ABSTRACT
Background: We evaluated the value of pre-treatment positron-emission tomography−computed tomography (PET-CT)-based radiomic features in predicting the locoregional progression-free survival (LR-PFS) of patients with inoperable or unresectable oesophageal cancer. Material and Methods: Forty-six patients were included and 230 radiomic parameters were extracted. After a principal component analysis (PCA), we identified the more robust radiomic parameters, and we used them to develop a heatmap. Finally, we correlated these radiomic features with LR-PFS. Results: The median follow-up time was 17 months. The two-year LR-PFS and PFS rates were 35.9% (95% CI: 18.9−53.3) and 21.6% (95%CI: 10.0−36.2), respectively. After the correlation analysis, we identified 55 radiomic parameters that were included in the heatmap. According to the results of the hierarchical clustering, we identified two groups of patients presenting statistically different median LR-PFSs (22.8 months vs. 9.9 months; HR = 2.64; 95% CI 0.97−7.15; p = 0.0573). We also identified two radiomic features ("F_rlm_rl_entr_per" and "F_rlm_2_5D_rl_entr") significantly associated with LR-PFS. Patients expressing a "F_rlm_2_5D_rl_entr" of <3.3 had a better median LR- PFS (29.4 months vs. 8.2 months; p = 0.0343). Patients presenting a "F_rlm_rl_entr_per" of <4.7 had a better median LR-PFS (50.4 months vs. 9.9 months; p = 0.0132). Conclusion: We identified two radiomic signatures associated with a lower risk of locoregional relapse after CRT.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: 18F-fluorocholine positron emission tomography/computed tomography (F-choline PET/CT) is considered a cornerstone in the staging and restaging of patients with prostate cancer (PCa). The aim of this study was to retrospectively assess unusual uptakes in patients who underwent a F-choline PET/CT for the initial staging or for the restaging of a relapsing PCa. METHODS: Three hundred and sixty-eight PCa patients were staged or restaged using F-choline PET/CT. Unusual uptakes were defined as uptakes occurring outside the usual paths of diffusion of PCa or as uptake in bone with a clear morphological evidence of nonmetastatic lesion. RESULTS: We found unusual uptakes in 47/368 patients (12.8%). Among them, 41/47 presented with benign F-choline uptake, usually within lymph nodes, due to inflammatory processes (22/47). Other benign processes were found in: thyroid (3/47), adrenal gland (3/47), brain (2/47), liver (1/47), bowel (3/47), frontal sinus (1/47), lungs (4/47), parotid gland (1/47) and bone (1/47). The six remaining patients presented with a second cancer, including lymphoma (1/47), non-small cell lung cancer (4/47) and neuroendocrine tumor (1/47). CONCLUSIONS: unusual uptakes on F-choline PET/CT are quite frequent and should be explored since they may correspond to non-PCa.
ABSTRACT
18F-fluoro deoxy glucose PET scanner (18F-FDG-PET-CT) has shown its interest in the diagnosis of polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) and makes possible to evaluate the metabolic activity of the entire musculoskeletal system and in particular muscular structures. The purpose of this study was to evaluate muscle involvement using 18F-FDG-PET-CT in the case of PMR, compared to a non PMR population. METHODS: This is a monocentric retrospective study of patients with PMR (ACR/EULAR 2012 criteria) who had an 18F-FDG-PET-CT examination. A control group composed of subjects without rheumatological manifestations who had such an examination as part of neoplastic research or follow-up of neoplastic diseases was also evaluated. The PET assessment included 17 sites suggesting a PMR, as previously reported. Areas of muscle hypermetabolism were classified in the same way according to the same semi quantitative classification. Muscle activity sites were identified. A comparison of patients with PMR with and without muscle damage was performed using the exact Mann-Whitney or Fisher test. RESULTS: Two hundred and one cases were examined, involving 101 PMRs (mean age 68.6 years) and 100 controls (mean age 67.7 years). Overall, PET muscle damage was observed in 34 cases (34%) in PMR and 10 cases (10%) in controls (P=0.004). Lesions are bi or multi-focal in half of the cases. The affected muscle sites are: spinal muscles 19, scapular girdle 14, pelvic girdle 13, and thigh 6. Fasciitis was found in 3 cases. In patients with PMR, PET muscle involvement was not associated with age, CRP or overall PMR PET score. CONCLUSION: Muscle damage assessed by 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose PET-CT is common in PMR (1/3 of cases), located at the usual sites of disease symptoms, without association with age, CRP levels or the overall PET PMR score. The muscle must be carefully evaluated during a PET examination in cases of PMR.
