Adipose biopsy techniques for studies in human exercise physiology.

Adipose biopsy techniques are relatively undefined for exercise physiology research in individuals at or near normal weight. The purpose of this study was to compare the influence of two adipose biopsy techniques on tissue quality through measurements of adipocyte cell size, as well as mRNA and protein levels of select pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and adipokines. Thirteen participants (9 M, 4 W; 28 ± 4 yr; 27 ± 3 kg·m-2; V̇o2max: 3.3 ± 0.7 L·min-1) underwent subcutaneous adipose biopsies on either side of the umbilicus (incision: ∼8 cm lateral, sampling area: ∼5 cm lateral) using 1) a 6-mm Bergström biopsy needle and 2) a mini-liposuction approach with a 4-mm Mercedes biopsy needle that used prebiopsy tumescent delivery (∼30 mL 0.9% NaCl solution) into the sampling area (i.e., 'wet' technique). Tissue obtained was processed identically for analysis and both techniques returned high-quality tissue for histology (similar % intact adipocytes), mRNA (RNA integrity numbers >7.0), and protein. Adipocyte size was similar (P > 0.05) between both techniques (Bergström: 6,116 ± 1,652 µm2, 554-23,522 µm2; Mercedes: 6,517 ± 952 µm2, 926-21,969 µm2). There were also no differences (P > 0.05) between the two techniques for the measured cytokines (pro- and anti-inflammatory) and adipokines at the mRNA and protein levels. Adipocyte size was positively correlated with body mass index and body fat percentage, and negatively correlated with V̇o2max (P < 0.05). These results suggest both adipose biopsy techniques used in the current investigation are appropriate for histological, transcriptional, and translational level measurements in exercise physiology studies of nonobese women and men.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study provides investigators with useful information related to adipose biopsy sampling approaches that can be used when planning studies that use measurements of adipose histology, as well as measurements at the mRNA and protein level. Adipose periumbilical sampling with the Bergström biopsy needle and the Mercedes wet mini-liposuction technique are both appropriate options for studies in exercise physiology and in nonobese individuals.

Epigenetic changes to gene pathways linked to male fertility in ex situ black-footed ferrets.

Environmental variation can influence the reproductive success of species managed under human care and in the wild, yet the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain largely mysterious. Molecular mechanisms such as epigenetic modifiers are important in mediating the timing and progression of reproduction in humans and model organisms, but few studies have linked epigenetic variation to reproductive fitness in wildlife. Here, we investigated epigenetic variation in black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes), an endangered North American mammal reliant on ex situ management for survival and persistence in the wild. Despite similar levels of genetic diversity in human-managed and wild-born populations, individuals in ex situ facilities exhibit reproductive problems, such as poor sperm quality. Differences across these settings suggest that an environmentally driven decline in reproductive capacity may be occurring in this species. We examined the role of DNA methylation, one well-studied epigenetic modifier, in this emergent condition. We leveraged blood, testes, and semen samples from male black-footed ferrets bred in ex situ facilities and found tissue-type specificity in DNA methylation across the genome, although 1360 Gene Ontology terms associated with male average litter size shared functions across tissues. We then constructed gene networks of differentially methylated genomic sites associated with three different reproductive phenotypes to explore the putative biological impact of variation in DNA methylation. Sperm gene networks associated with average litter size and sperm count were functionally enriched for candidate genes involved in reproduction, development, and its regulation through transcriptional repression. We propose that DNA methylation plays an important role in regulating these reproductive phenotypes, thereby impacting the fertility of male ex situ individuals. Our results provide information into how DNA methylation may function in the alteration of reproductive pathways and phenotypes in artificial environments. These findings provide early insights to conservation hurdles faced in the protection of this rare species.

Multitissue responses to exercise: a MoTrPAC feasibility study.

