Explore the vast range of titles available.

In this case series, we aimed to report our clinical experience with hybrid positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) navigation in the management of recurrent glial brain tumors. Consecutive recurrent neuroglial brain tumor patients who underwent PET/MRI at preoperative or intraoperative periods were included, whereas patients with non-glial intracranial tumors including metastasis, lymphoma and meningioma were excluded from the study. A total of eight patients (mean age 50.1 ± 11.0 years) with suspicion of recurrent glioma tumor were evaluated. Gross total tumor resection of the PET/MRI-positive area was achieved in seven patients, whereas one patient was diagnosed with radiation necrosis, and surgery was avoided. All patients survived at 1-year follow-up. Five (71.4%) of the recurrent patients remained free of recurrence for the entire follow-up period. Two patients with glioblastoma had tumor recurrence at the postoperative sixth and eighth months. According to our results, hybrid PET/MRI provides reliable and accurate information to distinguish recurrent glial tumor from radiation necrosis. With the help of this differential diagnosis, hybrid imaging may provide the gross total resection of recurrent tumors without harming eloquent brain areas.

Purpose To investigate if (i) the risk of ischemia on myocardial perfusion scan (MPS), (ii) number of coronary angiographies (CAG) performed, and (iii) necessity for invasive (stent implantation or coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG)) or medical treatment increased in patients infected with COVID-19. Methods Patients who were referred to MPS between August 2020 and April 2021 with a history of active symptomatic COVID-19 infection (confirmed by PCR positivity) in the last 6 months were involved in the study group. Age-and gender-matched control group was composed of randomly chosen patients who attended for MPS between January 2019 and September 2019, before pandemic. Frequency of ischemia, CAG, and invasive or medical treatments were compared between groups. Results Ischemia was reported more frequently in the study group ( p  < 0.001). In clinical evaluation, regardless of the MPS results, the necessity for invasive evaluation with CAG and treatment (either medical therapy or invasive interventions) was higher in the study group ( p  = 0.006 and p  = 0.015). It was also true for patients with abnormal MPS results ( p  = 0.008 and p  = 0.024) but not for the patients with ischemia ( p  = 0.29 and p  = 0.06). Conclusion There exists a significant increase in the frequency of ischemia on MPS, undergoing CAG, stent implantation or CABG, and initiation of medical therapy in patients with a history of COVID-19 infection in the last 6 months. MPS is a reliable method in patients who present with cardiovascular symptoms in the late COVID period.

Background The aim of this study was to evaluate the success of selective intraarterial radionuclide therapy (SIRT) with Yttrium-90 (Y-90) microspheres in liver metastases of different tumors. We also interpreted the contribution of SIRT to survival times according to responder- non responder and hepatic- extra hepatic disease. Methods The clinical and follow-up data of 124 patients who were referred to our department for SIRT between June 2006 and October 2010 were evaluated retrospectively. SIRT has been applied to 78 patients who were suitable for treatment. All the patients had primary liver tumor or unresectable liver metastasis of different malignancies. The treatment was repeated at least one more time in 5 patients to the same or other lobes. Metabolic treatment response evaluated by fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (F18-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in the 6 th week after treatment. F18-FDG PET/CT was repeated in per six weeks periods. The response criterion had been described as at least 20% decrease of SUV value. Also in patients with neuroendocrine tumor serial Gallium-68 (Ga-68) PET/CT was used for evaluation of response. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to their treatment response. Results 68 patients received treatment for the right lobe, seven patients received treatment for the left lobe and 3 patients for both lobes. The mean treatment dose was estimated at 1.62 GBq. In the evaluation of treatment response; 43(55%) patients were responder (R) and 35 (45%) patients were non-responder (NR) in the sixth week F18-FDG PET/CT. Mean pretreatment SUVmax value of R group was 11.6 and NR group was 10.7. While only 11 (31%) out of 35 NR patients had H disease, 30 (69%) out of 43 R patients had H disease (p < 0.05). The mean overall survival time of R group was calculated as 25.63 ± 1.52 months and NR group's 20.45 ± 2.11 (p = 0.04). The mean overall survival time of H group was computed as 25.66 ± 1.52 months and EH group's 20.76 ± 1.97 (p = 0.09). Conclusions SIRT is a useful treatment method which can contribute to the lengthening of survival times in patients with primary or metastatic unresectable liver malignancies. Also F18-FDG PET/CT is seen to be a successful imaging method in evaluating treatment response for predicting survival times in this patient group.

Aim In this study, it was aimed to explore the prognostic factors in patients who received selective internal radiation therapy for hepatocellular cancer. Materials and methods A retrospective evaluation was made of 28 (24 male, 4 female, mean age 65.4 ± 6.8 years) hepatocellular cancer patients who received selective internal radiation therapy with Y-90 resin microspheres. Using Cox proportional hazards regression analysis, the relationship between age, gender, MELD score, serum albumin and AFP levels, number of liver lesions, size of the largest lesion, absence of 18 F-FDG uptake, maximum standardized uptake value and overall survival times was analyzed. Results Treatment was applied to the right lobe in 22 and both in 6 patients. Mean treatment dose was 1.5 ± 0.2 GBq. Number of liver lesions were 1, <5 and multiple in 16, 5 and 7 patients, respectively, and the mean size of the largest lesion was 41.5 mm (min–max 15–160 mm). While 18 F-FDG uptake was seen in 24 patients, liver lesions were hypometabolic in 4 patients. Mean SUV max of liver lesions was calculated as 5.3 ± 0.3. During the mean 17.8 (min–max 2–39) months follow-up period, 19 patients died. Median survival time was computed as 18 ± 5 months (95 % CI 8.1–27.8). Age ( p  = 0.04), serum AFP level ( p  = 0.03) and size of the largest lesion ( p  = 0.02) had a significant negative effect on survival according to the Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. Conclusion Age, serum AFP level and the size of the largest liver lesion have a negative significant effect on survival of hepatocellular cancer patients who received selective internal radiation therapy.

