Diagnosis of medullary carcinoma of the thyroid (MCT) by calcitonin assay using monoclonal antibodies: criteria for the pentagastrin stimulation test in hereditary MCT.

A new calcitonin (CT) immunoradiometric assay, using anti-11-7 and anti-24-32 CT fragment monoclonal antibodies was evaluated and compared to classical RIA. The sensitivity was 2.5 ng/L, the normal basal level (n = 83) was lower than 10 ng/L, the response to pentagastrin stimulation in control subjects was absent in nine and between 10-30 ng/L in nine others. (mean, 15.4). In patients with renal failure the basal level was increased between 10-52 ng/L. In patients with medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC; n = 28), the basal level was between 189-28,900 ng/L. A pentagastrin test was performed as screening for familial MTC in eight patients with confirmed MTC at subsequent surgery; the calcitonin peak was equal or greater than 38 ng/L. Large differences exist between CT levels measured by RIA and immunoradiometric assay. The latter method provides a greater sensitivity to pentagastrin test and allows a better identification of microcarcinoma in hereditary cases of MTC.

Serum and synovial fluid osteocalcin in rheumatic diseases.

The mechanisms involved in juxta-articular bone destruction are poorly understood. Osteocalcin or gamma-carboxyglutamic acid (GLA) protein is a small non-collagenous bone protein. It is a sensitive marker of osteoblastic bone formation. Its seric variations in the serum in such rheumatisms as rheumatoid arthritis remain unclear. Further information on local osteoblastic activity may be obtained by assaying the level of osteocalcin in the synovium. Its serum level can be evaluated by radioimmunoassay. The same method can be used in the synovial fluid. Paired serum and synovial fluid samples have been assayed from 63 patients, 33 patients with inflammatory arthritis (rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, chondrocalcinosis, pyogenic arthritis) and 30 patients with mechanical joint effusion (osteoarthritis, meniscal lesions). Serum levels of osteocalcin were the same in the inflammatory group (m: 8.69 +/- 0.68 ng/ml) and in the mechanical group (m: 10.2 +/- 0.67 ng/ml). In the synovial fluid, the levels of osteocalcin were significantly lower in the inflammatory group (m: 3.27 +/- 0.40 ng/ml) than in the mechanical group (m: 6.91 +/- 0.47 ng/ml). The same results were obtained with the ratio of synovial fluid osteocalcin on serum osteocalcin. There was a significant correlation between serum and synovial fluid osteocalcin and an inverse correlation between synovial fluid osteocalcin and the number of synovial fluid cells. The present study suggests that periarticular osteoblastic depression, among patients with inflammatory arthritis, is likely.

[Pulmonary perfusion tomoscintigraphy in pulmonary embolism. Preliminary study]. / Tomoscintigraphie pulmonaire de perfusion dans l'embolie pulmonaire. Etude préliminaire.

Tomoscintigraphy, a method developed over 10 years ago, is little used nowadays for the evaluation of suspected pulmonary embolism. The authors report the results of a preliminary study of 10 patients hospitalised for this condition. Tomoscintigraphy was normal in 2 cases and abnormal in 8 cases. Seven of these 8 patients underwent pulmonary angiography which confirmed the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism in 6 cases. The small number of patients, however, did not allow measurement of the sensitivity and specificity. Tomoscintigraphy, repeated at the 8th day and at the first month, provides an assessment of therapeutic efficacy. Some improvement is observed in all cases from the first control but the amount varies from one subject to another. At one month, 3 of the 6 patients undergoing control tomoscintigraphy had hypoperfusion sequellae. The simplicity of pulmonary tomoscintigraphy makes it a useful investigation for emergency diagnosis and follow-up pulmonary embolism.

[Comparative study of scintigraphy, x-ray computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of osteonecrosis of the hip and algodystrophy]. / Etude comparative de la scintigraphie, de la scanographie et de l'I.R.M. dans le diagnostic de l'ostéonécrose de hanche et de l'algodystrophie.

Effectiveness of modern imaging techniques were compared when used for diagnosis of the painful hip in adults, particularly the distinction between aseptic osteonecrosis and decalcifying osteodystrophy. Although a small number of patients were studied (5 cases of osteonecrosis and 5 of decalcification) the series was homogeneous (same investigator for each technique and identical equipment for each patient), and the different methods of investigation (conventional radiology, scintigraphy computed scanography CE 10,000 and 0.15 resistive NMR imaging) could be validly compared. NMR images were recorded in only 5 patients but evaluation involved findings during use of this method of hip investigation over a period of 8 months. Results of comparison of the different imaging methods in osteonecrosis and osteodystrophy of hip showed conventional radiology to be much less effective for diagnosis. Conventional bone scintigraphy appeared to provide a good diagnostic approach, while C.T. images appeared to be as effective or even more specific than scintigraphy for differential diagnosis of the two affections. The only uncertainty is based on the radiologic latency in early stage disease, probably able to be filled by a densitometry. The use of NMR imaging appears to be promising, since it provides data as early as scintigraphy and as specific as scanography, particularly in view of apparent discrimination between osteonecrosis and osteodystrophy of the hip with respect to measurement of relaxation parameters.

[Dynamic bone scintigraphy in osteoarticular pathology]. / Scintigraphie osseuse dynamique en pathologie ostéo-articulaire.