We assessed the feasibility of the Molecular Transducers of Physical Activity Consortium (MoTrPAC) human adult clinical exercise protocols, while also documenting select cardiovascular, metabolic, and molecular responses to these protocols. After phenotyping and familiarization sessions, 20 subjects (25 ± 2 yr, 12 M, 8 W) completed an endurance exercise bout (n = 8, 40 min cycling at 70% V̇o2max), a resistance exercise bout (n = 6, ∼45 min, 3 sets of ∼10 repetition maximum, 8 exercises), or a resting control period (n = 6, 40 min rest). Blood samples were taken before, during, and after (10 min, 2 h, and 3.5 h) exercise or rest for levels of catecholamines, cortisol, glucagon, insulin, glucose, free fatty acids, and lactate. Heart rate was recorded throughout exercise (or rest). Skeletal muscle (vastus lateralis) and adipose (periumbilical) biopsies were taken before and ∼4 h following exercise or rest for mRNA levels of genes related to energy metabolism, growth, angiogenesis, and circadian processes. Coordination of the timing of procedural components (e.g., local anesthetic delivery, biopsy incisions, tumescent delivery, intravenous line flushes, sample collection and processing, exercise transitions, and team dynamics) was reasonable to orchestrate while considering subject burden and scientific objectives. The cardiovascular and metabolic alterations reflected a dynamic and unique response to endurance and resistance exercise, whereas skeletal muscle was transcriptionally more responsive than adipose 4 h postexercise. In summary, the current report provides the first evidence of protocol execution and feasibility of key components of the MoTrPAC human adult clinical exercise protocols. Scientists should consider designing exercise studies in various populations to interface with the MoTrPAC protocols and DataHub.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study highlights the feasibility of key aspects of the MoTrPAC adult human clinical protocols. This initial preview of what can be expected from acute exercise trial data from MoTrPAC provides an impetus for scientists to design exercise studies to interlace with the rich phenotypic and -omics data that will populate the MoTrPAC DataHub at the completion of the parent protocol.

Investigation of the risk of paternal cell contamination in PGT and the necessity of intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

ICSI is widely recommended for patients undergoing preimplantation genetic testing (PGT), but are sperm a potential source of paternal cell contamination in PGT? Semen samples were obtained from five normozoospermic men consenting to research. From each sample 1, 2, 4, 8 and 10 sperm were collected in PCR tubes and whole genome amplification according to PGT-A and PGT-SR processing protocols was undertaken. None of the 25 samples submitted (a total of 125 sperm) showed evidence of DNA amplification. Thus, paternal cell contamination resulting from using conventional in vitro fertilization (IVF) as the insemination method, carries a low risk of an adverse event or misdiagnosis in PGT-A. Due to the higher risk incurred with PGT-SR, clinics may wish to exercise increased caution and continue using ICSI, while PGT-M involves different processing protocols, presenting a different risk profile.

Human adipose and skeletal muscle tissue DNA, RNA, and protein content.

The purpose of this project was to provide a profile of DNA, RNA, and protein content in adipose tissue, which is relatively understudied in humans, to gain more insight into the amount of tissue that may be required for various analyses. Skeletal muscle tissue was also investigated to provide a direct comparison into potential differences between these two highly metabolically active tissues. Basal adipose and skeletal muscle tissue samples were obtained from 10 (7 M, 3 W) recreationally active participants [25 ± 1 yr; 84 ± 3 kg, maximal oxygen consumption (V̇o2max): 3.5 ± 0.2 L/min, body fat: 29 ± 2%]. DNA, RNA, and protein were extracted and subsequently analyzed for quantity and quality. DNA content of adipose and skeletal muscle tissue was 52 ± 14 and 189 ± 44 ng DNA·mg tissue-1, respectively (P < 0.05). RNA content of adipose and skeletal muscle tissue was 46 ± 14 and 537 ± 72 ng RNA·mg tissue-1, respectively (P < 0.05). Protein content of adipose and skeletal muscle tissue was 4 ± 1 and 177 ± 10 µg protein·mg tissue-1, respectively (P < 0.05). In summary, human adipose had 28% of the DNA, 9% of the RNA, and 2% of the protein found in skeletal muscle per mg of tissue. This information should be useful across a wide range of human clinical investigation designs and various laboratory analyses.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This investigation studied DNA, RNA, and protein contents of adipose and skeletal muscle tissues from young active individuals. A series of optimization steps were investigated to aid in determining the optimal approach to extract high-yield and high-quality biomolecules. These findings contribute to the knowledge gap in adipose tissue requirements for molecular biology assays, which is of increasing importance due to the growing interest in adipose tissue research involving human exercise physiology research.

