pulmonary, and vascular pathology and how these relate to each other remain unclear. To our knowledge, no studies have used complementary imaging techniques, including molecular imaging, to elucidate this. We used multimodality imaging and biochemical sampling in vivo to identify the pathobiology of acute COVID-19. Specifically, we investigated the presence of myocardial inflammation and its association with coronary artery disease, systemic vasculitis, and pneumonitis. Methods and Results Consecutive patients presenting with acute COVID-19 were prospectively recruited during hospital admission in this cross-sectional study. Imaging involved computed tomography coronary angiography (identified coronary disease), cardiac 2-deoxy-2-[fluorine-18]fluoro-D-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (identified vascular, cardiac, and pulmonary inflammatory cell infiltration), and cardiac magnetic resonance (identified myocardial disease) alongside biomarker sampling. Of 33 patients (median age 51 years, 94% men), 24 (73%) had respiratory symptoms, with the remainder having nonspecific viral symptoms. A total of 9 patients (35%, n=9/25) had cardiac magnetic resonance-defined myocarditis. Of these patients, 53% (n=5/8) had myocardial inflammatory cell infiltration. A total of 2 patients (5%) had elevated troponin levels. Cardiac troponin concentrations were not significantly higher in patients with and without myocarditis (8.4 ng/L [interquartile range, IQR: 4.0-55.3] versus 3.5 ng/L [IQR: 2.5-5.5]; P=0.07) or myocardial cell infiltration (4.4 ng/L [IQR: 3.4-8.3] versus 3.5 ng/L [IQR: 2.8-7.2]; P=0.89). No patients had obstructive coronary artery disease or vasculitis. Pulmonary inflammation and consolidation (percentage of total lung volume) was 17% (IQR: 5%-31%) and 11% (IQR: 7%-18%), respectively. Neither were associated with the presence of myocarditis. Conclusions Myocarditis was present in a third patients with acute COVID-19, and the majority had inflammatory cell infiltration. Pneumonitis was ubiquitous, but this inflammation was not associated with myocarditis. The mechanism of cardiac pathology is nonischemic and not attributable to a vasculitic process. Registration URL: https://www.isrctn.com; Unique identifier: ISRCTN12154994

Impact of COVID-19 on cardiovascular testing in the United States versus the rest of the world

Objectives: This study sought to quantify and compare the decline in volumes of cardiovascular procedures between the United States and non-US institutions during the early phase of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the care of many non-COVID-19 illnesses. Reductions in diagnostic cardiovascular testing around the world have led to concerns over the implications of reduced testing for cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. Methods: Data were submitted to the INCAPS-COVID (International Atomic Energy Agency Non-Invasive Cardiology Protocols Study of COVID-19), a multinational registry comprising 909 institutions in 108 countries (including 155 facilities in 40 U.S. states), assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on volumes of diagnostic cardiovascular procedures. Data were obtained for April 2020 and compared with volumes of baseline procedures from March 2019. We compared laboratory characteristics, practices, and procedure volumes between U.S. and non-U.S. facilities and between U.S. geographic regions and identified factors associated with volume reduction in the United States. Results: Reductions in the volumes of procedures in the United States were similar to those in non-U.S. facilities (68% vs. 63%, respectively; p = 0.237), although U.S. facilities reported greater reductions in invasive coronary angiography (69% vs. 53%, respectively; p < 0.001). Significantly more U.S. facilities reported increased use of telehealth and patient screening measures than non-U.S. facilities, such as temperature checks, symptom screenings, and COVID-19 testing. Reductions in volumes of procedures differed between U.S. regions, with larger declines observed in the Northeast (76%) and Midwest (74%) than in the South (62%) and West (44%). Prevalence of COVID-19, staff redeployments, outpatient centers, and urban centers were associated with greater reductions in volume in U.S. facilities in a multivariable analysis. Conclusions: We observed marked reductions in U.S. cardiovascular testing in the early phase of the pandemic and significant variability between U.S. regions. The association between reductions of volumes and COVID-19 prevalence in the United States highlighted the need for proactive efforts to maintain access to cardiovascular testing in areas most affected by outbreaks of COVID-19 infection

99mTc-Tetrofosmin dual phase study for detection of parathyroid adenoma and comparison with 99mTcO4/99mTc-Tetrofosmin dual tracer technique

Objectives: Most studies done with the dual phase technique for the detection of parathyroid adenoma use 99mTc-Sestamibi as the radiopharmaceutical and employ the preferential tracer retention within the adenoma for diagnosis. Similar studies using 99mTc-Tetrofosmin are fewer and have revealed conflicting results in terms of Tetrofosmin revealing similar tracer retention within the parathyroid adenoma. The objective of this study was to determine whether 99mTc-Tetrofosmin reveals similar preferential tracer retention within our study group, as we use this radiopharmaceutical for myocardial perfusion scans and it is thus freely available to us. All patients also underwent a dual tracer technique for comparison using an additional image after 99mTcO4 administration. Methods: Parathyroid scans done over a ten year period between 2009 and 2018 were reviewed and all patients with diagnosis of parathyroid adenoma were identified. Our protocol for all patients included the 99mTc-Tetrofosmin dual phase scan which involved injection of around 700 MBq of 99mTc- Tetrofosmin with images acquired at 5 minutes and two hours later. An additional image was acquired after administration of 180 MBq of 99mTcO4 at a separate siting to perform the dual tracer technique comparison. Few of these patients also underwent surgery for parathyroid adenoma using the gamma probe for the adenoma localization after 99mTc-Tetrofosmin injection prior to the surgery. Results: A total of 45 patients were identified with a diagnosis of parathyroid adenoma. One of these patients was diagnosed to have three adenomas. Most of these adenomas (41 of 47, 87%) were diagnosed as inferior parathyroid adenomas based on their location inferior to or overlapping the inferior pole of the thyroid lobe. Thirty seven of the adenomas (82%) revealed preferential retention on the Tetrofosmin dual phase scan. All of these adenomas were identified using the dual tracer technique, where they were noted as areas of tracer uptake on the Tetrofosmin scan which was not demonstrated on the 99mTcO4 scan based on the subtraction technique. There was no discrepancy in diagnosis between the two techniques with both revealing a similar number of adenomas. Parathyroid surgery using the gamma probe was performed on 11 (24%) of these patients with successful localization of the adenomas. All of these turned out to be parathyroid adenomas on histology. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the utility of 99mTc-Tetrofosmin dual phase technique for identification of parathyroid adenoma, as preferential retention of tracer was noted in 82% of the adenomas, which is comparable with that noted in studies done with 99mTc-Sestamibi. The study also demonstrated the utility of 99mTc-Tetrofosmin in intra-op localization of the adenomas using the gamma probe