Purpose This study aimed to assess the outcome of high-dose In-111 octreotide treatment and efficacy of long-acting Sandostatin LAR in patients with disseminated neuroendocrine tumors. Materials and methods A total of 14 patients (mean age 51.8 ± 13.2 years; 10 female, 4 male) receiving high-dose In-111 octreotide in our centre for the treatment of neuroendocrine tumors were included in the study. Monthly treatment with long-acting somatostatin analogue [Sandostatin long-acting release (Novartis Pharmaceuticals)] was continued in nine cases. Results During a 3-year period, a total of 45 courses of high-dose In-111 octreotide treatment were delivered to 14 patients. In seven patients receiving an average of four treatment courses (6 carcinoid tumors, 1 thymoma, patients: 2, 4, 5, 11–14) stable disease was achieved (50%). In two patients with carcinoid tumors (patients 1 and 3) who received four treatment courses, partial response was observed (14%). Five patients (36%; 4 NET, 1 gastrinoma; patients 6–10) died due to progressive disease following on average two treatment courses. On average, deaths occurred 2 months after the last treatment dose. No complete responses were seen. Partial response was achieved in two of the nine patients receiving Sandostatin LAR, while four had stable disease. Both treatments were associated with acceptable tolerability. Conclusions High-dose In-111 octreotide can be safely administered in conjunction with somatostatin analogue in patients with disseminated NET and this treatment may help to stabilize the disease.

Background The aim of this study was to investigate the role of F-18 fluoro-deoxy-glucose (FDG) positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET/CT) in the preoperative and posttherapy restaging of gastric cancer and to compare with spiral computerized tomography (CT). Method A total of 42 PET/CT scans of 36 gastric cancer patients (28M, 8F; mean age: 56,0 ± 15) were included in the study. A retrospective analysis of the PET/CT results of the patients were compared with concurrent CT results. Confirmation was made by clinical course and serial imaging studies in the follow up. The compatibility ratios were calculated and the accuracy of the PET/CT was assessed. Agreement between PET/CT and concurrent CT was calculated using kappa statistics. Results Patients were separated into 3 groups: the patients who were referred to our clinic for preoperative staging (4 patients), for posttherapy evaluation (24 patients) and for the suspicion of local recurrence and/or metastasis exploration after a disease free period (8 patients). Groups 1 and 3 included a small number of patients so they were omitted from the statistical analysis. Focusing on Goup 2, the overall concordance rate was 50% (12 patients). Region based analysis showed the rates of concordance for local recurrence, local lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis were 91% (Kappa: 0.70), 95% (Kappa:0.86) and 50% (Kappa:0.26) respectively. Distant metastases were also investigated in detail and the two techniques showed a concordance of 91% (Kappa: 0.75) for liver, 79%(Kappa:0.31) for distant lymph node, 79% (0.42) for lung, 87%(Kappa:0.33) for bone and 95% for intestinal wall metastasis. Conclusion PET/CT is a complementary imaging method which can be successfully used in both preoperative and posttherapy evaluation of gastric cancer.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most common type of cancer in men. Compared with conventional imaging methods, prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-targeted positron emission tomography has higher accuracy and specificity for the detection and treatment of PCa. Through targeted imaging, ligands are labelled with 18F, 68Ga, or 64Cu, and the disease is staged and managed more accurately. It is also desirable to use PSMA-targeted theranostics that are labelled with either imaging radioisotopes or treatment isotopes such as 177Lu, 225Ac, 131I. Here, we summarized some of the commonly used small molecule PSMA ligands for imaging and theranostic purposes.

Background and Aim Symptoms of patients with autoimmune gastritis are not specific, and some patients may present symptoms suggestive of delayed gastric emptying. This study aims to investigate whether any delay in gastric emptying of solid food exists in patients with autoimmune gastritis and, if so, to identify the factors that might affect delayed gastric emptying. Methods A total of 165 patients (106 women) diagnosed as having autoimmune gastritis were analyzed by means of a gastric emptying test. All patients underwent a standardized scintigraphic gastric emptying study. Patients with delayed gastric emptying and normal gastric emptying tests were then compared by means of factors that might affect gastric emptying. Also 65 patients with functional dyspepsia who had a gastric emptying study constituted the control group. Results The median gastric emptying T ½ time was 127.43 min (min–max 50–953) for patients with AIG and 81 min (min–max 21–121.6) for functional dyspepsia patients ( p  < 0.001), and median percent retention at 2 h was 63.8 versus 20.2 ( p  < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, parameters that affected gastric emptying T ½ time were found as serum gastrin level (OR 1.002, 95 % CI 1.001–1.004, p  < 0.001, chronic inflammation (OR 3.689, 95 % CI 1.44–9.39, p  < 0.001), and increase in the degree of the atrophy of the gastric mucosa (OR 8.96, 95 % CI 2.98–26.93, p  < 0.001). Conclusions In patients with autoimmune gastritis, gastric emptying is generally delayed. Autoimmune gastritis is an important etiology to explain the finding of delayed gastric emptying on a radionuclide test. This new finding is likely to be relevant to clinicians when evaluating and initiating appropriate medical treatment for patients with autoimmune gastritis manifesting upper gastrointestinal symptoms.