False-Positive Iodine-131 Uptake Due to Wasp Sting.

A 38-year-old woman with papillary carcinoma of the thyroid who underwent total thyroidectomy followed by high-dose radioiodine ablation was called for Iodine-131 (I-131) whole-body follow-up scan. Her follow-up scan revealed focal tracer accumulation in the lower aspect of the right posterior neck region. Her stimulated serum thyroglobulin and anti-thyroglobulin antibodies were 0.27 ng/ml and undetectable, respectively. Further clinical examination of the patient revealed a black scab in the same region. The patient revealed a history of wasp bite 2 days before iodine administration.

Role of [68Ga]-pentixafor positron emission tomography/computed tomography imaging in assessing disease activity in patients with lupus nephritis: A pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of our study was to evaluate renal uptake of 68Ga-pentixafor in patients with lupus nephritis. Eighteen patients who satisfied the inclusion criteria were included in our study. METHODS: The study participants were patients with histopathologically confirmed lupus nephritis who were referred to our department for 68Ga-pentixafor PET/CT scan. We studied the renal images in these patients for uptake patterns based on purely visual as well as semi-quantitative parameters. The visual parameters included uptake relative to the spleen and liver. Semi-quantitative analysis involved the uptake as given by SUVmax. These parameters were correlated with the patients' biochemical as well as histological parameters. Kendall's tau-b test was used to look for an association between renal uptake by visual assessment and histopathological findings. Mean SUVmax values were compared by using the Mann-Whitney U test and a p value < .05 was considered to be statistically significant. RESULTS: No significant association between the mean renal SUVmax of the bilateral kidneys in pentixafor PET and histopathological class was observed. We did not observe any heterogeneity in uptake patterns that could be attributed to the disease process in our patients. CONCLUSION: 68Ga-pentixafor PET is not a suitable imaging modality for assessment of disease activity in lupus nephritis patients. There is a void in non-invasive testing for patients with this chronic and often disabling condition which calls for further research in this area.

I131 Accumulation in Hydrocele in the Setting of Metastatic Papillary Carcinoma Thyroid.

131I is widely used for the treatment of goiter and residual and metastatic thyroid cancer. Uptake of 131I is mainly due to the expression of sodium-iodide symporter in the target tissues. Incidental third space accumulation in the pleural and pericardial cavity can be encountered due to passive diffusion of tracer into these cavities. We present an interesting finding of 131I accumulation in the scrotal hydrocele in a 70-year-old patient with a metastatic classical variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma, who was treated with 200 m Ci of 131I.

Tc-99m Sulfur Colloid Scintigraphy in Differentiating Fat Sparing from Lymphomatous Involvement of Liver-Old Wine in New Bottle.

Hepatic mass lesions and focal fat sparing in a fatty liver may be difficult to differentiate on contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) imaging and F-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/CT. Tc-99m Sulfur colloid (SC) scintigraphy has been used in the assessment of solid hepatic masses. Liver metastases will appear as focal photopenic defects due to the loss of Kupffer cell function. However, focal fatty infiltration or fat sparing of the liver does not affect Kupffer cell function and thereby leading to normal tracer uptake. Despite several advances in imaging modalities, Tc-99m SC scintigraphy is still a reliable armamentarium in the characterization of hepatic mass lesions.

Delayed Gastric Emptying among Indian Patients with Non-Diabetic Chronic Kidney Disease.

INTRODUCTION: Upper gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal bloating, and poor appetite are more frequent among chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients and may contribute to poor nutritional intake and malnutrition. Delayed gastric emptying (GE), one of the important contributors to these symptoms, has not been evaluated systematically in different stages of non-diabetic CKD, among Indian patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This hospital-based, cross-sectional analytical study aimed to find out the frequency of delayed GE in non-diabetic CKD (stages: 3,4,5) patients and also to study the correlation between delayed GE and symptoms of gastroparesis, autonomic neuropathy and nutritional parameters. Patients were subjected to evaluation of symptoms of gastroparesis by standardized questionnaire (gastroparesis cardinal symptom index), nutritional status (by anthropometric measures and serum albumin), autonomic function by heart rate variability (HRV) and GE by gastric scintigraphy with a standardized solid rice idli (savory cake) meal labeled with technetium-99m sulfur colloid. RESULTS: Of the 89 non-diabetic CKD (stages-3,4,5) patients evaluated, 22 (≈25%) had delayed GE and 8 (≈9%) rapid GE. Prevalence of delayed GE was higher among stage 5 (15/49, 31%) compared to stages 3 and 4 (7/40, 17.5%), though the difference was statistically insignificant. There was no association between delayed GE and symptoms of gastroparesis and autonomic neuropathy. Though not statistically significant, nutritional parameters (body mass index, skinfold thickness, and serum albumin) were poorer in the delayed GE group compared to the rest. CONCLUSION: Delayed GE, irrespective of symptoms, may contribute to malnutrition and hence should be looked for in non-diabetic CKD patients with unexplained malnutrition.