Subject(s)
Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 , Polymyalgia Rheumatica , Aged , Humans , Muscles , Polymyalgia Rheumatica/diagnostic imaging , Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography , Retrospective Studies , SpineABSTRACT
This phantom-based study was aimed to determine whether cardiac CZT-cameras, which provide an enhanced spatial resolution and image contrast compared to Anger cameras, are similarly affected by small cardiac motions. Translations of a left ventricular (LV) insert at half-SPECT acquisitions through six possible orthogonal directions and with 5- or 10-mm amplitude were simulated on the Discovery NM-530c and DSPECT CZT-cameras and on an Anger Symbia T2 camera equipped with an astigmatic (IQ.SPECT) or conventional parallel-hole collimator (Conv.SPECT). SPECT images were initially reconstructed as currently recommended for clinical routine. The heterogeneity in recorded activity from the 17 LV segments gradually increased between baseline and motions simulated at 5- and 10-mm amplitudes with all cameras, although being higher for Anger- than CZT-cameras at each step and resulting in a higher mean number of artifactual abnormal segments (at 10-mm amplitude, Conv.SPECT: 3.7; IQ.SPECT: 1.8, Discovery: 0.7, DSPECT: 0). However, this vulnerability to motion was markedly (1) decreased for Conv.SPECT reconstructed without the recommended Resolution Recovery algorithm and (2) increased for DSPECT reconstructed without the recommended cardiac model. CZT-cameras and especially the DSPECT appear less vulnerable to small cardiac motions than Anger-cameras although these differences are strongly dependent on reconstruction parameters.
Subject(s)
Heart/diagnostic imaging , Motion , Myocardial Perfusion Imaging/instrumentation , Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon/instrumentation , Artifacts , Humans , Models, Cardiovascular , Phantoms, Imaging , Reproducibility of ResultsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: We previously reported the clinical feasibility and positive impact on image characteristics of a data-driven cardiac respiratory motion (RM) correction method (REGAT) applicable to CZT SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI). Here, we evaluate its impact on the extent and severity of myocardial perfusion defects (MPD). METHODS: We included 25 patients having a 1-day 99mTc-Tetrofosmin stress/rest MPI acquired with multi-pinhole CZT SPECT. Acquisitions were processed with REGAT to generate mean RM gated SPECT. These were summed either after (R-SPECT) or without realignment (NR-SPECT). We noted the maximal cardiac RM shift in the 3 axes of the left ventricle (LV). Both visual and semi-quantitative analyses of myocardial tracer uptake were realized. Studies were classified as having an impact on the extent/severity of MPD with REGAT if ≥1 segment presented a severity score changing by ≥1 level between NR-SPECT and R-SPECT. An impact on the extent of MPD was considered present if at least 1 segment shifted from normal (score = 0) to abnormal (score different from 0) or inversely. RESULTS: Cardiac RM was >10 mm in 55% of studies. With visual and semi-quantitative analyses, an impact on the extent/severity MPD was observed in 14% of all studies (7/49) and 60% of studies with cardiac RM >15 mm. An impact on the extent of MPD was observed in 5 of the 7 upper listed studies. All studies presenting an impact on MPD had RM in the anterior to inferior LV axis >10 mm. CONCLUSIONS: A substantial number of MPI studies presented significant cardiac RM. Cardiac RM compensation showed a frequent impact on the extent/severity of MPD.
Subject(s)
Coronary Circulation , Myocardial Perfusion Imaging/methods , Respiration , Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon/methods , Adult , Aged , Cadmium , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Motion , Tellurium , ZincABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: We previously validated the use of a data-driven cardiac respiratory-motion (RM) correction method (REGAT) applicable to CZT SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI). In this study, we adapted the same process used with REGAT for RM to generate data-driven cardiac contraction triggers and corresponding cardiac contraction-gated SPECT studies (GSPECT-DD). We aimed to study its feasibility and compare its performances to GSPECT studies generated with ECG monitor-based triggers (GSPECT-ECG). METHODS: We included seven non-consecutive randomly chosen patients addressed for 1-day 99mTc-Tetrofosmin stress/rest MPI acquired with multi-pinhole CZT SPECT. We studied the degree of agreement between GSPECT-DD and GSPECT-ECG for the classification of acquired images into the 16 categories of mean cardiac cycle, and compared between the two methods the cine image quality and global LV systolic function of reconstructed studies. RESULTS: We found almost perfect agreement between cardiac contraction triggers generated with data-driven and ECG monitor-based methods. As compared to GSPECT-ECG, GSPECT-DD provided comparable and well-correlated LV global systolic function parameters and similar cine image quality at both stress and rest. CONCLUSIONS: Data-driven cardiac contraction gating using REGAT is feasible with low-dose and high-dose MPI CZT SPECT. It provides GSPECT-DD studies comparable to GSPECT-ECG.
