Octreotide uptake in intracranial metastasis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma origin in a patient with a prolonged clinical course.

We describe a case with prolonged survival of 2 years in a female patient with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma who, at diagnosis, already had liver spread and eventually succumbed to brain metastases which scanned positive with [(111)In-DTPA] octreotide scintiscan (OctreoScan). Subsequently, the patient underwent a craniotomy for resection of the metastases, but her condition deteriorated. A chromogranin A stain was negative, showing that there was no neuroendocrinal component to the cerebral secondaries. In contrast, tumor labeling with a monoclonal antibody associated with a favorable prognosis in pancreatic neoplasms was positive. There is mounting evidence that somatostatin receptor status confers a relatively favorable prognosis in pancreatic adenocarcinoma, although OctreoScan-positive brain metastases have not been previously reported.

Fine needle aspiration outcomes of masses detected by positron emission tomography: correlation with standard uptake value.

OBJECTIVES: To characterize the cytopathologic outcome of lesions detected on positron emission tomography (PET) scan. STUDY DESIGN: Cases with fine needle aspiration (FNA) performed because of a PET-positive lesion over an 18-month period were reviewed. Correlation with the standard uptake value (SUV) (using 2.5 as a cutoff value) was carried out. RESULTS: A total of 112 FNAs were found, of which 83 had adequate tissue for evaluation and available corresponding SUVs to be included in the final study. Fisher's exact test was carried out for correlation between FNA diagnosis and SUV Sixty-one (73.5%) lesions had an SUV > or = 2.5, 53 (87%) ofwhich were malignant and 8 (13%) benign on cytology. Twenty-two (26.5%) lesions had an SUV < 2.5, of which 12 (54.5%) showed benign and 10 (45.5%) showed malignant cytology. The overall sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and diagnostic accuracy of SUV were 84%, 60%, 87%, 56% and 78%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our data show that FNA procedures performed for PET-positive lesions have high PPV, but low NPV. Therefore interpretation of PET SUV values < 2.5 as benign should be made with extreme caution.

Radium-223 in Heavily Pretreated Metastatic Castrate-Resistant Prostate Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Radium-223 is a bone-targeting radiopharmaceutical that extends survival in mCRPC. Postapproval data are limited, and the value of biochemical and radiologic monitoring during radium therapy is unknown. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of 29 patients with mCRPC who received radium-223 at 1 of 3 participating institutions between August 2013 and December 2014. Trend of PSA, radiographic changes, and association of biochemical and clinical variables with PSA trend were measured. RESULTS: The median age of patients was 70 years, 79% of patients (N = 23) were European Americans, and 17% of patients (N = 5) were African Americans. Twenty patients (69%) had received at least 3 lines of prior therapies. Some 38% of patients (N = 11) received all 6 cycles of radium-223. Twenty patients (69%) had an increase in PSA during radium therapy, and 4 patients (14%) had a decline in PSA levels. Five patients had visceral metastases on computed tomography imaging performed during the course of radium-223. CONCLUSIONS: Radium therapy in mCRPC was associated with an increase in PSA in the majority of these heavily pretreated patients. The development of visceral disease was not uncommon, suggesting a need for follow-up computed tomography monitoring during radium-223 therapy. The significance of early increases in PSA and pain with radium-223 is still uncertain. Although pain and PSA flare have been reported in patients who subsequently have a dramatic response to therapy, we observed that a PSA increase or pain flare correlates to an improvement in bone scans only in a minority of patients.

Diaphragmatic and crural FDG uptake in hyperventilating patients: a rare pattern important to recognize.

The authors describe various patterns of F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) accumulation in the diaphragm and crura. They present 6 patients in whom incidental diaphragmatic and crural uptake of FDG was observed during positron emission tomography (PET). Hyperventilation is thought to be the potential underlying mechanism of this condition.

Retroperitoneal malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor: evaluation with serial FDG-PET.

Retroperitoneal malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST), a rare type of neurogenic tumor, was diagnosed in a 14-year-old girl with a history of neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). Immunochemistry demonstrated spindle cells positive for S-100 protein. The patient had multiple tumor recurrences and she was evaluated with serial F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET). A tumor in the right iliac wing showed increased FDG uptake on PET. FDG-PET played an important role in therapy planning and subsequent follow up. This case emphasizes the important role FDG-PET could play in the staging, restaging, and posttherapy follow up of MPNST.