False positive metastatic disease due to combined thoracic and subcutaneous splenosis.

A 56-year-old man presented with dyspnea secondary to pulmonary emboli and dilated cardiomyopathy. His past medical history included a history of emergency laparotomy, splenectomy, and splenic flexure resection following a gunshot injury 30 years ago. CT and MRI imaging demonstrated multiple homogeneously enhancing lobulated lesions at the left-sided pleura and chest wall with an irregular calcified spleen. The aforementioned lesions demonstrated a similar level of tracer uptake to the splenic activity with no evidence of other FDG avid malignancy on the follow-up 18F-FDG PET study. All the above-mentioned pleural and chest wall lesions demonstrated intense tracer accumulation on technetium-99m labeled heat-damaged red cell scintigraphy, consistent with combined thoracic and subcutaneous splenosis.

Randomized Controlled Trial on Silicone Intubation in Endoscopic Mechanical Dacryocystorhinostomy (SEND): An 11-year Outcome Report.

PURPOSE: To compare the long-term outcomes of mucosal-sparing mechanical endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy (MMED) for primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction (PANDO) with or without silicone intubation. METHODS: An 11-year follow-up study of the Silicone intubation in Endoscopic Dacryocystorhinostomy (SEND) randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted at a university-affiliated dacryology clinic from December 2019 to March 2023. Questionnaires on symptoms, anterior segment examination, endoscopic examination with functional endoscopic dye test (FEDT) and FICI grading, and ostial size measurements using Image J software were performed by a masked ophthalmologist. The primary outcome was surgical success, defined by Munk's score ≤1 and a positive fluorescein endoscopic dye test. Secondary outcomes included risk factors for failure and outcomes of revision surgeries. RESULTS: Fifty-three of the original 118 patients were evaluated at 155 ± 21 (136-218) months postoperatively. Seventy-seven percent (46/60) ostia remained successful, including 70% (19/27) of unstented and 82% (27/33) of stented ostia (p = .3). Stented ostia had larger size (p = .003), but this did not confer higher success (p = .14). Successful ostia had higher FICI scores and better ostial dynamicity (p < .05). Ostium movement was the only parameter associated with surgical success on multivariate analysis (OR 13.1, p = .01). Four (1 stented) underwent revision MMED, intraoperative mitomycin-C, and 12-week intubation. All revision ostia were functional after 141 ± 43 months. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical success of MMED after 11-years was 77%, a notable reduction compared to 96% success at 1-year. Statistical advantage of silicone intubation for primary MMED was not demonstrated, though clinically, stented ostia had a higher success (82% vs 70%). The presence of a dynamic internal common opening was highly associated with long-term surgical success.

Peritoneal-scrotal dialysate leakage demonstrated on SPECT/CT imaging in a patient on peritoneal dialysis.

A 62-year-old male with end-stage renal failure on peritoneal dialysis presented with sudden onset scrotal swelling following a violent coughing fit. He was referred for a peritoneal leak study to evaluate the scrotal swelling. This case illustrates the benefit of SPECT/CT imaging in the diagnosis and anatomic localization of peritoneal leakage as a complication of peritoneal dialysis.

Dissecting Mycotic RCA Aneurysm Detected on 67Ga Scintigraphy.

ABSTRACT: A 61-year-old man presented with pneumonia and myocardial infarction on a background of diabetes and end-stage renal failure. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia was confirmed in the setting of ongoing pyrexia. The patient was referred for a 67Ga study, which revealed Ga-avid active disease in the pericardial effusion. This was localized further on CT/MRI and coronary angiography to a dissecting right coronary artery aneurysm, which was treated with surgical repair and long-term antibiotic treatment.

131I Ablation of an Entire Thyroid Gland in Locally Invasive Differentiated Thyroid Cancer Without Surgery.

ABSTRACT: A 79-year-old man with locally metastatic papillary thyroid cancer to left-sided cervical lymph nodes was referred for radioiodine therapy. He was considered unfit for thyroidectomy due to extensive local involvement and severe interstitial lung disease requiring continuous oxygen. The patient was treated with low doses of radioiodine (approximately 30 mCi) every 6 months with corticosteroid cover for 3 years with good effect. Sequential 131I scanning and serum thyroglobulin levels confirmed virtual complete ablation of the thyroid gland. The patient remained well on thyroid hormone replacement.

Pachymeningitis Demonstrated on Gallium SPECT/CT Scan.

A 34-year-old woman presented with a 3-month history of right-sided headaches associated with photophobia and pulsatile tinnitus. Investigations including lumbar puncture revealed elevated opening CSF pressure, increased protein, and presence of monocytosis consistent with an inflammatory/infective process. Brain MRI showed an area of thickened enhancing dura around the venous sinus posteriorly. Ga scintigraphy demonstrated focal intracranial uptake in the posterior occipital region, and biopsy confirmed a chronic inflammatory infiltrate with no granulomas.

Incidental 99mTc-HDP Uptake in a Dominant Thyroid Nodule on Bone Scan.

A 67-year-old woman was referred for a bone scan for evaluation of increasing serum alkaline phosphatase levels. Bone scan revealed no abnormal uptake in the skeleton. However, intense hypervascularity and delayed tracer uptake were incidentally identified in an enlarged right thyroid gland. A thyroid scintigraphy, contrast-enhanced CT of the neck, and sonographic evaluation of the abnormality were subsequently organized to characterize the lesion. An ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration revealed a benign follicular pattern (Bethesda II), and histopathology of the right hemithyroidectomy confirmed a dominant nodule within a nodular goiter.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone-Secreting Neuroendocrine Tumor of the Rectum Demonstrated on 68Ga-DOTATATE and 18F-FDG PET Imaging.

An 81-year-old man with Cushing syndrome was referred for a Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT study to investigate for an ectopic source of adrenocorticotropic hormone. The scan demonstrated mildly increased octreopeptide uptake at a rectal mass and focal uptake at multiple regions throughout the bone marrow of the axial skeleton, consistent with metastases. A subsequent F-FDG PET/CT study was performed for further evaluation and demonstrated markedly increased metabolism at the previously identified rectal mass, in addition to the liver and multiple regions throughout the skeleton. Histopathology from biopsy of the rectal mass confirmed a small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma.