BackgroundClinical, biochemical, ultrasonographic, radionuclide and cytomorphological observations in Lymphocytic thyroiditis (LT), to define the cytological grading criteria on smears and correlation of grades with above parameters.MethodsThis prospective study was conducted on 76 patients attending the Fine needle aspiration cytology clinic of a tertiary care institute in North India. The various parameters like patients' clinical presentation, thyroid antimicrosomal antibodies, hormonal profiles, radionuclide thyroid scan and thyroid ultrasound were studied. Fine needle aspiration of thyroid gland and grading of thyroiditis was done on smears. The grades were correlated with above parameters and the correlation indices were evaluated statistically.ResultsMost of the patients were females (70, 92.11%) who presented with a diffuse goiter (68, 89.47%). Hypothyroid features (56, 73.68%) and elevated TSH (75, 98.68%) were common, but radioiodide uptake was low or normal in majority of patients. Thyroid antimicrosomal antibody was elevated in 46/70 (65.71%) patients. Cytomorphology in fine needle aspirates was diagnostic of lymphocytic thyroiditis in 75 (98.68%) patients. Most of them had grade I/II disease by cytology. No correlation was observed between grades of cytomorphology and clinical, biochemical, ultrasonographic and radionuclide parameters.ConclusionDespite the availability of several tests for diagnosis of LT, FNAC remains the gold standard. The grades of thyroiditis at cytology however do not correlate with clinical, biochemical, radionuclide and ultrasonographic parameters.

BACKGROUNDPrimary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) has a variable clinical expression. Symptomatic PHPT is still the predominant form of the disease in many parts of the world, especially developing countries. Because the clinical profile of the disease has changed from that described in the past, we sought to improve our understanding of the disease in patients in north India.METHODSWe summarized the clinical presentation, biochemical and radiological features, and operative findings from the case records from the last 13 years of 52 patients at a tertiary care centre in north India who had documented PHPT.RESULTSThe male: female ratio was 1: 3.3 with ages ranging from 6 to 60 years (mean±SD, 36.38±12.73). Bone disease (46%), recurrent renal stones (21%) and body aches and pains (21%) were the most common modes of presentation. The lag time varied ranged from 1 month to 16 years. Common clinical manifestations included bone pain (67%), weakness/fatigue (56%), fracture of the long bones (48%), abdominal pain (39%), polyuria (37%) and psychiatric manifestations (23.1%). Hypertension was observed in 42% and a palpable nodule in the neck in 19%. Biochemical features included hypercalcemia (86.5%), hypophosphatemia (65.4%) and hyperphosphatasia (67.3%). Mean intact PTH (±SD) was 809.0±696.3 ng/L with levels significantly lower in patients who had only kidney stone disease as compared with those with bone disease (P=0.017). A single parathyroid adenoma was localized in 50 (98%) patients. Hungry bone disease was seen in 59% patients.CONCLUSIONPHPT in India continues to be a symptomatic disorder with skeletal and renal manifestations at a much younger age.

Ga DOTATATE PET/CT performed better than F-FDG PET/CT and is useful in the detection of tumors causing oncogenic osteomalacia. Therefore, in clinically suspected cases of hypophosphatemic osteomalacia, Ga DOTATATE PET/CT may be performed as first-line imaging investigation to avoid delay in the treatment of this devastating but curable disease. However, further studies with large patient population are warranted to validate our data.

USG is a convenient, affordable and useful modality to localize abnormal enlarged parathyroid glands in the majority of patients with PHPT. However, when USG is negative, scintigraphy is complementary to it.

Among the 3 imaging techniques tested simultaneously, FCH PET/CT was superior for accurate preoperative localization of parathyroid adenomas, especially for ectopic or small parathyroid lesions.

HER2/neu is over expressed in 20-25% of breast cancers. HER2 breast cancers are aggressive and are associated with poor prognosis. The aim of this study was to develop the clinical grade Lu-177-trastuzumab and its preliminary evaluation for specific tumor targeting in HER2 positive breast cancer patients. Trastuzumab was conjugated to bifunctional chelator, DOTA, and characterized for integrity and the number of molecules conjugated. Radiolabeling of DOTA-conjugated trastuzumab was optimized using Lu-177. Quality control parameters including radiochemical purity, stability, sterility, pyrogenicity and immunoreactivity were assessed. A preliminary pilot study was conducted on breast cancer patients (n = 6 HER2 positive and n = 4 HER2 negative) to evaluate the ability of Lu-177-trastuzumab for HER2 specific tumor targeting. The conjugates were efficiently labeled with Lu-177 with high radiochemical purity (up to 91%) and specific activity (6-13 µCi/µg). Lu-177-trastuzumab was stable up to 12 hr post labeling. The radioimmunoassay demonstrated good antigen binding ability and specificity for HER2 receptor protein. The patient studies showed the localization of Lu-177-trastuzumab at primary as well as metastatic sites (HER2 positive) in the planar and SPECT/CT images. No tracer uptake was observed in HER2 negative patients that indicated the specificity of Lu-177-trastuzumab. The study demonstrated that in-house developed Lu-177-trastuzumab has specific targeting ability for HER2 expressing lesions and may in future become a palliative treatment option in the form of targeted radionuclide therapy for disseminated HER2 positive breast cancer.

Consistent and significant myocardial FDG uptake suppression is possible in most patients using LCHFPP diet. The LCHFPP diet, if taken as per protocol, leads to consistent myocardial FDG uptake suppression to allow for adequate evaluation of the left coronary artery inflammation in nearly all the patients. LCHFPP diet is also significantly more efficacious than prolonged (>12 hours) fasting protocol in suppressing myocardial FDG uptake.

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