Persistent Inflammation in Pulmonary Granuloma 48 Years after Talcage Pleurodesis, Detected by FDG-PET/CT.

In patients with suspicion of lung malignancy, FDG PET/CT is frequently used as a diagnostic and staging imaging modality. However, false positive findings are not uncommon. We demonstrate a case with FDG-avid pulmonary nodules, mimicking lung cancer. After histopathological examination they appeared to be the result of persistent inflamed tissue, due to talcage pleurodesis, which occurred 48 years ago. We concluded that, nearly five decades after talcage pleurodesis, there can still be an ongoing inflammation reaction in the pleurae, which can be detected by FDG PET/CT.

The influence of wire localisation for non-palpable breast lesions on visualisation of the sentinel node.

PURPOSE: In our clinic, patients with occult breast lesions are treated with a sentinel node biopsy combined with wire-guided tumour excision. The aim of this retrospective study was to determine the influence of the sequence of wire localisation and sentinel node procedure on visualisation of the sentinel node. METHODS: A total of 136 patients had a wire-guided tumour excision combined with a sentinel node procedure. Sixty-six patients had guide wire localisation prior to the sentinel node procedure. Seventy patients had sentinel node visualisation before insertion of the guide wire. RESULTS: The sentinel node was visualised in 41 (62%) of the patients who first underwent guide wire localisation. In the group of patients who underwent visualisation of the sentinel node before placement of the guide wire, the sentinel node was visualised in 62 (89%). This is a significant difference in visualisation (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: This study shows that guide wire localisation prior to the sentinel node procedure negatively influences visualisation of the sentinel node.

Humoral response and memory formation in carp after injection of Aeromonas hydrophila bacterin.

The humoral immune response of carp (Cyprinus carpio) upon a bacterial fish pathogen Aeromonas hydrophila was studied in relation to memory formation. After a single intramuscular (i.m.) injection of formalin killed A. hydrophila cells (F-Ah), maximum serum Ab (Ab) titers were observed at day 20. Distinct titers were still seen at day 360 in the groups injected with a medium or high antigen (Ag) dose (10(7) respectively 10(9) F-Ah). The effect of a second immunization with a high Ag dose was studied in fish primed 1, 3, 8 or 12 months earlier with 10(5), 10(7) or 10(9) F-Ah. The height of the secondary Ab response was positively correlated with the height of the priming Ag dose. Challenge with a low Ag dose (10(6) F-Ah) gave the best results with 10(7) F-Ah primed animals. The highest secondary responses were obtained with combinations of corresponding priming and challenge dosages. It is concluded that fish are able to form immunological memory to this bacterial Ag. However, optimal memory levels are reached after a relative long period (3-8 months).

Antigen localization in the lymphoid organs of carp (Cyprinus carpio).

A brief morphological description is given of the spleen, head kidney and trunk kidney, the three peripheral lymphoid organs of carp. An antigen-localization study was carried out using Aeromonas hydrophila (a cellular bacterial antigen) and an indirect immunofluorescence test. Examination of the lymphoid organs at various times after injection (up to 12 months) showed that antigen was at first present in splenic ellipsoids and in solitary phagocytic cells in the spleen, head and trunk kidney. Later on, the antigen was gradually concentrated in or near melano-macrophage centres in all the organs studied. By this time, it had disappeared from the splenic ellipsoids, and the number of solitary A. hydrophila-immunoreactive cells had also decreased. At a later stage, antigen was located extracellularly at the membrane of cells in and around the melano-macrophage centres, and it remained so for a full year. No antigen was detected in the lymphoid organs following a bath immunization.