Is fluorine-18-fluorocholine PET/CT suitable for the detection of skeletal involvement of multiple myeloma?

Our limited experience suggests that fluorine-18-fluorocholine (18F-FCH) may perform better in the detection of skeletal involvement by multiple myeloma compared to fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) and that standard uptake ratio (SUR) might be considered in the semi-quantitative comparison of tracer uptake.

Alternating R-CHOP and R-cytarabine is a safe and effective regimen for transplant-ineligible patients with a newly diagnosed mantle cell lymphoma.

Implementation of cytarabine into induction therapy became standard of care for younger patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). On the basis of its beneficial impact, many centers incorporated cytarabine at lower doses also into first-line treatments of elderly patients. We conducted a multicenter observational study that prospectively analyzed safety and efficacy of alternating 3 + 3 cycles of R-CHOP and R-cytarabine for newly diagnosed transplant-ineligible MCL patients. A total of 73 patients were enrolled with median age 70 years. Most patients had intermediate (39.7%) and high-risk (50.7%) disease according to MCL international prognostic index. Rituximab maintenance was initiated in 58 patients. Overall response rate reached 89% by positron emission tomography-computed tomography, including 75.3% complete remissions. Two patients (2.7%) did not complete the induction therapy because of toxicity. Three patients (4.1%) were considered nonresponders, which led to therapy change before completion of induction. Estimated progression-free survival and overall survival were 51.3% and 68.6% at 4 years, respectively. Mantle cell lymphoma international prognostic index, bulky disease (≥ 5 cm), and achievement of positron emission tomography-negativity independently correlated with progression-free survival. Grade 3 to 4 hematologic and nonhematologic toxicity was documented in 48% and 20.5% patients, respectively. Alternation of R-CHOP and R-cytarabine represents feasible and very effective regimen for elderly/comorbid MCL patients. This study was registered at GovTrial (clinicaltrials.gov) NCT03054883.

[Hypercalcemia, symptoms, differential diagnostics and treatment, or importance of calcium investigation]. / Hyperkalcemie, príznaky, diferenciální diagnostika a lécba aneb dulezitost vysetrování kalcia.

UNLABELLED: The concentration of calcium is carefully maintained under physiological conditions with parathormone, calcitonin and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D at appropriate levels. There are multiple causes that may bring about increased concentrations of calcium which exceed physiological values. Increased production of parathormone in parathyroid glands is only one of the possible causes. Malignant diseases are a very frequent cause of hypercalcemia, due to their creating mediators which stimulate osteoclasts and thereby osteolysis. A less frequent cause is represented by granulomatous processes, a typical example of which is sarcoidosis, whose cells increasingly (independently of parathormone) hydroxylate 25-hydroxyvitamin D to 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D. However there are also hereditary forms of hypercalcemia. One of the causes of the hereditary form of hypercalcemia is mutations of the calcium sensing receptor. In order to locate the adenoma of parathyroid glands, essential apart from sonographic imaging is scintigraphy 99mTc-methoxyisobutylisonitrile (MIBI) and even more exact is PET-CT examination with a radio-pharmaceutical 18F-fluorocholine. PET-CT examinations are beneficial with regard to detecting a malignant cause of hypercalcemia in until then undetected malignancy or an undetected granulomatous process. The essential treatment procedures for malignant hypercalcemia include appropriate hydratation of ionic solutions without calcium, administering of bisphosphonates or denosumab. The text describes in detail the symptoms of hypercalcemia and diagnostics of causes of hypercalcemia. KEY WORDS: bisphosphonates - cinacalcet - denosumab - granulomatous diseases - hereditary hypercalcemia - hypercalcemia - hypercalciuria - hyperparathyreosis - calcimimetics - calcitonin - multiple myeloma - malignant hypercalcemia - parathormone - sarcoidosis - 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D.

Comparison of planar DMSA scan with an evaluation based on SPECT imaging in the split renal function assessment.

