Assessment of factors influencing FDG uptake in non-small cell lung cancer on PET/CT by investigating histological differences in expression of glucose transporters 1 and 3 and tumour size.

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the major factors influencing on FDG uptake in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by investigating histological difference in the expression of glucose transporters 1 and 3 (Glut-1 and Glut-3) and tumour size. METHODS: This study enrolled 32 patients including 9 with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and 23 with adenocarcinoma (AC). The AC cases comprised 16 AC with mixed subtypes (AC-mixed) and 7 localized AC in situ (localized bronchioloalveolar carcinoma). Partial volume effect corrected maximum standardized uptake values (cSUVmax) and tumour size were obtained using FDG PET/CT. Glut-1 and Glut-3 expression were evaluated using five-point grading scales. RESULTS: Overexpression of Gluts was observed at high rates (88% for Glut-1 and 97% for Glut-3). They were mutually correlated. cSUVmax showed better correlation with size than with Gluts overexpression. AC and SCC showed a high positive expression rate for both Glut-1 and Glut-3, although the degree of overexpression was significantly higher in SCC than AC. In addition, localized AC in situ revealed a considerably higher positive expression rate and similar degrees of overexpression for both Glut-1 and Glut-3 compared with AC-mixed. By contrast, localized AC in situ alone was significantly smaller in both cSUVmax and size than either SCC or AC-mixed. No significant difference was found in cSUVmax or size between SCC and AC-mixed. CONCLUSIONS: The FDG uptake of NSCLC might be dependent on size rather than on overexpression of Glut-1 or Glut-3. Low FDG uptake in localized AC in situ might result from its small size rather than Glut overexpression.

Quantitative assessment of regional systolic and diastolic functions and temporal heterogeneity of myocardial contraction in patients with myocardial infarction using cine magnetic resonance imaging and Fourier fitting.

PURPOSE: The objective of this study is to determine regional left ventricle (LV) function and temporal heterogeneity of LV wall contraction by analyzing regional time-volume curve (TVC) after Fourier fitting and to assess altered systolic and diastolic functions and temporal indices of myocardial contraction in infarcted segments in comparison with noninfarcted myocardium in patients with myocardial infarction (MI). METHODS: Steady-state cine magnetic resonance (MR) and late gadolinium-enhanced (LGE) MR images were acquired using a 1.5-T MR system in 60 patients with MI. Regional LV function was determined by analyzing regional TVC in 16 segments. The fitted regional TVC was generated by Fourier curve fitting with five harmonics. Regional LV ejection fraction (EF), peak ejection rate (PER), peak filling rate (PFR), time to end-systole and time to peak filling (TPF) were determined from TVC and the first derivative curve. RESULTS: On LGE MR imaging (MRI), MI was observed in 307 of 960 segments (32.0%). Regional EF and PER averaged in LGE segments were 49.3+/-14.5% and 2.83+/-0.65 end-diastolic volume (EDV)/s, significantly lower than those in normal segments (66.7+/-11.9% and 3.63+/-0.60 EDV/s, P<.001 and P<.01, respectively). In addition, regional PFR, an index of diastolic function, was significantly reduced in LGE segments (1.94+/-0.54 vs. 2.86+/-0.68 EDV/s, P<.01). Time to end-systole and TPF were significantly greater in LGE segments (380.2+/-57.6 and 169.3+/-45.4 ms) than in normal segments (300.9+/-55.1 and 132.3+/-43.0 ms, P<.01 and P<.01, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Analysis of regional TVC on cine MRI after Fourier fitting allows quantitative assessment of regional systolic and diastolic LV functions and temporal heterogeneity of LV wall contraction in patients with MI.

Assessment of cardiac output in liver transplantation recipients.

BACKGROUND: Liver cirrhosis causes peculiar systemic hemodynamics, and accurate evaluation of systemic hemodynamic state is important for cirrhotic recipients who underwent living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). We investigated the clinical advantages of a novel non-invasive method for measuring systemic hemodynamic parameters using indocyanine green (ICG). METHODS: Twenty-eight LDLT recipients were evaluated. Simultaneous measurements of cardiac output (CO) using Swan-Ganz catheters and pulse dye densitometry (PDD) were performed every 12 hours after LDLT. A total of 155 sets of simultaneous CO measurements were obtained. RESULTS: The CO values obtained by PDD correlated well with those obtained by the invasive catheter technique. In addition, none of the recipients developed any side-effects, and we verified the safety of repeated ICG injections. ICG is safe, even for repeated use over time in the same recipient. Moreover, PDD can measure the blood volume (BV). CONCLUSIONS: Since the cirrhotic systemic hemodynamics characterized by high CO and large BV remains, even after LDLT, the ability to measure CO and BV in a non-invasive, simple and real-time manner using PDD has advantages for cirrhotic LDLT recipients.