Skeletal Changes in Hypoparathyroidism: X-ray to Bone Scintigraphy.

Parathyroid hormone (PTH) is a key in maintaining calcium homeostasis. Decreased PTH will result in decreased bone remodeling and increased bone density. The major cause is iatrogenic injury to parathyroid gland. X-ray and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry are used to identify the skeletal changes. Typical skeletal changes are metaphyseal sclerosis in long bones and sclerosis of vertebrae and pelvic bones. 99mTc methylene diphosphonate scintigraphy is used to identify metabolic bone diseases. There are no typical scan findings in case of hypoparathyroidism. We like to report an interesting image of skeletal scintigraphy in case of hypoparathyroidism.

99mTc-LLEC Renal Dynamic Scan in a Patient With Pelvic Neuroblastoma.

A 5-month-old boy with ultrasonography showing bilateral hydronephrosis, referred for renal scan. On Tc-L,L,ethylenedicysteine (Tc-LLEC) renal scan, tracer blush in flow images in the region of urinary bladder was seen and tumor mass was suspected. Contrast-enhanced CT showed a soft tissue mass in sacrococcygeal region. Histopathological examination of biopsy tissue revealed malignant round cell tumor and immunohistochemistry consistent with neuroblastoma. I-MIBG scan revealed uptake in the pelvic mass with no distant metastasis.

Multiple Cutaneous Metastases on 99mTC-HYNIC-TOC Scan in a Rare Case of Malignant Laryngeal Paraganglioma.

Laryngeal paraganglioma is a rare neuroendocrine tumor arising from neural crest cells of larynx, contributing to 0.6% of the laryngeal tumors. Patients usually present with compressive symptoms such as hoarseness of voice. These tumors express somatostatin receptors, which can be imaged with radioligands such as 99mTc labeled hydrazinonicotinyl-Tyr3-octreotide (HYNIC-TOC). The percentage of malignant transformation in laryngeal paraganglioma is 2%, and they usually metastasize to lymph nodes, bone, and liver. Here, we report a 99mTc HYNIC-TOC scan of a 55-year-old male patient with recurrent laryngeal paraganglioma, who presented with painful multiple metastatic cutaneous nodules.

Prevalence and predictors of delayed gastric emptying among Indian patients with long-standing type 2 diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Upper gastrointestinal symptoms are more prevalent among type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. The prevalence of delayed gastric emptying (GE) and factors predictive of it have not been studied in Indian T2DM patients and the present study aimed to study the same. METHODS: This hospital-based cross-sectional study involved adult (age between 18 and 65 years) outpatients with T2DM of ≥5-year duration. Measurements of GE of a labelled standardized solid rice idli meal by gastric emptying scintigraphy (GES), symptoms of delayed GE (by standardized questionnaire) and autonomic function by cardiovascular autonomic function tests (AFTs) were carried out. Thirty healthy subjects served as controls for GES and AFTs. RESULTS: One hundred and forty T2DM patients (age range: 32-65 years) were studied. Delayed GE was documented in ≈29 % (40/140) and rapid GE in 2 % (3/140) of T2DM patients. Univariate analysis showed significant positive association between delayed GE and duration of DM, body mass index (BMI), HbA1c, retinopathy, peripheral neuropathy, autonomic dysfunction and coronary artery disease (p < 0.05 for all). However, there was no significant correlation of age, sex, symptoms suggestive of gastroparesis and nephropathy with delayed GE. Hypoglycemic episodes were significantly more frequent in those with delayed GE (p < 0.05). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed only BMI and HbA1c to be significant independent predictors of delayed GE. CONCLUSION: Presence and severity of symptoms of gastroparesis did not predict delayed GE. Delayed GE, irrespective of symptoms, was associated with microvascular and macrovascular diabetic complications and increased risk of hypoglycemic episodes. HbA1c and BMI were independent predictors of delayed GE.