BACKGROUND: Validation of the 99mTc-DMSA planar scintigraphy accuracy for split renal function assessment and comparison with evaluation based on SPECT imaging both with and without CT attenuation correction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: For split renal function assessment two methods were used: A) planar scintigraphy based on anterior and posterior projections using correction for kidney depth calculated by the geometric mean; B) semi-quantitative evaluation based on SPECT (B1) and attenuation-corrected SPECT/CT (B2) images using locally developed software for kidney segmentation and voxel-based analysis. All three methods were performed with a phantom simulating body including pair of kidneys. For patient study methods A and B1 were applied on a group of 140 children and adolescents with various renal diseases. Renal function ratios were compared both mutually and with physically measured activity ratios in the phantom. RESULTS: Method A provided results which were closest to measured reference values (average absolute difference of 0.9 percentage points [pp]). Method B1 was noticeably worse (2.1pp), whereas attenuation correction (B2) improved tomography results considerably (1.3 pp). The superiority of planar imaging could be caused among others by differences in creation of planar range of interest compared to tomographic volume of interest. However all the differences were under the threshold of any clinical importance. The comparison between method A and B1 based on patient study also showed differences mostly of none clinical importance. CONCLUSION: Routine evaluation of split renal function using planar technique with correction of the kidney depth is at least equivalent to tomographic evaluation, and there is no need to update the established clinical practice.

Changes in the Pattern of Primary Hyperparathyroidism in Czech Republic.

Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is currently the most common endocrine disorder in Czech Republic after diabetes and thyroid diseases particularly in postmenopausal women. Over the past 40 years PHPT has changed from a rare severe disease of the bones and kidneys to common disease with hypertension, peptic ulcer, pancreatitis, easy fatigue and proximal muscle weakness. During 43 years we have examined one of the greatest groups of patients with PHPT. In the early 1970 the estimated incidence of PHPT in former Czechoslovakia was approximately 8 cases per 100 000 persons per year. Our data showed that the incidence of PHPT increased sharply to 24 cases per 100 000 persons per year in same community with the introduction of automated serum calcium and iPTH measurement. The disease is four times more frequent in women as in man. The ratio women to men did not changed since 1981. However the incidence of PHPT changed in Czech Republic from previous years, it develops around the fifth decade of life and is increasingly discovered with advancing age. The incidence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cholelithiasis, pancreatitis and peptic ulcer among patients with PHPT is higher as compared with the incidence of these diseases in the general population. However there are still patients suffering from bone and renal complication of PHPT. Removing the adenoma by an experienced surgeon is the first choice of treatment of patients with PHPT. The study offers valuable data on the actual state of hyperparathyroid patients in the Czech Republic.

V/P scan in diagnosis and follow-up of pulmonary embolism in 15-25-year-old females in relation to hormonal contraception use.

BACKGROUND: An analysis of medical records of young females who were examined in our department during a five-year period (2005-2009) on suspicion of pulmonary embolism (PE) in relation to hormonal contraception (HC). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The patient sample included 86 young females aged 15-25 (mean 21) years who underwent a ventilation/ perfusion scintigraphy (V/P scan). Seventeen of them were examined repeatedly. Altogether, 114 scintigraphic examinations were performed. Lung perfusion scintigraphy was performed using a planar gamma camera (Mediso MB 9200) in 4 projections following 100 MBq 99mTc--MAA i.v. application with 81 mKr ventilation scintigraphy concurrently. RESULTS: 1. Among 57/86 (66%) patients on HC, 24 (42%) had scintigraphic signs of PE. 2. 11/57 (19%) of them had clinical signs of deep venous system thrombosis of the lower limbs that were confirmed by sonography. 3. Leiden mutation was found in 9/24 (37%) patients with PE. 4. Among 29/86 (34%) females not taking HC, PE was detected in only 3 patients (10%). 5. 10/17 (59%) repeatedly examined females had permanent post-embolic residual changes of lung perfusion. CONCLUSIONS: In our group of patients who underwent a P/V scan, 42% of those on HC were diagnosed with PE on scintigraphy, compared to 10% of those not taking HC. Among the patients with PE, there were 10/24 (42%) young females with persistent post-embolic changes. Our study indicates that the well-known risk of venous thromboembolism related to the use of HC needs to be considered as a cause of PE even among very young females. In our experience, prevention of these life-threatening conditions in patients with a family history of venous thromboembolism consists of timely examination of their thrombotic profile and selection of appropriate contraception.