WB-MRI that included DWI was useful for detecting bone metastasis.

FDG-PET/CT with additional SUV(max) analysis improves the diagnostic accuracy of adrenal lesions in cancer patients.

The addition of SPIO-enhanced MR imaging to contrast-enhanced multi-detector row CT (ie, combined analysis of SPIO-enhanced MR images and contrast-enhanced CT images) can improve sensitivity in the detection of hepatic metastases, although this improvement in sensitivity was not significant at AFROC analysis.

Integrated PET/CT improves the PPV of regional LNs when compared with CECT.

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1. The 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT, serotonin) receptor subtypes that mediate vasoconstriction in the human internal thoracic artery (ITA), which is frequently used as an arterial graft, remain unclear. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the 5-HT receptor subtypes responsible for 5-HT-induced contraction of the human ITA. 2. The contractile responses to 5-HT of endothelium-denuded human ITA obtained from patients undergoing coronary bypass surgery were examined. In addition, we investigated the effects of sarpogrelate and SB224289, antagonists of 5-HT(2A) and 5-HT(1B) receptors, respectively, on the 5-HT-induced vasoconstriction. Finally, 5-HT(2A) and 5-HT(1B) receptors in the human ITA were immunolabelled. 3. 5-Hydroxytryptamine (1 nmol/L-10 micromol/L) caused vasoconstriction in a concentration-dependent manner. Both sarpogrelate (1 micromol/L) and SB224289 (1 micromol/L) significantly, but not completely, inhibited 5-HT-induced vasoconstriction. 4. Conversely, simultaneous pretreatment with supramaximum concentrations (1 micromol/L for both) of sarpogrelate and SB224289 almost completely inhibited the 5-HT-induced vasoconstriction. 5. Immunopositive staining for 5-HT(2A) and 5-HT(1B) receptors was detected in smooth muscle cells of the human ITA. 6. These results demonstrate that, in human ITA, 5-HT-induced vasoconstriction is mediated by activation of both 5-HT(2A) and 5-HT(1B) receptors. Thus, when the human ITA is used as an arterial graft, a combination of 5-HT(2A) and 5-HT(1B) receptor antagonists would appear to be most useful to prevent 5-HT-induced vasospasm.

Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery has been performed for about 40 years. In 1967, the technique of saphenous vein (SV) bypass grafting was introduced, followed 1 year later by the use of internal thoracic artery (ITA).1) Whereas ITA is the first-choice arterial graft, 2,3) SV still continues to be the most commonly used conduit vessel for CABG 4,5) because of ready availability and suppleness. One of the most serious problems in CABG surgery is that the bypass grafts often go into spasm after implantation into coronary arterial circulation, which has led to premature occlusion and increased perioperative morbidity. 6,7) Among substances that can initiate severe vasoconstriction, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) has been identified as playing an important role in the pathogenesis of vascular spasm. [8][9][10][11][12][13] Although 5-HT 2A and/or 5-HT 1B/1D receptor subtypes almost exclusively mediate 5-HT-induced vasoconstriction, [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] the relative contributions of these receptor subtypes to vasoconstrictions are species-dependent and vascular beddependent. Therefore, the selection of the best pharmacological agent to prevent 5-HT-induced spasm of the bypass grafts used in CABG surgery requires better understanding of the contributions of 5-HT receptor subtypes to vasoconstriction in the clinically used human vessels.From the viewpoint mentioned above, we revealed that 5-HT-induced vasoconstriction is mediated equivalently via 5-HT 2A and 5-HT 1B receptors in the human ITA.18) In the human SV, Borton et al. 14) have reported that both 5-HT 1 and 5-HT 2 receptors are involved in vasoconstriction by using a 5-HT 2 receptor antagonist and a 5-HT 1 receptor agonist. However, the relative contributions of 5-HT receptor subtypes that mediate vasoconstriction caused by 5-HT in the human SV are still unclear.It has been established that, before implantation into the coronary arterial circulation, the segment of SV used as a vein graft is distended by applying high intraluminal pressures with injection of saline or a patient's heparinized blood to check for leaks and to increase the vascular diameter. This fact should be considered in experiments for evaluation of 5-HT receptor subtypes responsible for vascular functions because the distension may influence both contractile and dilatory responses of the SV. 19)The aim of the present study was to elucidate the relative contribution of 5-HT receptor subtypes mediating 5-HTinduced vasoconstriction of the distended human SV obtained from CABG surgery. We examined the effects of sarpogrelate and SB224289, antagonists of 5-HT 2A and 5-HT 1B receptors, respectively, on the 5-HT-induced vasoconstriction and also performed immunolabeling of the 5-HT 2A and 5-HT 1B receptors in the distended SV. MATERIALS AND METHODS Preparation of Blood Vessels and Contractile StudiesSegments of the human SV were harvested from patients (nϭ12) who were undergoing CABG surgery at Miyazaki Prefectural Nobeoka Hospital (Miyazaki, Japan). Once the vein was comp...