Role of (99m)Tc-methylene diphosphonate bone scan in the evaluation of the viability of the bone flap in mandibular reconstruction in patients with oromaxillofacial malignancies.

Osteo-cutaneous flap are commonly used for reconstruction of bone defect after oncology surgery. The success of surgery depends on the viability of the bone flap. Bone scan is a known, but less performed method, to look for viability of bone flaps. We describe a case of 50-year-old lady, presenting with squamous cell carcinoma of left buccal mucosa (cT4N1M0) involving the skin and mandible. She underwent left segmental mandibulectomy and upper alveolectomy with neck dissection, followed by reconstruction using a fibular osteo-cutaneous flap and anterolateral thigh free flap. On postoperative day 10, the intraoral flap showed signs of nonviability. The patient was sent to nuclear medicine for assessment of viability of the free fibula flap. The patient underwent three phase (99m)Tc-methylene diphosphonate (MDP) bone scan and single-photon emission computerized tomography. Computerized tomography showing good tracer uptake in fibula confirming viability. The case reflects the use of (99m)Tc-MDP in viability assessment of the bone flap.

Profile of urinary tract infections in paediatric patients.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: This cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary care centre in Puducherry, south India, with the aim of finding the profile of the paediatric urinary tract infection (UTI), bacterial pathogens involved, and also to observe vesicoureteric reflux (VUR) and renal scarring in these patients. METHODS: A total of 524 paediatric patients ≤13 yr, suspected to have UTI, were included in the study. Urine samples were collected, processed for uropathogen isolation and antibiotic susceptibility test was performed as per the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. Thirty two culture proven children with UTI underwent micturating cysto-urethrography (MCU) and dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) scanning was done for 69 children. RESULTS: o0 f the 524 children, 186 (35.4%) had culture proven UTI with 105 (56.4%) being infants, 50 (27.4%) between 1-5 yr, 30 (16.12%) between 5-13 yr and 129 (69.35%) males. Posterior urethral valve (PUV) was noted in three, hydronephrosis in one, VUR in 18 and renal scarring in 33. VUR as well as renal scarring were more in males >1 yr of age. A significant association (P=0.0054) was noted with a combined sensitivity and specificity of these investigations being 83 and 90 per cent, respectively of the MCU and DMSA scans for detecting VUR. Escherichia coli was the most common pathogen isolated, sensitive to nitrofurantoin, followed by cefoperazone-sulbactam, aminoglycosides and meropenem. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that UTI varies with age and gender and extensive evaluation is required in boys over one year of age with UTI. This study also highlights the better efficacy of aminoglycosides, cefoperazone-sulbactam and nitrofurantoin in vitro compared with meropenem in Gram-negative uropathogens.

Papillary thyroid microcarcinoma in Graves' disease presenting as a cystic neck mass.

The presentation of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) as a solitary cystic neck mass is uncommon. Additionally, its association with Graves' disease is very rare. We report a case of occult PTMC, who presented with a cystic neck mass in the background of Graves' disease without any goiter. Imaging like ultrasound of neck, single photon emission computed tomography-CT (SPECT-CT), and technetium scan failed to detect any lesion in the thyroid, which was picked up only by the contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) of neck. The patient underwent total thyroidectomy with right modified lymph node dissection. Our case highlights the presentation of metastatic PTMC as a differential diagnosis of a cystic neck mass even in a patient with Graves' disease without any thyroid enlargement.

Ectopic functioning thyroid tissue in the thyroglossal duct detected by radionuclide imaging.

A 49-year-old man with a clinical diagnosis of Graves' disease was referred for a thyroid scan and radioactive ablation of the gland. Tc-99m pertechnetate scan revealed a diffuse toxic goiter and radiotracer concentration in the thyroglossal duct. He was given 10 mCi of I-131 orally as treatment of thyrotoxicosis. Repeat scanning of the anterior neck 2 days later revealed concentration of radioiodine in the diffusely enlarged gland and the thyroglossal duct as found on the Tc-99m pertechnetate scan, thus confirming the presence of functioning thyroid tissue in the thyroglossal duct.