Assessment of coronary arteries with total study time of less than 30 minutes by using whole-heart coronary MR angiography.

This study had institutional review board approval, and all patients gave informed consent. The purpose of this study was to prospectively evaluate the use of whole-heart three-dimensional (3D) coronary magnetic resonance (MR) angiography in patients suspected of having coronary artery disease. Whole-heart coronary MR angiography was performed in 39 patients (30 men and nine women; mean age, 63.9 years +/- 15.6 [standard deviation]) by using a steady-state free precession sequence with free breathing. Twenty patients (16 men and four women; mean age, 64.9 years +/- 11.7) also underwent conventional coronary angiography. MR angiography was successfully completed in 34 of 39 patients (87%); the average imaging time was 13.8 minutes +/- 3.8. Sensitivity and specificity of MR angiography for detecting significant stenosis were 82% (14 of 17 arteries) and 91% (39 of 43 arteries), respectively. Whole-heart coronary MR angiography with a navigator-gated steady-state sequence can enable reliable 3D visualization of the coronary arteries in patients suspected of having coronary artery disease.

Quantitative assessment of diffusion abnormalities in benign and malignant vertebral compression fractures by line scan diffusion-weighted imaging.

OBJECTIVE: Acute vertebral collapse is common, and it is sometimes difficult to determine whether the cause is benign or malignant. Recently, diffusion-weighted imaging has been reported to be useful for differentiating the two types. The purpose of this study was to evaluate diffusion abnormalities quantitatively in benign and malignant compression fractures using line scan diffusion-weighted imaging. SUBJECTS AND METHODS. Line scan diffusion-weighted imaging was prospectively performed in 17 patients with 20 acute vertebral compression fractures caused by osteoporosis or trauma, in 12 patients with 16 vertebral compression fractures caused by malignant tumors, and in 35 patients with 47 metastatic vertebrae without collapse. Images were obtained at b values of 5 and 1,000 sec/mm(2). The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) was measured in vertebral compression fractures and metastatic vertebrae without collapse. RESULTS: The ADC (mean +/- SD) was 1.21 +/- 0.17 x 10(-3) mm(2)/sec in benign compression fractures, 0.92 +/- 0.20 x 10(-3) mm(2)/sec in malignant compression fractures, and 0.83 +/- 0.17 x 10(-3) mm(2)/sec in metastatic vertebral lesions without collapse. The ADC was significantly higher in benign compression fractures than in malignant compression fractures (p < 0.01), although the two types showed considerable overlap. CONCLUSION: Although the quantitative assessment of vertebral diffusion provides additional information concerning compressed vertebrae, the benign and malignant compression fracture ADC values overlap considerably. Therefore, even a quantitative vertebral diffusion assessment may not always permit a clear distinction between benign and malignant compression fractures.

Assessment of fatty acid metabolism in taxan-induced myocardial damage with iodine-123 BMIPP SPECT: comparative study with myocardial perfusion, left ventricular function, and histopathological findings.

UNLABELLED: We investigated myocardial fatty acid metabolism in taxan-induced myocardial damage in patients with advanced lung cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-five patients with non-small-cell lung cancer were treated with taxan combined with carboplatin intravenously for three cycles. Myocardial SPECT imaging using 99mTc-methoxyisobutyl isonitrile (MIBI) and 123I-15-(p-iodophenyl)-3-(R,S)-methylpentadecanoic acid (BMIPP) was performed successively before and after chemotherapy. Regional uptake scores of BMIPP and MIBI were visually assessed and total uptake scores and the number of abnormal segments were calculated. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was obtained by first-pass radionuclide angiocardiography using MIBI. Postmortem pathological examination was performed in 5 patients. RESULTS: Total BMIPP uptake scores after chemotherapy were significantly lower than those before chemotherapy (23.4 +/- 3.4 vs. 26.6 +/- 0.8; p < 0.001). Mean LVEF showed a significant decrease after chemotherapy. Of the 25 patients, 4 exhibited a decrease in LVEF of more than 10%, 1 had a decrease in LVEF to below 50%, and 1 developed congestive heart failure. These 6 patients had significant decreases in total BMIPP uptake scores and increases in the number of abnormal segments as compared with the other 19 patients. Histopathological examination of myocardial tissue showed interstitial edema and disarrayed myocardial cells. CONCLUSION: Taxan impairs myocardial fatty acid metabolism. 123I-BMIPP myocardial SPECT is useful for evaluating the cardiotoxicity induced by taxan.