Subject(s)
Cadmium , Cardiac-Gated Single-Photon Emission Computer-Assisted Tomography , Image Processing, Computer-Assisted , Myocardial Perfusion Imaging , Respiration , Tellurium , Zinc , Aged , Coronary Artery Disease , Electrocardiography , Exercise Test , Feasibility Studies , Female , Heart/diagnostic imaging , Heart Ventricles/diagnostic imaging , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Motion , Nuclear Medicine , Organophosphorus Compounds , Organotechnetium Compounds , Prospective Studies , Radiopharmaceuticals , Ventricular Dysfunction, LeftABSTRACT
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has developed into a new clinical and non-invasive treatment for cancer over the past 30 years. By the combination of three non-toxic partners, i.e. a photosensitizer (PS), molecular oxygen (O2) and light, cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) are locally produced leading to irreversible vascular and cellular damage. In the present study, we report for the first time that the combination of two photosensitizers (2 PSs: Protoporphyrin IX, PpIX and Hypericin, Hy) loaded in the same lipid nanocapsules (LNCs) leads to enhanced photodynamic therapy efficiency when compared with previously reported systems. The 2 PS-loaded LNCs are shown to increase the in vitro phototoxicity at the nanomolar range (IC50 = 274 and 278 nM on HeLa and MDA-MB-231 cell lines, respectively), whereas the corresponding single PS-loaded LNCs at the same concentration exhibit a phototoxicity two times lower. Intracellular localization in HeLa cells indicates a subcellular asymmetry of PpIX and Hy, in the plasma, ER membranes and round internal structures. The biodistribution of LNCs was studied upon different routes of injection into Swiss nude mice; based on the obtained data, LNCs were injected intratumorally and used to slow the growth of xenograft tumors in mice. The results obtained in this study suggest that the combination of two or more PSs may be a promising strategy to improve the efficacy of conventional photodynamic therapy as well as to reduce dark toxicity.
ABSTRACT
Moyamoya disease is characterized by bilateral progressive terminal internal carotid arteries steno-occlusion. In this patient, the disease affected middle cerebral arteries and was disclosed after a left frontal cerebral infarction. Brain HMPAO perfusion scintigraphy with acetazolamide challenge, obtained before surgical treatment, demonstrates an extended bilateral frontal hypoperfusion with a vascular steal phenomenon. The same examination obtained after surgical treatment demonstrates a frank improvement in basal brain vascularization, with nearly complete correction of vascular steal phenomenon. HMPAO brain scintigraphy is a very useful tool in the assessment of moyamoya disease severity before surgery and for the evaluation of treatment efficiency.
Subject(s)
Cerebrovascular Circulation , Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery/etiology , Moyamoya Disease/physiopathology , Acetazolamide , Brain/diagnostic imaging , Humans , Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery/diagnostic imaging , Moyamoya Disease/complications , Moyamoya Disease/surgery , Radionuclide ImagingABSTRACT
We report the case of a 14-year-old girl with clinically diagnosed Kleine-Levin syndrome. Electroencephalogram and brain MRI were unremarkable. An FDG PET/CT scan was acquired during a symptomatic episode, while she was asleep, and another PET scan was obtained when she was asymptomatic, awake, and quiet. Comparison of both examinations demonstrated a bilateral activation of thalami, caudate nuclei, and lenticular nuclei. These findings may be linked to the implication of thalamostriatal structures in the regulation of sleep and wakefulness.
