[Diagnostic value of procalcitonin in neonatal early-onset sepsis].

OBJECTIVE: To study the value of procalcitonin (PCT) within 3 days after birth in the diagnosis of neonatal early-onset sepsis (EOS), as well as the thresholds of PCT in the diagnosis of EOS in neonates with different gestational ages and different ages. METHODS: A total of 109 neonates with a confirmed diagnosis of sepsis, 215 neonates with clinically diagnosed sepsis, and 367 neonates without sepsis were enrolled. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted to determine the optimal cut-off values of PCT in the diagnosis of EOS in neonates with different gestational ages and different ages. The diagnostic value of PCT and blood culture was compared. RESULTS: In the confirmed diagnosis group, the neonates with a gestational age of <34 weeks had a significantly higher level of PCT than those with a gestational age of ≥34 weeks (P<0.05). For the neonates with a gestational age of ≥34 weeks, the optimal cut-off values of PCT in the diagnosis of EOS were 1.588 ng/mL (sensitivity 0.688, specificity 0.851) at age of <12 hours, 4.960 ng/mL (sensitivity 0.737, specificity 0.883) at age of 12 - <24 hours, 5.583 ng/mL (sensitivity 0.727, specificity 0.865) at age of 24 - <36 hours, 1.710 ng/mL (sensitivity 0.732, specificity 0.755) at age of 36 - <48 hours, 3.570 ng/mL (sensitivity 0.488, specificity 0.930) at age of 48 -<60 hours, and 3.574 ng/mL (sensitivity 0.333, specificity 0.900) at age of 60 - 72 hours. PCT had a larger area under the ROC curve in the diagnosis of EOS than blood culture within 36 hours after birth (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The same criteria can be used for late preterm infants (with a gestational age of ≥34 weeks) and full-term infants, while early preterm infants (with a gestational age of <34 weeks) should be considered separately. PCT has different optimal cut-off values in the diagnosis of EOS in neonates with different ages, with a higher value than blood culture in the diagnosis of EOS within 36 hours after birth.

FDG-PET/CT of invasive thymoma extending into the superior vena cava and right atrium.

We present FDG PET/CT findings of a rare case of invasive thymoma with intraluminal growth into the superior vena cava (SVC) and right atrium (RA).

(18)F-FDG PET/CT localized valvular infection in chronic Q fever endocarditis.

Delayed diagnosis in chronic Q fever endocarditis is fairly common world wide, we present a case where FDG-PET/CT correctly identified the infected valve, showing promise in management.

PET/CT Manifestations of a Case of Cavernous Hemangioma Misdiagnosed as Reproductive Tumor.

ABSTRACT: Cavernous hemangioma of mediastinum is a rare, benign tumor originating from vascular endothelial cells. It typically arises in the anterior mediastinum but has also been reported in the posterior mediastinum or the middle mediastinum, and occasionally involves both the anterior and middle compartments. We present the case of a 20-year-old man with a cavernous hemangioma of mediastinum initially misdiagnosed as a reproductive tumor by 18 F-FDG PET/CT.

Urinary Endometriosis Misdiagnosed as Ureteral Malignant Tumor by PET/CT: A Case Study.

ABSTRACT: Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory estrogen-dependent benign disease. It is defined as the endometrium growing outside the uterine cavity and the myometrium. It usually has low FDG uptake but rarely occurs in the ureters. We reported a case of a 47-year-old woman's left ureteral nodule originally misdiagnosed as a ureteral malignant tumor by PET/CT and finally pathologically confirmed as endometriosis.

18 F-FDG PET/CT of Benign Tracheal Schwannoma.

ABSTRACT: Schwannoma is a benign tumor originating from Schwann cells. It commonly occurs in the head, neck, and extremities, but rarely occurs in the trachea. Tracheal schwannoma is usually asymptomatic. We reported the 18 F-FDG PET/CT findings of a 61-year-old man with bronchoscopically biopsy-proven schwannoma, which presented challenges in differentiation from certain benign tumors and low-grade malignancies in the trachea.

Pharmacokinetics and safety evaluation of intravenously administered Pseudomonas phage PA_LZ7 in a mouse model.

