FDG-PET is suitable to assess response to NARCT in patients with stage III NSCLC accurately. It was highly predictive for treatment outcome and patient survival. PET may be helpful in improving restaging after NARCT by allowing reliable assessment of residual tumour viability.

The present study was undertaken to determine quantitatively the accuracy of modern high-resolution computed tomography (HR-CT) in imaging periodontal defects in vitro by means of comparative radiological and histological studies. The soft tissue and metallic restorations were removed from four mandibular and maxillary jaw segments. Eighteen lingual and buccal defects of different dimensions were artificially created over the roots of the teeth. Dental radiographs and 1.0 mm contiguous axial and coronal HR-CT scans were obtained. Histological specimens were prepared in the same plane as the CT scans. A quantitative analysis of the periodontal regions on the CT scans was feasible when the alveolar bone was 0.5 mm thick. A visible periodontal ligament space was found to improve the reliability of the measurement of buccal or lingual bone plates up to 0.2 mm thick or of the artificial dehiscences. In the axial HR-CT scans, 70% of the artificial defects could be identified. and in the coronal scans, 50%. In contrast, none of the defects could be evaluated on conventional dental radiographs. It is concluded that HR-CT scanning could be useful in assessing buccal and lingual alveolar bone morphology and in diagnosing larger dehiscences.

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BackgroundChronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is a long-term complication following an acute pulmonary embolism (PE). It is frequently diagnosed at advanced stages which is concerning as delayed treatment has important implications for favourable clinical outcome. Performing a follow-up examination of patients diagnosed with acute PE regardless of persisting symptoms and using all available technical procedures would be both cost-intensive and possibly ineffective. Focusing diagnostic procedures therefore on only symptomatic patients may be a practical approach for detecting relevant CTEPH.This study aimed to evaluate if a follow-up program for patients with acute PE based on telephone monitoring of symptoms and further examination of only symptomatic patients could detect CTEPH. In addition, we investigated the role of cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) as a diagnostic tool.MethodsIn a prospective cohort study all consecutive patients with newly diagnosed PE (n=170, 76 males, 94 females within 26 months) were recruited according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Patients were contacted via telephone and asked to answer standardized questions relating to symptoms. At the time of the final analysis 130 patients had been contacted. Symptomatic patients underwent a structured evaluation with echocardiography, CPET and complete work-up for CTEPH.Results37.7%, 25.5% and 29.3% of the patients reported symptoms after three, six, and twelve months respectively. Subsequent clinical evaluation of these symptomatic patients saw 20.4%, 11.5% and 18.8% of patients at the respective three, six and twelve months time points having an echocardiography suggesting pulmonary hypertension (PH). CTEPH with pathological imaging and a mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) ≥ 25 mm Hg at rest was confirmed in eight subjects. Three subjects with mismatch perfusion defects showed an exercise induced increase of PAP without increasing pulmonary artery occlusion pressure (PAOP). Two subjects with pulmonary hypertension at rest and one with an exercise induced increase of mPAP with normal PAOP showed perfusion defects without echocardiographic signs of PH but a suspicious CPET.ConclusionA follow-up program based on telephone monitoring of symptoms and further structured evaluation of symptomatic subjects can detect patients with CTEPH. CPET may serve as a complementary diagnostic tool.