Acute myocardial infarction: myocardial viability assessment in patients early thereafter comparison of contrast-enhanced MR imaging with resting (201)Tl SPECT. Single photon emission computed tomography.

PURPOSE: To compare contrast material-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with resting thallium 201 ((201)Tl) single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) for predicting myocardial viability in patients early after acute myocardial infarction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Inversion-recovery contrast-enhanced MR images and resting (201)Tl SPECT images were obtained in 22 patients after acute myocardial infarction. The (201)Tl SPECT images were obtained 4.3 days +/- 0.2 (standard error) after the onset of myocardial infarction. Contrast-enhanced MR imaging was performed 7.9 days +/- 1.6 after (201)Tl SPECT. Transmural extent of hyperenhancement on contrast-enhanced MR images and regional (201)Tl activity were quantitatively analyzed with a 12-segment model. Regional wall thickening on follow-up cine MR images obtained 67 days +/- 17 after contrast-enhanced MR imaging was used as an index for myocardial viability. Statistical analyses were performed with the chi(2) and two-tailed Student t tests. RESULTS: Both contrast-enhanced MR and resting (201)Tl SPECT images showed significant correlations with regional wall thickening on follow-up cine MR images. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of contrast-enhanced MR imaging in the prediction of viable myocardium were significantly higher than those of resting (201)Tl SPECT (98.0% vs 90.3%, P <.01; 75.0% vs 54.4%, P <.05; and 92.0% vs 81.1%, P <.001, respectively). CONCLUSION: Delayed contrast-enhanced MR imaging can help predict myocardial viability as seen on follow-up cine MR images after acute myocardial infarction, with significantly improved sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy in comparison with those of resting (201)Tl SPECT.

Differences in fatty acid metabolic disorder between ischemic myocardium and doxorubicin-induced myocardial damage: assessment using BMIPP dynamic SPECT with analysis by the Rutland method.

UNLABELLED: Dynamic myocardial SPECT data acquired with 15-(123)I-(p-iodophenyl)-3-(R,S)-methylpentadecanoic acid (BMIPP) were analyzed by the Rutland method. The relative time-activity curves generated from dynamic SPECT in normal control subjects were compared with similar curves from patients with established ischemic heart disease (IHD) and doxorubicin-induced myocardial damage (DxMD). Comparison of such time-activity curves may provide some indirect information concerning qualitative differences in BMIPP metabolism. METHODS: Thirteen patients with various malignancies who received doxorubicin, 16 patients with IHD, and 15 normal control subjects were examined. Immediately after the bolus injection of BMIPP, dynamic data acquisition with a 3-head SPECT system was started and continued for 15 min. Using the time-activity curves of the myocardium as the output function (Mo(t)) and the time-activity curves of the left ventricular cavity as the input function (B(t)), the Rutland equation was calculated: Mo(t)/B(t) = F + K integral B(t)dt/B(t), where F is the blood - background subtraction factor and K is the uptake constant. The duration of the linear portion in this equation and the K values were evaluated. RESULTS: Mo(t)/B(t) was plotted against integral B(t)dt/B(t). Mo(t)/B(t) showed a good linear correlation with integral B(t)dt/B(t) from 30 s to 230 +/- 57 s in normal control subjects. The duration of this linearity was prolonged to 317 +/- 79 s in DxMD (P = 0.0014) and shortened to 182 +/- 58 s in IHD (P = 0.039). The mean K value was 0.0740 +/- 0.0184 in normal control subjects, significantly higher than the K values of 0.0599 +/- 0.0148 in DxMD patients (P = 0.026) and 0.0497 +/- 0.0189 (P = 0.0020) in IHD patients. CONCLUSION: Analysis of BMIPP dynamic SPECT data by the Rutland method is useful for detecting qualitative differences in BMIPP metabolism in various types of myocardial damage. It is speculated that the fatty acid metabolic disorder is characterized by a delay in metabolism in DxMD and by increased backdiffusion in IHD.