IMPORTANCE: Phage therapy is gaining traction as an alternative to antibiotics due to the rise of multi-drug-resistant (MDR) bacteria. This study assessed the pharmacokinetics and safety of PA_LZ7, a phage targeting MDR Pseudomonas aeruginosa, in mice. After intravenous administration, the phage showed an exponential decay in plasma and its concentration dropped significantly within 24 h for all dosage groups. Although there was a temporary increase in certain plasma cytokines and spleen weight at higher dosages, no significant toxicity was observed. Therefore, PA_LZ7 shows potential as an effective and safe candidate for future phage therapy against MDR P. aeruginosa infections.

Artificial intelligence-based computer-aided diagnosis system supports diagnosis of lymph node metastasis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: A multicenter study.

Background: This study aimed to develop an artificial intelligence-based computer-aided diagnosis system (AI-CAD) emulating the diagnostic logic of radiologists for lymph node metastasis (LNM) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients, which contributed to clinical treatment decision-making. Methods: A total of 689 ESCC patients with PET/CT images were enrolled from three hospitals and divided into a training cohort and two external validation cohorts. 452 CT images from three publicly available datasets were also included for pretraining the model. Anatomic information from CT images was first obtained automatically using a U-Net-based multi-organ segmentation model, and metabolic information from PET images was subsequently extracted using a gradient-based approach. AI-CAD was developed in the training cohort and externally validated in two validation cohorts. Results: The AI-CAD achieved an accuracy of 0.744 for predicting pathological LNM in the external cohort and a good agreement with a human expert in two external validation cohorts (kappa = 0.674 and 0.587, p < 0.001). With the aid of AI-CAD, the human expert's diagnostic performance for LNM was significantly improved (accuracy [95% confidence interval]: 0.712 [0.669-0.758] vs. 0.833 [0.797-0.865], specificity [95% confidence interval]: 0.697 [0.636-0.753] vs. 0.891 [0.851-0.928]; p < 0.001) among patients underwent lymphadenectomy in the external validation cohorts. Conclusions: The AI-CAD could aid in preoperative diagnosis of LNM in ESCC patients and thereby support clinical treatment decision-making.

PET/CT and contrast-enhanced CT imaging findings in benign solitary schwannomas.

OBJECTIVES: Imaging features of positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) and contrast-enhanced CT and pathological changes in benign solitary schwannoma were retrospectively analyzed, and the factors associated with high uptake of fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) were examined. METHODS: The PET/CT, contrast-enhanced CT, and pathological results of 58 cases of benign solitary schwannomas confirmed by surgery or biopsy were retrospectively analyzed. The association of each variable with the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) was evaluated. RESULTS: The SUVmax of the 58 benign schwannoma cases was 4.1 ± 2.1 (1.5-11.1). When the locations of schwannomas were divided into gastrointestinal system/heart/abdominal and pelvic cavities/thoracic wall (type-1 locations) and other sites (type-2 locations), the schwannoma location was significantly correlated with the SUVmax (r = 0.538, p = 0.000). The SUVmax values were 5.8 ± 2.4 and 3.3 ± 1.5, respectively (p = 0.000). Peritumoral lymphoid cuffs were observed in 7 cases, 4 of which were tumors of gastrointestinal origin, accounting for 80 % of the gastrointestinal schwannomas (4/5). The presence of peritumoral lymphoid cuffs was significantly correlated with the SUVmax (r = 0.456, p = 0.000). The location of the schwannoma was significantly correlated with the presence of peritumoral lymphoid cuffs (r = 0.640, p = 0.000). We found that a peritumoral lymphoid cuff is strongly correlated with the presence of regional lymphadenopathy. Among the 7 cases showing peritumoral lymphoid cuffs, 5 cases had the presence of peritumoral enlarged lymph nodes. The degree of enhancement was significantly correlated with the SUVmax (r = 0.556, p = 0.000). CONCLUSIONS: Benign schwannomas originating from the gastrointestinal system/heart/abdominal location and showing the presence of peritumoral lymphoid cuffs or moderate and significant enhancement on contrast-enhanced CT were significantly associated with high FDG uptake. An accurate understanding of the factors associated with high FDG uptake can help reduce the misdiagnosis rate.