Influence of low-dose aspirin, resistance exercise, and sex on human skeletal muscle PGE2 /COX pathway activity.

Prostaglandin (PG) E2  has been linked to increased inflammation and attenuated resistance exercise adaptations in skeletal muscle. Nonaspirin cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitors have been shown to reduce these effects. This study examined the effect of low-dose aspirin on skeletal muscle COX production of PGE2 at rest and following resistance exercise. Skeletal muscle (vastus lateralis) biopsies were taken from six individuals (4 M/2 W) before and 3.5 hr after a single bout of resistance exercise for ex vivo PGE2 production under control and low (10 µM)- or standard (100 µM)-dose aspirin conditions. Sex-specific effects of aspirin were also examined by combining the current findings with our previous similar ex vivo skeletal muscle investigations (n = 20, 10 M/10 W). Low-dose aspirin inhibited skeletal muscle PGE2 production (p < 0.05). This inhibition was similar to standard-dose aspirin (p > 0.05) and was not influenced by resistance exercise (p > 0.05) (overall effect: -18 ± 5%). Men and women had similar uninhibited skeletal muscle PGE2 production at rest (men: 1.97 ± 0.33, women: 1.96 ± 0.29 pg/mg wet weight/min; p > 0.05). However, skeletal muscle of men was 60% more sensitive to aspirin inhibition than women (p < 0.05). In summary, the current findings 1) confirm low-dose aspirin inhibits the PGE2 /COX pathway in human skeletal muscle, 2) show that resistance exercise does not alter aspirin inhibitory efficacy, and 3) suggest the skeletal muscle of men and women could respond differently to long-term consumption of low-dose aspirin, one of the most common chronically consumed drugs in the world.

Order of concentric and eccentric muscle actions affects metabolic responses.

BACKGROUND: Resistance exercise provides an effective stimulus for improving the metabolic plasticity of skeletal muscle, and the type of acute muscle contraction plays an important role in determining specific responses and adaptations. The purpose of the current investigation was to examine the effect of contraction order on metabolic responses by comparing monophasic concentric and eccentric squats versus a protocol incorporating alternated concentric and eccentric repetitions. METHODS: Twelve recreationally active men (21.1±1.1yr) performed three nearly identical squat protocols on separate days. Protocols varied only with contraction-type, including 4 sets × 10 reps concentric-only (CON), eccentric-only (ECC), and BOTH which alternated 5 concentric followed by 5 eccentric reps (CON-ECC; sets 1 and 3) and vice versa (ECC-CON; sets 2 and 4). The experimental trials were performed once weekly in a randomized, counter-balanced order, and expired gases were collected using a two-way non-rebreathing mask and oxygen consumption quantified with indirect calorimetry. Subjects raised (CON) and lowered (ECC) the load in 2s, and all sets (2 min) and repetitions (8 s) were separated by standardized rest intervals. RESULTS: From the BOTH protocol, the increase in metabolic rate was significantly greater (P≤0.05) during squats performed with CON-ECC order (0.60±0.11 L·min-1) compared to ECC-CON (0.44±0.07 L·min-1), but excess postexercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) was opposite, with significantly greater metabolic rate during the 2-minute rest intervals after ECC-CON squats (0.46±0.09 L·min-1) compared to CON-ECC (0.25±0.05 L·min-1). Metabolic rates during and after squats were significantly greater (P≤0.05) with CON (0.63±0.09; 0.49±0.10 L·min-1) compared to ECC (0.34±0.04; 0.20±0.04 L·min-1), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These data present an interesting paradigm regarding the contraction-dependent metabolic responses to monophasic resistance exercise and suggest a greater EPOC following concentric versus eccentric muscle actions.

Factors affecting reproductive traits in male snow leopards (Unciauncia).

