BackgroundThe diagnostic value of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) as the first imaging approach in the evaluation of rising carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is not clear. The objective of this study was to investigate the value of 18F-FDG PET/CT in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) and suspected recurrence based on rising CEA.MethodsA total of 73 patients with CRC were referred to PET/CT after radical surgery. Generally, all patients were scheduled to follow a CT-based post-surgical follow-up regimen. In the case of rising CEA, 18F-FDG PET/CT was performed in most patients with contrast-enhanced CT. The PET/CT images were independently reviewed by two readers. The presence or absence of recurrence was based on histology and/or standardized clinical follow-up.ResultsAmong 35 patients who had confirmed recurrence of CRC, PET/CT demonstrated recurrence with a sensitivity of 85.7 %, a specificity of 94.7 %, a positive predictive value of 93.8 %, and a negative predictive value of 87.8 %. The SUVmax ranged from 1.3 to 19.9. The mean time since the last postoperative imaging and PET/CT was 8 months (median 4 months). CEA values at referral ranged from 1.5 to 164.0 μg/L (median 5.6 μg/L). The diagnostic properties of PET/CT were analyzed in subgroups of patients with a single rising CEA sample (30 patients, 41 %), 31 patients (43 %) with two or more consecutive increases, and 12 patients (16 %) with persistently elevated values.Conclusions18F-FDG PET/contrast-enhanced CT has high diagnostic accuracy in the diagnosis of recurrent CRC, even in patients in a conventional CT-based follow-up program.
Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a chronic disease that presents with inflammation and fibrosis of involved tissue. It encompasses several disorders previously described using different terms, but all disorders are characterised by IgG4-positive plasma cells and lymphocytes infiltration of tissues. We report a rare case of a 58-year-old man with IgG4-related pleural disease without other systemic manifestations. The diagnosis was based on characteristic changes on PET-CT and typical histopathology in a pleural specimen. The patient’s condition improved following immunosuppressive therapy.
There is no doubt that behavioral intervention is crucial for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) prevention and management. We aimed to estimate dietary habits and diet-oriented knowledge as well as the level of physical activity in 2500 insulin-treated Polish type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients (55.4% women). The mean age of the study participants was 64.9 ± 9.3 years, mean BMI was 31.4 kg/m2 ± 4.5, mean diabetes duration was 12.4 ± 6.9 years, and mean baseline HbA1c was 8.5% ± 1.2. At the study onset, all the patients completed a questionnaire concerning health-oriented behavior. Results showed a significant lack of diet-related knowledge. For example, only 37.5% recognized that buckwheat contains carbohydrates; the percentage of correct answers in questions about fruit drinks and pasta was 56.4% and 61.2%, respectively. As for the physical activity, only 57.4% of examined T2DM patients declared any form of deliberate physical activity. To conclude, the cohort of poorly controlled insulin-treated T2DM patients studied by us is characterized by insufficient diet-related knowledge and by a very low level of physical activity. Further studies on other populations of insulin-treated T2DM patients are required to confirm these findings.
Brown tumors are uncommon manifestations of hyperparathyroidism (HPT) that without awareness are easily misdiagnosed as metastases. This short report highlights the importance of clinical context and clear communication between medical specialties when interpreting complex radiologic findings.
Abstract:The aim of the study is to present features of a complex system and find the relations making the symmetry gain its sense in asymmetric wold. The study prepared in the form of a mental experiment shows that a system can exist in two states and two orientations and the mechanisms described in the study transform the system. The mechanisms causing the transformations are also presented as well as the role of symmetry which leads to the system's asymmetry.Keywords: Symmetry, asymmetry in systems, complex systems, interdisciplinary study The study's objective is to present the complex system features and find the relations which make the symmetry gain its sense in asymmetric world. The study contains a description of a mental experiment inspired by Richard Dawkins' thought taken from the preface to the second edition of his book The Selfish Gene. With this experiment is used to show that a system can exist in two states and two orientations and the mechanisms described in the experiment transform the system. The mechanisms causing the transformations are also presented as well as the role of symmetry which leads to the system's asymmetry. The "Necker cube" metaphor is used here, which was also written about in the preface to Richard Dawkins' book.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.