Subject(s)
Brain/diagnostic imaging , Kleine-Levin Syndrome/diagnostic imaging , Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography , Adolescent , Female , Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 , Humans , RadiopharmaceuticalsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: We developed a data-driven respiratory motion (RM) correction method (REGAT program) for multiple-pinhole detector CZT SPECT. We verified its clinical feasibility with myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) and studied its impact on image characteristics. METHODS: This retrospective study included 18 patients having stress/rest 99mTc-Tetrofosmin MPI SPECT. List mode was acquired on CZT SPECT and processed with REGAT. REGAT generates reconstructed RM-gated volumes that are summed either without realignment (NR-SPECT) or after realignment (R-SPECT). For both stress and rest, we calculated the maximal RM in the 3 axis, and image characteristics of both R-SPECT and NR-SPECT: minimum left ventricular (LV) cavity counts (LV-Min), maximum LV myocardial counts (LV-Max), LV contrast, and FWHM of both anterior (FWHM-ant) and inferior (FWHM-inf) LV myocardial walls. RESULTS: At both stress and rest, cranio-caudal motion was the dominant axial movement and REGAT had a positive impact on image characteristics as reflected by variations between R-SPECT and NR-SPECT in LV-Min, LV-Max, FWHM-ant, FWHM-inf, and contrast. These latter were well correlated to the amplitude of cranio-caudal motion at both stress and rest. CONCLUSIONS: Data-driven RM correction of MPI acquired with CZT SPECT is clinically feasible and easily applicable. It presents interesting impact on image characteristics.
Subject(s)
Cardiac-Gated Single-Photon Emission Computer-Assisted Tomography , Myocardial Perfusion Imaging , Respiration , Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon , Aged , Feasibility Studies , Female , Heart/diagnostic imaging , Heart Ventricles/diagnostic imaging , Humans , Image Processing, Computer-Assisted , Linear Models , Male , Middle Aged , Motion , Organophosphorus Compounds , Organotechnetium Compounds , Pilot Projects , Retrospective Studies , SoftwareSubject(s)
Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 , Polymyalgia Rheumatica/diagnostic imaging , Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography/methods , Pubic Symphysis/diagnostic imaging , Radiographic Image Enhancement , Aged , Case-Control Studies , Confidence Intervals , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Reference Values , Severity of Illness IndexABSTRACT
FDG PET/CT has high sensitivity and specificity for the detection of distant metastases from cutaneous melanoma. Imaging is recommended for patients with clinical suspicion of metastasis and should be considered for those with confirmed sentinel lymph node metastasis. Metastatic melanoma bears a poor prognosis. Only a complete resection improves survival, which explains the need to detect potentially unresectable disease, and most metastatic patients are ineligible for a curative surgical procedure. Here, FDG PET/CT demonstrated isolated bilateral adrenal metastases from melanoma of unknown primary. The patient underwent curative surgery, with no sign of recurrence at 48 months after surgery.
Subject(s)
Adrenal Gland Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Melanoma/diagnostic imaging , Neoplasms, Unknown Primary/diagnostic imaging , Adrenal Gland Neoplasms/secondary , Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 , Humans , Incidental Findings , Male , Melanoma/secondary , Middle Aged , Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography , RadiopharmaceuticalsABSTRACT
Carbon nanotubes represent promising transporters for delivery of DNA and other biomolecules into living cells. Various methods of CNTs surface functionalization have been developed. These are essential to improve CNTs dispersibility and permit their interactions with biological structures that broaden their use in advanced biomedical applications. The present review discusses the different single walled carbon nanotubes and multiwalled carbon nanotubes functionalization methods, leading to the formation of optimized and functionalized-CNT complexes with DNA. F-CNTs are recognized as efficient and promising gene carriers. Emphasis is then placed on the processes used by f-CNTs/DNA complexes to cross cell membranes. Energy independent pathways and uptake mechanisms dependent on energy, such as endocytosis or phagocytosis, are reported by many studies, and if these mechanisms seem contradictory at first sight, a detailed review of the literature illustrates that they are rather complementary. Preferential use of one or the other depends on the DNA and CNTs chemical nature and physical parameters, experimental procedures and cell types. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Efficient non-viral gene delivery is desirable, yet challenging. CNTs appear as a promising solution to penetrate into cells and successfully deliver DNA. Moreover, the field of use of CNTs as gene carrier is large and is currently growing. This critical review summarizes the development and evaluation of CNTs as intracellular gene delivery system and provides an overview of functionalized CNTs/DNA cellular uptake mechanisms, depending on several parameters of CNTs/DNA complexes.
