Visualisation of primary prostate cancer, its relapse and its metastases is a clinically relevant problem despite the availability of state-of-the-art methods such as CT, MRI, transrectal ultrasound and fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography ((18)F-FDG PET). The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of carbon-11 acetate and (18)F-FDG PET in the detection of prostate cancer and its metastases. Twenty-five patients were investigated during the follow-up of primary prostate cancer, suspected relapse or metastatic disease using (11)C-acetate PET; 15 of these patients were additionally investigated using (18)F-FDG PET. Fourteen patients were receiving anti-androgen treatment at the time of the investigation. Lesions were detected in 20/24 (83%) patients using (11)C-acetate PET and in 10/15 (75%) patients using (18)F-FDG PET. Based on the results of both PET scans, one patient was diagnosed with recurrent lung cancer. Median (18)F-FDG uptake exceeded that of (11)C-acetate in distant metastases (SUV =3.2 vs 2.3). However, in local recurrence and in regional lymph node metastases, (11)C-acetate uptake (median SUVs =2.9 and 3.8, respectively) was higher than that of (18)F-FDG (median SUVs =1.0 and 1.1, respectively). A positive correlation was observed between serum PSA level and both (11)C-acetate uptake and (18)F-FDG uptake. (11)C-acetate seems more useful than (18)F-FDG in the detection of local recurrences and regional lymph node metastases. (18)F-FDG, however, appears to be more accurate in visualising distant metastases. There may be a role for combined (11)C-acetate/(18)F-FDG PET in the follow-up of patients with prostate cancer and persisting or increasing PSA.

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11C-methionine PET is a clinically useful method in highly pre-selected patients with recurrent primary HPT as well as in secondary and tertiary HPT if ultrasound and 99mTc-MIBI SPECT are inconclusive or negative. PET imaging of atypical PTA localisations is more accurate than conventional scintigraphy. In order to achieve optimal contrast of parathyroid glands versus thyroid tissue and adjacent soft tissue, imaging at both 10 min and 40 min is recommended.

Background-Myocardial infarction (MI) triggers a systemic inflammatory response which determines subsequent healing.Experimentally, cardiac positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging have been used successfully to obtain mechanistic insights. We explored the translational potential in patients early after MI. Methods and Results-Positron emission tomography/computed tomography and cardiac magnetic resonance were performed in 15 patients <7 days after first MI. Cardiac magnetic resonance showed regional transmural late gadolinium enhancement and edema exceeding the area of late gadolinium enhancement. Using F-18 deoxyglucose with heparin pretreatment, metabolic rate of glucose (MRGlc)

Initial bone metastases in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma are rare, especially in younger patients. Long duration of therapy and high activities of radioiodine are often necessary to induce remission of metastatic disease. The curative potential of radioiodine therapy, in particular in younger patients, has not yet been determined. In this retrospective study we evaluated the therapeutic outcome, total radioiodine activities and associated side-effects in 107 patients with initial bone metastases. Eight of the 107 patients were younger than 45 (37.5+/-7.3) years, and were classified as group 1 (stage II, "low risk", WHO classification). The remaining 99 patients were older than 45 (64.1+/-9.5) years, and formed group 2 (stage IV, "high risk", WHO classification). Total or partial remission was more frequently achieved in group 1 than in group 2 (62.5% vs 49.5%). Lower activities were needed in group 1 (18.89+/-15.08 GBq vs 41.97+/-31.25 GBq), and there were less marked alterations in the blood count in this group. In group 1, blood count alterations reached only grade I or II (WHO classification), whereas grade III and grade IV alterations as well as acute leukaemia were observed in group 2. In group 1, complete remission was achieved with radioiodine therapy (11.1 GBq) in three out of four patients with < or =3 bone metastases. Additional pulmonary metastases (present in 44 out of 107 patients) did not influence prognosis. We conclude that initial bone metastases in differentiated thyroid carcinoma can be treated with curative intent by means of radioiodine therapy, and that this approach has a particularly realistic chance of success in younger patients and those with a small number of metastases.

Attenuation correction with a co-registered external CT is feasible using CZT cameras and improves diagnostic accuracy mostly by improving specificity over uncorrected images.

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Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha has been identified as a pathogenic factor in many immunologically based diseases and complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). In this case series, we used radiolabeled technetium anti-TNF-alpha antibody to scintigraphically image TNF-alpha in 3 patients with type 1 CRPS. The results show that TNF-alpha was localized only in affected hands of patients with early-stage CRPS. No uptake was seen in clinically unaffected hands and late-stage CRPS. Our findings support the growing evidence for neuroimmune disturbance in patients with CRPS and may have important further implications for specific anticytokine treatment in patients with CRPS.