The Prognostic Value of 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT in the Initial Assessment of Primary Tracheal Malignant Tumor: A Retrospective Study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the potential value of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT in predicting the survival of patients with primary tracheal malignant tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An analysis of FDG PET/CT findings in 37 primary tracheal malignant tumor patients with a median follow-up period of 43.2 months (range, 10.8-143.2 months) was performed. Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were used to assess the associations between quantitative 18F-FDG PET/CT parameters, other clinic-pathological factors, and overall survival (OS). A risk prognosis model was established according to the independent prognostic factors identified on multivariate analysis. A survival curve determined by the Kaplan-Meier method was used to assess whether the prognosis prediction model could effectively stratify patients with different risks factors. RESULTS: The median survival time of the 37 patients with tracheal tumors was 38.0 months, with a 95% confidence interval of 10.8 to 65.2 months. The 3-year, 5-year and 10-year survival rate were 54.1%, 43.2%, and 16.2%, respectively. The metabolic tumor volume (MTV), total lesion glycolysis (TLG), maximum standardized uptake value, age, pathological type, extension categories, and lymph node stage were included in multivariate analyses. Multivariate analysis showed MTV (p = 0.011), TLG (p = 0.020), pathological type (p = 0.037), and extension categories (p = 0.038) were independent prognostic factors for OS. Additionally, assessment of the survival curve using the Kaplan-Meier method showed that our prognosis prediction model can effectively stratify patients with different risks factors (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This study shows that 18F-FDG PET/CT can predict the survival of patients with primary tracheal malignant tumors. Patients with an MTV > 5.19, a TLG > 16.94 on PET/CT scans, squamous cell carcinoma, and non-E1 were more likely to have a reduced OS.

Combined PET/CT with thoracic contrast-enhanced CT in assessment of primary cardiac tumors in adult patients.

BACKGROUND: 18F-FDG PET/CT is a key molecular imaging modality to noninvasively assess and differentiate benign and malignant cardiac tumors. However, few benign cardiac tumors can be characterized by increased 18F-FDG uptake, which makes differential diagnosis difficult. This study sought to retrospectively evaluate whether combined 18F-FDG PET/CT with thoracic contrast-enhanced CT (CECT) helps in assessing primary cardiac tumors in adult patients, compared with CECT or PET/CT alone. METHODS: Forty-six consecutive patients who were diagnosed as primary cardiac tumors were enrolled. All patients underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT followed by thoracic CECT before biopsy or surgery. Visual qualitative interpretation and quantitative analysis were performed, and diagnostic performance was evaluated. RESULTS: More than half (16/29) of benign tumors exhibited with mild 18F-FDG uptake. There were significant differences in 18F-FDG uptake and the degree of absolute enhancement between benign and malignant tumors (P < 0.001). The combination of two modalities improved the specificity from 79 to 93%, the positive predictive value from 73 to 89%, and the accuracy of diagnosis from 85 to 93%. There were significant differences between PET/CT alone or thoracic CECT alone and combined modalities (P = 0.034 and P = 0.026, respectively). The combination with the optimal SUVmax cutoff value generated 94% sensitivity, 100% specificity, 97% negative predictive values, 100% positive predictive values, and 98% accuracy rates. CONCLUSIONS: Combining 18F-FDG PET/C with thoracic CECT significantly improved specificity and accuracy compared to CECT or PET/CT alone in detecting tumors. This combination of diagnostic imaging is effective in differentiating malignant from benign masses.

Benign disease prone to be misdiagnosed as malignant pulmonary nodules: Minute meningothelioid nodules.

BACKGROUND: The lung is one of the most common target organs for malignant tumor metastasis. The existence of lung metastasis may have a decisive effect on the choice of treatment regimen. Minute pulmonary meningothelial-like nodules (MPMNs) usually present as ground-glass opacity or solid nodules, mimicking the imaging findings of malignant pulmonary nodules. This study summarizes the clinical, radiological, and pathological features of MPMNs to distinguish them from malignant pulmonary nodules. METHODS: The Guangdong Lung Cancer Institute Pathology Information System was searched using the key words "minute meningothelioid nodules" and "lung." Patients who underwent pulmonary resection from 23 February 2009 to 31 May 2017 were included in the study. The 11th edition of Rosai and Ackerman's Surgical Pathology was used to confirm the diagnosis. The clinical, imaging, and pathological characteristics of MPMNs were recorded. RESULTS: Twelve patients had MPMNs. MPMNs were associated with cancerous or precancerous lesions (10/12), female gender (11/12), and non-smokers (11/12). Four patients were misdiagnosed with malignant pulmonary nodules before surgery. Positron emission tomography-computed tomography revealed an increased maximum standardized uptake value in one patient. Immunohistochemistry identified eight specimens positive for vimentin, EMA, and PR and negative for TTF-1 and CK. CONCLUSIONS: MPMNs tend to coexist with malignant tumors, mimicking the imaging findings of malignant pulmonary nodules, thus resulting in misdiagnosis. Dynamic monitoring or an invasive examination may help to distinguish MPMNs from malignant lesions.