Subject(s)
Endocytosis , Gene Transfer Techniques , Nanotubes, Carbon/chemistry , Animals , DNA/metabolism , Humans , Phagocytosis , Signal TransductionABSTRACT
We investigated noninvasive procedures by hybrid imaging to assess the sites of active or inactive hematopoiesis in patients with primary myelofibrosis (PMF). To this end, we used two radionuclides, technetium 99m ((99m) Tc) and indium 111-chloride ((111) In-Cl3 ), coupled with single-photon emission tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT). We studied five patients with PMF and one with secondary myelofibrosis (MF). The classical pattern of lower fixation of both tracers at the axial skeleton where the myelofibrotic process occurs and the reactivation of sites of active hematopoiesis at the distal skeleton were confirmed. Coupling both radionuclides to SPECT/CT imaging allowed for more precise visualization of the sites of extramedullary hematopoiesis as those observed in the spleen and liver. Splenic high uptake of (111) In-Cl3 coupled with SPECT/CT represents a pathognomonic feature of PMF. We conclude that, the hybrid imaging procedures that we studied might constitute an alternative noninvasive method for the screening of the whole-body marrow and, by this way, to assess the impact of targeted therapies in PMF patients in whom it is well known that the distribution of the hematopoietic active areas is disturbed. Hybrid imaging could also be useful for diagnostic purposes in cases of early PMF or in suspected cases of myelofibrosis secondary to polycythemia vera or essential thrombocythemia.
Subject(s)
Bone Marrow/pathology , Hematopoiesis, Extramedullary , Multimodal Imaging , Primary Myelofibrosis/diagnostic imaging , Primary Myelofibrosis/pathology , Female , Humans , Inflammation , Liver/diagnostic imaging , Male , Multimodal Imaging/methods , Radioisotopes , Radiopharmaceuticals , Retrospective Studies , Skeleton/diagnostic imaging , Spleen/diagnostic imaging , Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon , Tomography, X-Ray ComputedABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To compare (18)F-fluoro-dexoxyglucose PET/CT (FDG-PET/CT) findings in patients with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) and controls without rheumatologic disease. METHODS: We retrospectively included 50 patients with a diagnosis of PMR as well as 53 patients with a neoplasm as a control group. All patients underwent FDG-PET/CT. Seventeen hotspots were analysed. We performed a semi-quantitative analysis of FDG uptake (4-point score from 0 to 3). The cut-offs for the number of sites with high activity and for FDG uptake score were assessed using receiver operating characteristics curves and odds ratios (ORs). RESULTS: The two groups were comparable for the median patient age (69.3 years for PMR vs 68.1 for controls). Significant differences between the two groups were found for FDG uptake score (1.12 vs 0.34, P < 0.00001) and for the number of sites with significant uptake (score ⩾ 2): 6.36 sites vs 1.49 sites (P < 0.00001). The presence of three or more sites with significant uptake was correlated with the diagnosis of PMR with 74% sensitivity and 79% specificity (OR = 10.8). For the FDG uptake score, the cut-off was 0.53 (sensitivity 80%, specificity 77%, OR = 13.6). We found significant differences in all sites for FDG uptake score and the number of sites with significant uptake, particularly marked for shoulders, ischial tuberosities and interspinous bursitis (P < 0.00001 for FDG uptake score). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the number of sites with significant FDG uptake and the uptake score could be relevant criteria for the diagnosis of PMR.
Subject(s)
Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 , Polymyalgia Rheumatica/diagnostic imaging , Radiopharmaceuticals , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Epidemiologic Methods , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography/methods , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
Carbon nanotubes (CNT) are currently used as a promising family of nanovectors able to deliver different types of therapeutic molecules. Several applications dealing with CNT used as drug nanocarriers have been developed since their ability to penetrate into the cells has been proved. CNT can thus load several active molecules to various cells. In this paper, we will use molecular dynamic simulation to describe theoretically the potential of CNT to transport and deliver DNA through the formation of protamine-DNA-CNT complex.
Subject(s)
DNA , Nanoparticles , Protamines , Adsorption , Animals , Biological Transport , DNA/chemistry , Humans , Models, Molecular , Molecular Conformation , Molecular Dynamics Simulation , Nanoparticles/chemistry , Nanotubes, Carbon , Particle Size , Protamines/chemistryABSTRACT
Acute leukemia is a severe disease frequently encountered in childhood, often diagnosed in later stages because of nonspecific symptoms. It is known to produce uptake in bone scan, and previously described patterns have shown symmetrical abnormalities. However, we report the unusual aspect of the bone scan in a 3-year-old child who was referred to explore an isolated pain of his lower left limb, with hyperthermia and markers of inflammation. A bone scan showed an intense, asymmetrical uptake of the entire left femur. A few days later, his blood count showed circulating blast cells, leading to the diagnosis of leukemia.