ABSTRACT: The population of snow leopards (Unciauncia) maintained in US zoos is no longer sustainable due to poor reproductive success. Our objective was to assess reproductive traits in male snow leopards and identify factors (markers of oxidative stress in seminal fluid, surveys of husbandry practices, gonadal and adrenocortical activity, dietary intake of various nutrients, and genetics) that may affect ejaculate traits and subsequent fertility. Ejaculates (2.9 ± 0.2 mL) from 32 male snow leopards (9.8 ± 0.7 years; 38.6 ± 0.8 kg) housed at 27 institutions contained 119.2 + 26.0 x 106 spermatozoa, of which 75.1 ± 2.3% were motile and 28.6 ± 2.6% exhibited normal morphology. Overall, 34% of males produced <5 million spermatozoa and 27% of males produced spermatozoa with <20% normal morphology. Activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the seminal fluid was negatively correlated (P < 0.05, r2 = 0.90) with normal sperm morphology. Husbandry practices, mean concentrations of fecal androgen metabolites (fAM), and baseline concentrations of fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (fGM), inbreeding coefficients, and generations each male was removed from the founders in their lineages were not correlated (P > 0.05) with the total number of spermatozoa or the proportion of spermatozoa with normal morphology. Total sperm count was positively correlated (P < 0.05, R2 = 0.86) with the weekly intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and the proportion of spermatozoa with normal morphology tended (P < 0.10, R2 = 0.31) to be positively correlated with copper intake. Altering the nutrient composition of snow leopard diets could provide managers with a possible method of improving reproductive traits in this endangered species. LAY SUMMARY: The population of snow leopards (Uncia uncia) maintained in US zoos has been declining since 1993 due to poor breeding success. Our objective was to assess the reproductive traits of male snow leopards and identify factors (e.g. hormones, diet, genetics) that may be affecting the quality of semen produced and therefore subsequent fertility. Within a cohort of 32 male snow leopards maintained at 27 US zoos, we found that 34% produced less than 5 million sperm and 27% of males produced sperm where less than 20% looked normal. The quantity and quality of the recovered sperm was not correlated with husbandry practices, concentrations of hormones (androgens and glucocorticoids) in feces, or genetics. However, the number of sperm was positively correlated with polyunsaturated fatty acids in the diet. Altering the nutrient composition of snow leopard diets could provide managers with a possible method of improving reproductive traits in this endangered species.

GROWTH: A Strategy for Nursing Student Retention.

BACKGROUND: Faculty focused on student success may look for opportunities to facilitate nursing student retention. Students commonly struggle with study skills, time management, and critical thinking in the nursing curriculum. This article presents the GROWTH (Growth, Readiness, Opportunity, Work, Time management, and Habits) form, an open-ended question form aimed at the identification of affective, environment, and psychosocial variables known to impede nursing student success. METHOD: Faculty used the GROWTH form when meeting with students in the beginning of the prelicensure program. RESULTS: Using the GROWTH form facilitates structured, focused faculty-student meetings and individualized action plans for students who are not achieving their desired level of academic performance. The GROWTH form also encourages students to take ownership of their own learning. CONCLUSION: Using the GROWTH form facilitates faculty-student meetings and encourages student self-reflection. Future research should investigate whether use of the GROWTH form has further implications for program progression and retention. [J Nurs Educ. 2019;58(3):173-177.].

Direct Single-Cell Analysis of Human Polar Bodies and Cleavage-Stage Embryos Reveals No Evidence of the Telomere Theory of Reproductive Ageing in Relation to Aneuploidy Generation.

Reproductive ageing in women, particularly after the age of 35, is associated with an exponential increase in the proportion of chromosomally abnormal oocytes produced. Several hypotheses have attempted to explain this observation, including the 'limited oocyte pool' hypothesis and the 'two-hit' hypothesis, the latter explaining that a depletion in oocyte quality with age results from the multiple opportune stages for errors to occur in meiosis. Recently however, the telomere theory of reproductive ageing in women has been proposed. This suggests that shortened telomeres in oocytes of women of advanced maternal age render oocytes unable to support fertilization and embryogenesis. Despite a credible rationale for the telomere theory of reproductive ageing in women, very few studies have assessed telomere length directly in human oocytes or preimplantation embryos. Therefore, we directly assessed relative telomere length in first polar bodies and blastomeres from cleavage stage (day 3) embryos. In both cell types we tested the hypothesis that (1) older women have shorter telomeres and (2) chromosomally abnormal (aneuploid) gametes/embryos have shorter telomeres. In all cases, we found no evidence of altered telomere length associated with age-related aneuploidy.

Sustainability Index (S-Index): A tool for use in the evaluation and planning of institutional animal collections.

