99m Tc-MIBI SPECT/CT Evaluation of a Renal Collision Tumor.

ABSTRACT: Preoperative differentiation of oncocytomas from renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is often challenging. 99m Tc-MIBI imaging could play a potential role in differentiating oncocytoma from RCC, which in turn could guide surgical decision-making. We present the use of 99m Tc-MIBI SPECT/CT to characterize a renal mass in a 66-year-old man with a complex medical history, including history of bilateral oncocytomas. 99m Tc-MIBI SPECT/CT showed features suspicious of a malignant tumor, which was confirmed postnephrectomy as a chromophobe and papillary RCC collision tumor. This case supports 99m Tc-MIBI imaging for preoperative differentiation of benign versus malignant renal tumors.

Genuine impact of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography with contrast-enhanced computed tomography in clinching the diagnosis and follow-up response assessment of vascular graft infections.

Vascular graft infection (VGI) is a rare and severe complication after vascular surgery associated with significant morbidity and mortality, but the diagnosis is not always straightforward due to its variable and nonspecific clinical signs. Computed tomography (CT) scan is considered to be the diagnostic tool of choice for advanced VGI, but there is a high incidence of false-negative results, especially in low-grade infections. 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography with contrast-enhanced CT (18F-FDG PET-CT) imaging can serve as an effective alternative tool for assessment of suspected VGI and also provide accurate anatomic localization of the infective focus. Here, we describe three cases of VGI with various clinical presentations where the site of infection was diagnosed, confirmed, and documented with the help of 18F-FDG PET-CT imaging.

Cherubism: A Rare Fibro-Osseous Disorder Characterized and Diagnosed by one Stop Imaging with Technetium-99m Methylene Diphosphonate Bone Scintigraphy Integrated with Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography-Computed Tomography.

Cherubism, a rare hereditary fibro-osseous lesion characterized by painless expansion of jaws, starts early in life manifesting itself fully in the second decade of life and is almost regressed in the third decade. Here, we report a sporadic case of Cherubism with clinico-radiological and scintigraphic presentation of its classical features for its disease rarity and single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography findings with review the literature.

Incomplete form of Primary Hypertrophic Osteoarthropathy (Touraine-Solente-Gole Syndrome) Masquerading as Polyartrhalgia Diagnosed in Technetium-99m-Methylene Diphosphonate Scintigraphy: An Interesting Case Report.

The primary hypertrophic osteoarthropathy (PHOA) (pachydermoperiostosis) is a rare genetic/hereditary disease characterized by skin changes (pachydermia), clubbing of fingers and periosteal thickening (periostitis) with sub-periosteal new bone formation. Here we describe a case of an adolescent male who presented with clubbing and polyarthralgia. On evaluation with scintigraphy and SPECT-CT, he was diagnosed to have incomplete form of PHOA(skeletal manifestations without skin changes). The identification of incomplete form of primary hypertrophic osteoarthropathy which can be easily misdiagnosed as rheumatoid arthritis is discussed here.

Scintigraphic Evaluation of Esophageal Motility and Gastroesophageal Reflux in Patients Presenting with Upper Respiratory Tract Symptoms.

PURPOSE OF STUDY: The purpose is to evaluate the findings and utility of esophageal transit scintigraphy (ETS) and gastroesophageal reflux scintigraphy (GES) in patients presenting with upper respiratory tract (URT) symptoms suspected to be due to gastroesophageal reflux (GER) disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty patients aged between 19 and 60 years underwent nasopharyngolaryngoscopy (NPL), ETS, and GES. Correlation between GER, esophageal motility, and NPL was evaluated. Inclusion criteria include patients with recurrent URT symptoms such as chronic dry cough/hoarseness of voice and itching/foreign body sensation in throat. Those with typical gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms of GER, URT symptoms relieved by antibiotics, surgical intervention in abdomen, cardiac/hepatobiliary diseases, etc. were excluded from the study. RESULTS: Significant correlation was found between GER and NPL in 28/30 patients. More the grade of reflux, more severe was the NPL findings. Two patients with Grade II reflux had normal NPL suggesting structural inflammatory changes due to acidic pH of refluxate which have not yet manifested or symptoms could be due to nonacid refluxate. Incidence of esophageal motility disorder was statistically significant in patients with GER disease (GERD). Patients who had symptoms, but no demonstrable GER showed delayed ET in supine position suggesting the presence of esophageal motility disorder even before GERD. CONCLUSION: GES demonstrated GER in patients presenting with URT symptoms without typical GI symptoms. ETS showed coexistence of esophageal motility disorder in most patients presenting with URT symptoms even without an associated reflux disease. We hypothesize that primary abnormal esophageal motility leads to delayed esophageal clearance and consequently to URT symptoms. Addition of ETS to GES is easily feasible with no significant additional cost, time, or radiation burden.

Localized Pontine Uptake in Fluorine-18-Fuorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography in a Case of Hyponatremia: A Case Report and Review of Literature.

A rare acquired demyelinating lesion of the pons central pontine myelinolysis (CPM) typically occurs after rapid correction of hyponatremia. There is disruption of blood-brain barrier due to osmotic stress allowing access for inflammatory mediators in extravascular brain tissue, which most likely attracts glial cells of the brain, attracts macrophages, and activates astrocytes. We present a case of female with a known history of inflammatory bowel disease who presented with altered sensorium and hyponatremia. Fluorine-18-fuorodeoxyglucose (F-18-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) was performed which showed localized FDG uptake in the pons, consistent with the CPM findings observed on magnetic resonance imaging. Pontine uptake in F-18-FDG PET CT in hyponatremic patients who were clinically deteriotating even after correction of hyponatremic status aids for the diagnosis of CPM.