Differentiation and diagnosis of benign and malignant testicular lesions using 18F-FDG PET/CT.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the differential diagnostic value of 18F-fluorodeoxy glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) for benign and malignant testicular lesions. METHODS: The PET/CT scans of 53 patients with testicular lesions confirmed by biopsy or surgical pathology were retrospectively analyzed. There were 32 cases of malignant tumors and 21 cases of benign lesions. Differences in the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) measurements and the SUVmax lesion/background ratios between benign and malignant lesions were analyzed. The diagnostic value of this PET/CT modality for the differential diagnosis of benign versus malignant testicular lesions was calculated. RESULTS: The differences in the SUVmax measurements and the SUVmax lesion/background ratios between benign and malignant lesions were statistically significant (SUVmax: Z=-4.295, p=0.000; SUVmax lesion/background ratio: Z=-5.219, p=0.000); specifically, both of these indicators were higher in malignant lesions compared to benign lesions. An SUVmax of 3.75 was the optimal cutoff value to differentiate between benign and malignant testicular lesions. The diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of this PET/CT modality in the differential diagnosis of benign versus malignant testicular lesions were 90.6%, 80.9%, 86.8%, 87.9%, and 85.0%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: 18F-FDG PET/CT can accurately identify benign and malignant testicular lesions.

18F-FDG PET/CT and contrast-enhanced CT findings of pulmonary cryptococcosis.

PURPOSE: Pulmonary cryptococcosis is an uncommon cause of pulmonary nodules in non-AIDS patients. This study reports the 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) and contrast-enhanced CT (CE-CT) findings of 42 patients with pulmonary cryptococcosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of the 18F-FDG PET/CT and CE-CT findings of 42 patients with histologically proven pulmonary cryptococcosis was conducted. All patients underwent PET/CT and CE-CT in the same session. The CT diagnosis was based on the location, morphological features, and enhancement of lesions. The PET/CT findings were recorded, and clinical data and surgical and histopathological findings were collected. RESULTS: The results of the PET scans revealed that 37 (88%) of 42 patients showed higher FDG uptake, and 5 (12%) patients demonstrated lower FDG uptake than the mediastinal blood pool. The maximum standardized uptake value (SUV) of pulmonary cryptococcosis ranged from 1.4 to 13.0 (average: 5.7±3.3, median 4.9). A single nodular pattern was the most prevalent pattern observed and was found in 29 (69%) patients. This pattern was followed by scattered nodular (n=4, 10%), clustered nodular (n=3, 7%), mass-like (n=3, 7%), and bronchopneumonic (n=3, 7%) patterns. The most frequent pattern of immunocompetent patients was the single nodular pattern (29 of 33, 88%). Immunocompromised patients most frequently pattern exhibited mass-like (3 of 9, 33%) and bronchopneumonic (3 of 9, 33%) patterns. CONCLUSION: Pulmonary cryptococcosis most commonly appears as single nodules in immunocompetent patients. Mass-like and bronchopneumonic patterns were common in immunocompromised patients. In 88% of patients, lung lesions showed high FDG uptake, thus mimicking a possible malignant condition.

18F-FDG PET/CT and Contrast-Enhanced CT of Primary Malignant Tracheal Tumor.

PURPOSE: Primary malignant tracheal tumors are rare, and their clinical presentation often resembles other diseases of the respiratory system. This study summarized F-FDG PET/CT and CE-CT findings on histologically confirmed primary malignant tracheal tumors in 13 patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the F-FDG PET/CT and CE-CT findings of 13 patients with histologically confirmed primary tumors who had undergone PET/CT and CE-CT in the same session. The following parameters were recorded: SUVmax; SUVmax lesion/background; location, size and attenuation of the mass; mediastinal invasion; and the presence of metastases. Clinical data, bronchial endoscopy results, and surgical and histopathological findings were also collected. RESULTS: Tracheal soft tissue lesions with increased F-FDG uptake were observed in all patients. Five squamous cell carcinomas, 5 adenoid cystic carcinomas, 2 adenocarcinomas, and 1 mucosa-associated lymphoid tumor were histopathologically observed. The maximum SUV of the malignant tracheal tumors ranged from 2.7 to 20.5 (mean ± SD, 6.8 ± 4.8; median, 5.7). All SUVmax lesion values were greater than 2.5. Homogeneous enhancement was observed in all lesions, with three exhibiting evident enhancement, nine demonstrating moderate enhancement, and one showing mild enhancement. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of a tracheal soft tissue mass with increased F-FDG uptake is highly suggestive of a malignant tracheal tumor. F-FDG PET/CT and CE-CT can clearly demonstrate such a tumor's function and anatomical characteristics.