Maintaining sustainable living collections is at the core of every zoo's and aquarium's mission. In spite of increasing awareness of sustainability challenges, few practical applications to support collection sustainability have been developed. In addition, much of the onus to address issues regarding collection sustainability has fallen to regional zoo associations, rather than on individual collection managers, creating a "tragedy of the commons." Responsibility for sustainability, however, ultimately defaults to each individual institution; as active participants in an association and the population management system, other institutions are the most reliable source of animals. Each collection manager must ensure that their collection contributes to association-wide sustainability. With this in mind, a sustainability index tool, S-Index, has been developed using basic demographic concepts and novel metrics for institutional collection evaluation. Furthermore, combining S-Index data across facilities allows the evaluation of the sustainability of individual taxa or taxonomic groups within the Association. An S-Index analysis of 27 Association of Zoos and Aquariums member avian collections over ten years demonstrates the use of this analytical tool.

27 years of prenatal diagnosis for Huntington disease in the United Kingdom.

PURPOSE: There is little long-term, population-based data on uptake of prenatal diagnosis for Huntington disease (HD), a late-onset autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder, and the effect of the availability of preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) on families' decisions about conventional prenatal diagnosis is not known. We report trends in prenatal diagnosis and preimplantation diagnosis for HD in the United Kingdom since services commenced. METHODS: Long-term UK-wide prospective case record-based service evaluation in 23 UK Regional Genetic Centres 1988-2015, and four UK PGD centers 2002-2015. RESULTS: From 1988 to 2015, 479 prenatal diagnoses were performed in the UK for HD. An exclusion approach was used in 150 (31%). The annual rate of HD prenatal diagnosis has remained around 18 (3.5/million) over 27 years, despite a steady increase in the use of PGD for HD since 2002. CONCLUSION: Although increasing number of couples are choosing either direct or exclusion PGD to prevent HD in their offspring, both direct and exclusion prenatal diagnosis remain important options in a health system where both PGD and prenatal diagnosis are state funded. At-risk couples should be informed of all options available to them, preferably prepregnancy.

The evolving role of zoological parks and aquariums in migratory bird conservation.

As threats to migratory birds in the Western Hemisphere, including North America, intensify and bird populations decline, there is a growing interest among zoo biologists in the conservation and management of these taxa. The purpose of this article is to explore the role that Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)-accredited zoos and aquariums either are playing or could play in the conservation and management of migratory birds. Topics explored include: (1) Public education and advocacy; (2) Captive breeding and reintroduction; (3) In situ conservation; (4) Tracking and monitoring; (5) Research/technology development; and (6) Sustainability/green practices; and (7) Partnerships. Zoos and aquariums could play an important role in increasing the public's access to understanding migratory birds and the threats they face, ultimately helping to protect these remarkable species.

New Treatments Have Changed the Game: Hepatitis C Treatment in Primary Care.

In the pre-direct-acting antiviral era, hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatments were complex and largely managed by hepatologists, gastroenterologists, and infectious disease physicians. As direct-acting antivirals have driven up demand for treatment, the relative scarcity of these specialists has created a bottleneck effect, resulting in only a fraction of HCV-infected individuals offered treatment. The San Francisco Health Network is a safety net system of care. Its intervention was designed to be sustainable and scalable; with minimal time commitments for training providers, primary care-based HCV treatment increased 3-fold in a period of just over 3 years.

Training Endogenous Task Shifting Using Music Therapy: A Feasibility Study.

BACKGROUND: People with acquired brain injury (ABI) are highly susceptible to disturbances in executive functioning (EF), and these effects are pervasive. Research studies using music therapy for cognitive improvement in this population are limited. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of a Musical Executive Function Training (MEFT) intervention to address task-shifting skills in adults with ABI and to obtain preliminary evidence of intervention effect on task shifting. METHODS: Fourteen participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: a music therapy intervention group (MTG), a singing group (SG), or the no-intervention control group (CG). The SG and MTG met for one hour a day for five days. Feasibility measures included participant completion rates and intervention fidelity. Potential benefits were measured using the Trail Making Test and the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task as a pre- and posttest measure. RESULTS: Participant completion rates and interventionist fidelity to the protocol supported feasibility. One-way ANOVA of the pre- and posttest group differences revealed a trend toward improvement in the MTG over the SG. CONCLUSIONS: Feasibility and effect size data support a larger trial of the MEFT protocol.

