The impact of IV contrast enhanced 18F-FDG PET/CT on the staging of bladder cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this retrospective study was to compare the diagnostic accuracies of conventional radiological imaging (CI) methods magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography (MRI or CT) and intra venous (IV) contrast enhanced (CE) fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/CT (18F-FDG PET/CT) for the staging of bladder cancer (BC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The 18F-FDG CE-PET/CT results of 35 consecutive patients with BC were analyzed. Diagnostic value of CE-PET/CT and CI are compared for their accuracy in revealing primary tumors, nodal-distant metastasis, and the final tumor staging. The imaging results were compared with the gold standard, including of histopathology and clinical follow-up. We also investigated the effect of maximum standardize uptake value (SUVmax) and lymph node metastasis on survival. RESULTS: The CE-PET/CT had a diagnostic accuracy of 89% (31/35), compared to 57% (19/35) for CI. The results of CE-PET/CT imaging lead to upstaging in 37% (13/35) patients compared to CI staging. For primary tumor detection, the sensitivity of CE-PET/CT was 97% (34/35). Contrast enhanced-PET/CT detected nodal metastases in 19 (54%) patients, whereas CI detected in 9 (26%) patients. Contrast enhanced-PET/CT detected distant metastases in 14 (40%) patients, while conventional methods showed distant metastases in 9 (26%) patients. Maximum SUV of primary tumor does not have a significant effect on survival, whereas the median survival time of patients without lymph node metastasis is longer than patients who have lymph node metastasis (P=0.038). CONCLUSION: These data suggest that 18F-FDG CE-PET/CT had good diagnostic performance compared to conventional imaging for detecting primary tumor, nodal and distant metastasis in BC. Upstaging by CE-PET/CT changed the management of patients.

Disease painting or painting disease: how does illness and hospitalisation affect children's artistry?

There are numerous speculations about famous artists and how their perception was affected by their medical conditions. In this study, we examined how illness and hospitalisation affect children's art. A total of 157 paintings by 122 hospitalised children were interpreted by three reputed artists. Works of ill children were compared with those of a control group from an international art exhibition. We also comment on how diseases influenced the technique of famous artists to further examine the possible impact of illness on the artistry of hospitalised children. Developmental delay in painting was evident in the study group. Use of ready-made schemas was a common practice (55%). 56% of the work from patients older than eight years failed in perspective and site perception. The theme in 89% of the drawings had no human figures. Projection of self sufferings, prominent elementary lines, and reflection of distorted perception could be clearly recognised in various study materials; anxiety about assigned surgery was exhibited by scribbling. There exists a close relationship between medicine and humanities. The interpretation of fine art from a medical perspective may help to increase our appreciation of the suffering of an individual. It is obvious that diseases change the artistic style and inner perspective. The question is how do healthcare specialists view this?