Three-phase radionuclide bone scanning was performed in patients with algodystrophy or osteonecrosis. This method is used to improve the specificity of ordinary bone scan. It explores vascularization and blood pool, then bone uptake in two symmetrical articulations. Non-focal hyperaemia and late diffuse uptake are in favour of algodystrophy, whereas a distinct focal hypervascularization and late uptake predominant in the femoral condyle area seem to be in favour of pre-radiological osteonecrosis.

[Basedow disease following metastatic thyroid cancer]. / Maladie de Basedow secondaire à un cancer thyroïdien métastatique.

OBJECTIVES: Metastatic thyroid carcinoma rarely provokes hyperthyroidism. We describe here the main characteristics of this association observed in a 48-year-old woman. CASE REPORT: The patient had presented signs of hyperthyroidism for one year. Clinical examination revealed severe Graves' disease with nodular goiter. Presurgery investigations demonstrated thyroid carcinoma and lung metastasis. Thyroid stimulating immunoglobulins were elevated. After total thyroidectomy, hyperthyroidism persisted, indicating the functional nature of the lung metastases. DISCUSSION: The effect of thyroid stimulating immunoglobulins on the clinical course of thyroid carcinoma and distant metastases remains unknown.

[Quantitative renal DMSA scintigraphy after extracorporeal lithotripsy]. / Scintigraphie rénale quantitative au DMSA après lithotripsie extra-corporelle.

This study reports the results of renal DMSA isotope scan before and after EDAP extracorporeal lithotripsy in 106 patients. An isotope scan was performed before lithotripsy and on the fourth day after lithotripsy and again on the 90th day when alterations were observed on the first post-lithotripsy scan. The assessment of any sequelae was based on the scale of colours of the spectrum, which revealed three types of modifications. The analysis of the results is divided into three periods according to the development in our lithotripsy technique: high firing rates had a success rate of only 40%, with renal scars on isotope scans in 2/3 of cases; low frequency firing rates had a 55% success rate and induced minor changes which were virtually always reversible; in contrast, low frequency firing rates during the 3rd period had a 60% success rate with scars on isotope scans in 1/3 of cases. These isotope scan modifications also depended on the site of the stone. In conclusion, lithotripsy definitely induces renal modifications. The renal parenchyma cannot remain indifferent to lithotripsy beyond a certain threshold. A homogeneous multicentre study with a common protocol is necessary to compare the various lithotriptors and to define cautious and coherent indications for each lithotriptor in the treatment of renal stones.

[Contribution of pulmonary gallium scintigraphy to the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis]. / Contribution de la scintigraphie pulmonaire au gallium dans le diagnostic de la tuberculose pulmonaire.

Radioisotope scanning of the lungs with gallium 67 was performed in 13 patients whose radiological images were suggestive of pulmonary tuberculosis. The purpose of the study was to assess the value of that method as a complement to bacteriology in active pulmonary tuberculosis. Provided the lung tissue is not totally destroyed, gallium 67 is strongly taken up by the tuberculous lesions. However, scanning cannot be regarded as a routine examination, as it is costly and delivers a non-negligible dose of radiations. All it can do is to serve as a guide for more invasive investigations.

Comparison of SPECT lung perfusion with transbronchial lung biopsy after lung transplantation.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential role for single photon-emission computed tomography (SPECT) using technetium 99m-macroaggregated albumin for diagnosing rejection in lung transplant patients. SPECT results were compared with those obtained from transbronchial biopsy (TBB) in patients undergoing bronchoscopy during routine surveillance and in cases of clinical, radiographic, or physiologic suspicion of lung rejection. This prospective, nonrandomized study was conducted by the Marseille Lung Transplant Group, Marseille University Hospitals South. It included 26 lung transplant recipients (19 double-lung, four single-lung, and three heart-lung). For each patient, SPECT lung perfusion was performed before TBB as part of routine surveillance protocol and when clinically indicated. Routine surveillance included TBB at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months and every 6 months thereafter. SPECT was always performed within the 24 h preceding TBB. Whenever the SPECT was abnormal, biopsies were obtained from an area corresponding to a region of hypoperfusion. Results of the study were based on 79 paired SPECT and TBB obtained from 26 patients. Concordance between SPECT and biopsy occurred in 71 instances (89.9%). Among 25 cases of normal SPECT, TBB was normal in 24 and revealed subclinical lung rejection in one. Among 54 cases of abnormal SPECT, TBB was also abnormal in 47 (87.0%), with lung rejection being the abnormality in 23 (46%). For pairs performed as part of the routine surveillance protocol (61 pairs), clinically silent lung rejection was diagnosed in 16 (26.2%). SPECT was abnormal in 15 of 16 instances and normal in only one; this patient had minimal rejection that resolved without treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Value of MRI and MIBG-I123 scintigraphy in the diagnosis of spinal bone marrow involvement in neuroblastoma in children.

The results of MRI and MIBG scintigraphy performed on the spine of 14 children with neuroblastoma are reported. In 6 cases of diffuse spinal bone marrow tumor infiltration, diagnosis is easier with MIBG scintigraphy than with MRI. In 5 cases, MRI detected hyposignal of the vertebral body without any spinal abnormality on MIBG scintigraphy. A discussion of the reasons for negative MIBG scintigraphy is presented and in these 5 cases, it is suggested that a lateral view of MIBG scintigraphy and HMDP-Tc99m scintigraphy may be performed, even vertebral body biopsy in order to assess bone marrow tumoral infiltration.