18F-FDG PET/CT Images in a Patient With Primary Chest Wall Tuberculosis Mimicking Malignant Tumor.

Solitary chest wall tuberculosis (TB) is rare. We report a case of primary chest wall TB in a 66-year-old woman involving the pleura and intercostal and erector spinae muscles. There was elevated FDG uptake in the right posterior chest wall. Surgery was performed, and pathology revealed inflammatory granuloma and caseous necrosis. Familiarity with 18F-FDG PET/CT images of chest wall TB could reduce possible misdiagnosis.

FDG PET/CT of Intercostal Schwannoma.

Intercostal schwannoma is rare. We report FDG PET/CT findings of intercostal schwannoma in a 66-year-old woman. The tumor contains both solid and cystic components with intense FDG activity in the solid component. Postsurgical pathology diagnosis revealed schwannoma.

Single Port Transumbilical Laparoscopic Surgery versus Conventional Laparoscopic Surgery for Benign Adnexal Masses: A Retrospective Study of Feasibility and Safety.

BACKGROUND: Single port laparoscopic surgery (SPLS) is an innovative approach that is rapidly gaining recognition worldwide. The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility and safety of SPLS compared to conventional laparoscopic surgery for the treatment of benign adnexal masses. METHODS: In total, 99 patients who underwent SPLS for benign adnexal masses between December 2013 and March 2015 were compared to a nonrandomized control group comprising 104 conventional laparoscopic adnexal surgeries that were performed during the same period. We retrospectively analyzed multiple clinical characteristics and operative outcomes of all the patients, including age, body mass index, size and pathological type of ovarian mass, operative time, estimated blood loss (EBL), duration of postoperative hospital stay, etc. RESULTS: No significant difference was observed between the two groups regarding preoperative baseline characteristics. However, the pathological results between the two groups were found to be slightly different. The most common pathological type in the SPLS group was mature cystic teratoma, whereas endometrioma was more commonly seen in the control group. Otherwise, the two groups had comparable surgical outcomes, including the median operation time (51 min vs. 52 min, P = 0.909), the median decreased level of hemoglobin from preoperation to postoperation day 3 (10 g/L vs. 10 g/L, P = 0.795), and the median duration of postoperative hospital stay (3 days vs. 3 days, P = 0.168). In SPLS groups, the median EBL and the anal exsufflation time were significantly less than those of the conventional group (5 ml vs. 10 ml, P < 0.001; 10 h vs. 22 h, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: SPLS is a feasible and safe approach for the treatment of benign adnexal masses. Further study is required to better determine whether SPLS has significant benefits compared to conventional techniques.

[Diagnosis of total anomalous pulmonary venous connection using multi-slice spiral CT].

OBJECTIVE: To assess the value of multi-slice spiral computed tomography (MSCT) in the diagnosis of total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted in 12 patients with the diagnosis of TAPVC established by MSCT. Multi-planar reconstruction (MPR), curved-planar reconstruction (CPR), volume rendering (VR), maximum intensity projection (MIP) and minimum intensity projection were performed in all the cases, and the results were analyzed in comparison with those of ultrasound echocardiography (12 cases) and surgical findings (10 cases). Cardiovascular angiography was performed in 2 cases. RESULTS: In the 10 patients receiving surgical interventions, 7 presented with supracardiac TAPVC, 2 with cardiac TAPVC, and 1 with infracardiac TAPVC. MSCT allowed qualitative diagnosis and identified the location of the lesions in all the 10 surgical patients, whereas echocardiography established the diagnosis in only 5 patients. In the 2 cases undergoing cardiovascular angiography, the diagnosis was established in only 1 case without clear display of the draining vein. CONCLUSION: MSCT combined with 3-dimensional reconstruction provides a noninvasive and accurate means for the diagnosis of TAPVC.