Background & Aims-Patients with acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection that receive treatment achieve high rates of sustained virological response (SVR), but few studies have examined outcomes among injecting drug users (IDUs). We evaluated the efficacy of treatment of recent HCV infection in IDUs with acute and early chronic HCV.

Findings support the adoption of direct methods of recruitment to cascade screening led by medical professionals, who were perceived as having greater authority. Other implications included the need for clinicians to provide clear information, particularly to those who are asymptomatic, related to the seriousness of FH and the necessity for adherence to medication and lifestyle changes.

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A comparative study of the use of 85Sr chloride and 18F as fluoride for bone scanning is reported. Measurements carried out indicate that, in general, their degree of uptake into tumours is equally good. Since 18F delivers a radiation dose to bone of only 1/200 that from 85Sr, greatly increased activities can be given. The optimum time for scanning with 18F is about one hour following intravenous injection, when only 6 per cent of the administered dose has been found to remain in the blood, and a further 6 per cent has been excreted in the urine. 85Sr is not removed from the blood so rapidly, and 18 per cent has been found to be present after a similar time interval. Experience of 57 18F bone scans and over 100 85 Sr bone scans is reported and the 18F scans are compared with the corresponding radiographs. The major disadvantage of using 18F is its accumulation in the bladder, but 85Sr has the corresponding disadvantage of localising in the faeces in the bowel. It has been shown that 18F can be given orally, though incomplete absorption from the stomach reduces the counting rate over bone and makes bone scanning impossible in the stomach area. It is concluded that the advantages of 18F far outweigh its disadvantages for bone scanning.

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