The Puerto Rican parrot reintroduction program: sustainable management of the aviary population.

The cornerstone of the recovery plan for the critically endangered Puerto Rican parrot (Amazona vitatta) is an actively managed, long-term reintroduction program. One captive population distributed across two aviaries in Puerto Rico is the sole source for release but its ability to persist as a managed resource has not been evaluated since 1989. We conducted an assessment for sustainable management of the aviary population while harvesting for release. To assess demographic rates such as population growth, vital rates, and age/sex structure, we compiled a studbook database on all living, dead, and released individuals in the aviary population. Using an individual-based risk assessment model we applied population specific data based on the management period from 1993 to 2012 to simulate future aviary population dynamics and evaluate future potential production. We modeled four potential management strategies to harvest parrots for proposed releases; these scenarios vary the number of parrots and the life stage. Our simulations revealed that the aviary population can be simultaneously managed for sustainability and harvesting of parrots for release. However, without cautious management, overharvesting can jeopardize sustainability of the aviary population. Our analysis of the aviary breeding program provides a rare opportunity to review progress relative to conservation program objectives after four decades of active management. The successful growth of the aviary population and its ability to serve as a sustainable source for reintroductions supports the 1973 decision to build a breeding program from a small population of 13 parrots.

Do food blogs serve as a source of nutritionally balanced recipes? An analysis of 6 popular food blogs.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether sampled food blogs provide nutritionally balanced recipes. METHODS: Two entree recipes per season, per year (2010-2011) were selected from 6 highly ranked food blogs (n = 96). Food Processor Nutrition and Fitness software was used to analyze sodium, saturated fat, and energy content. Analysis was separated by protein type (vegetarian, poultry, red meat, and seafood). RESULTS: Recipes met energy recommendations but were excessive in saturated fat and sodium. Vegetarian and seafood recipes were significantly lower in risk nutrients compared with red meat and poultry recipes. Red meat recipes were not significantly different from poultry recipes for risk nutrients studied; poultry recipes were higher in sodium and energy compared with red meat recipes. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The public should be aware of the nutritional limitations of popular food blogs; dietitians could assist in modifying blog recipes for individuals and partner with bloggers to improve the nutritional profile of recipes.

Integrated positron emission tomography/computed tomography may render bone scintigraphy unnecessary to investigate suspected metastatic breast cancer.

PURPOSE: Although the accurate detection of osseous metastases in the evaluation of patients with suspected metastatic breast cancer (MBC) has significant prognostic and therapeutic implications, the ideal diagnostic approach is uncertain. In this retrospective, single-institution study, we compare the diagnostic performance of integrated positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) and bone scintigraphy (BSc) in women with suspected MBC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Women with suspected MBC evaluated with PET/CT and BSc (within 30 days) between January 1, 2003 and June 30, 2008, were identified through institutional databases. Electronic medical records were reviewed, and radiology reports were classified as positive/negative/equivocal for osseous metastases. A nuclear medicine radiologist (blinded to correlative and clinical end points) reviewed all equivocal PET/CT and BSc images and reclassified some reports. Final PET/CT and BSc classifications were compared. Baseline patient/tumor characteristics and bone pathology were recorded and compared to the final imaging results. RESULTS: We identified 163 women who had a median age of 52 years (range, 30 to 90 years); 32% had locally advanced breast cancer, 42% had been diagnosed with breast cancer less than 12 weeks before identification. Twenty studies were originally deemed equivocal (five with PET/CT, and 15 with BSc), and 13 (65%) of these studies were reclassified after radiology review. Overall, PET/CT and BSc were highly concordant for reporting osseous metastases with 132 paired studies (81%); 32 (20%) were positive, and 100 (61%) were negative. Thirty-one occurrences (19%) were discordant. Twelve of these (39%) had pathology confirming osseous metastases: nine (of 18) were PET/CT positive and BSc negative; one (of three) was PET/CT positive and BSc equivocal; and two (of two) were PET/CT equivocal and BSc negative. CONCLUSION: This study supports the use of PET/CT in detecting osseous metastases for suspected MBC. Whether PET/CT may supplant BSc in this setting is unknown.