[((18)F)-fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT in cervix cancer: lymph node assessment and prognostic/predictive value of primary tumour analysis]. / Tomographie par émission de positons au ((18)F)-fluorodésoxyglucose dans les cancers du col utérin : évaluation ganglionnaire et valeur pronostique/prédictive des données de la tumeur primitive.

PURPOSE: In cervix carcinoma: (a) to evaluate the ability of ((18)F)-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) in the lymph node detection; (b) to investigate the prognostic and predictive value of the primary cervical PET parameters. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Ninety patients treated for cervix carcinoma and evaluated initially by MRI and FGD PET were included. The performances of FDG-PET for lymph node detection (relatively to the lymph node dissection) have been described (sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value). PET tumour parameters analyzed were: maximum standard uptake value (SUVmax), the volume and the maximum diameter. The prognostic and predictive values of these parameters were investigated. The tumour response was evaluated on surgical specimens. RESULTS: PET detected the cervical tumour with a sensitivity of 97% (mean values: SUVmax=15.8, volume=27 mm(3), maximum diameter=47). For the detection of the lymph nodes, the values of sensibility, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were: 86, 56, 69 and 78% in the pelvic, and 90, 67, 50 and 95% for the para-aortic area, respectively. The SUVmax was correlated with histologic response (P=0.04). The frequency of partial histological response was significantly higher for tumour SUVmax>10.9 (P=0.017). The maximum PET diameter and pathologic response had an impact on disease-free survival and overall survival in multivariate analysis (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: PET has high sensitivity in detecting pelvic and para-aortic lymph nodes. Some primary cervical tumour PET parameters are useful as prognostic and predictive factors.

Socio-economic and schooling status of dental undergraduates from six French universities.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the socio-economic status of French undergraduate dental students. METHODS: A 46-item questionnaire was completed by the dental students of six universities between 1992 and 1995. Subjects related to family background, housing, schooling, income, expenditure and participation in student life were investigated. RESULTS: A total of 1192 out of 1207 questionnaires were returned. Both genders had equal access to dental training. The average overall cost of the four last years of the dental course was 30,302 French francs and varied greatly between faculties, as did the number of hours spent at the faculty for lectures, tutorials and practicals, and clinical work. Overall, the majority of students came from a well off social background, and had a relatively high quality of life while a small minority received no support from their families. Thirty-four per cent of students had never worked. One third of students smoked and one third regularly consumed medication of some sort. A third did not participate in any sport. Only 25% students bought dental text books and 42% of the students reported using the library regularly. CONCLUSIONS: This study offers an accurate description of the socio-economic status of French dental students that could be used as a reference for comparable studies in other European countries.

Indium scanning in assessment of acute Crohn's disease. A prospective study of sensitivity and correlation with severity of mucosal damage.

The aim of this study was to determine whether the sensitivity of indium-111 (111In) scanning in the assessment of the activity and extent of Crohn's disease correlates with the severity of intestinal lesions as measured by the newly validated Crohn's disease endoscopic index of severity (CDEIS). Nineteen patients with active (CDAI > 200) colonic (N = 11) or ileocolonic (N = 8) Crohn's disease were assessed by colonoscopy and indium scanning. The intestine was divided into five segments in both studies (rectum, sigmoid and left colon, transverse colon, right colon, and ileum). Seventy of the 86 intestinal segments seen at colonoscopy presented macroscopic lesions of Crohn's disease. On third-hour scintigrams 111In uptake was observed in 52 segments, 51 of which were found to be abnormal at colonoscopy. Predictive positive and negative values of scanning with respect to disease extent assessment were equal to 98% and 44%, respectively. Complete agreement between endoscopic and scintigraphic findings was observed in only six of the 19 patients (32%). Segmental endoscopic indexes of severity (SEIS) were significantly (P < 0.001) lower in false negative (7.9 +/- 4.2) (mean +/- SD) than in true positive (18.0 +/- 9.7) segments as defined by scintigraphy. SEIS values above which 111In uptake was constantly observed did not differ in the different disease locations. When compared macroscopically abnormal intestinal segments according to their 111In uptake grade, the corresponding mean SEIS values increased significantly as the grade increased. Scintigraphic activity, as assessed by the fall in splenic activity, was equal to 23 +/- 11% (N = 19).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)