18F-fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Research Articles

Primary Ewing sarcoma of the kidney mimicking cystic papillary renal cell carcinoma in an older patient: A case report

BACKGROUND Ewing’s sarcoma (ES) is a neuroectodermal tumor that typically occurs in the bones and soft tissues of children and young adults. Primary renal ES is rare; only a few cases and a small case series have been documented, and only four cases involved primary renal ES in older people (> 65 years old). CASE SUMMARY Herein, we describe the radiological and pathological features of primary renal ES in an older person. A 76-year-old man complained of poor oral intake and was found to have a large cystic renal mass with indistinct margins on computed tomography. Ultrasound-guided biopsy revealed that the tumor contained small round blue cells. The patient underwent a right radical nephrectomy. The tumor cells showed diffuse membranous CD99, and nuclear friend leukemia integration 1 transcription factor and NK2 Homeobox 2. Fluorescence in situ hybridization revealed EWSR1 translocation. Postoperatively, 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography revealed no evidence of metastasis. The patient was diagnosed with primary renal ES. Six months following the surgery, local recurrence and distant metastasis were observed. Primary renal ES is rare and often lethal in older individuals. The specific imaging findings are unknown, and treatment protocols have not been standardized. CONCLUSION This case report describes the radiological and pathological features of primary renal ES in an older person.

New predictors of microvascular invasion for small hepatocellular carcinoma ≤ 3cm.

Microvascular invasion (MVI) is a risk factor for postoperative recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), even in early-stage HCC. In small HCC ≤ 3cm, treatment options include anatomical resection or non-anatomical resection, and MVI has a major effect on treatment decisions. We aimed to identify the predictors of MVI in small HCC ≤ 3cm. We retrospectively studied 129 patients with very early or early-stage HCC ≤ 3cm who had undergone 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography and subsequent hepatic resection from January 2016 to August 2023. These patients were divided into the derivation cohort (n = 86) and validation cohort (n = 43). We examined the risk factors for MVI using logistic regression analysis, and established a predictive scoring system in the derivation cohort. We evaluated the accuracy of our scoring system in the validation cohort. In the derivation cohort, a Lens culinaris agglutinin-reactive fraction of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP-L3), prothrombin induced by vitamin K deficiency or antagonist-II (PIVKA-II), and metabolic tumor volume (MTV) were independent predictors of MVI. We established the scoring system using these three factors. In the validation test, there were no MVI-positive cases with a score of 0 and 1, and all cases were MVI-positive with a score of 4. Moreover, with a score ≥ 2, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of our scoring system were 100%, 71.4%, and 81.4%, respectively. Our scoring system can accurately predict MVI in small HCC ≤ 3cm, and could contribute to establishing an appropriate treatment strategy.

Cortico-limbic interactions and carotid atherosclerotic burden during chronic stress exposure.

Chronic stress associates with cardiovascular disease, but mechanisms remain incompletely defined. Advanced imaging was used to identify stress-related neural imaging phenotypes associated with atherosclerosis. Twenty-seven individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), 45 trauma-exposed controls without PTSD, and 22 healthy controls underwent 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (18F-FDG PET/MRI). Atherosclerotic inflammation and burden were assessed using 18F-FDG PET (as maximal target-to-background ratio, TBR max) and MRI, respectively. Inflammation was assessed using high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and leucopoietic imaging (18F-FDG PET uptake in spleen and bone marrow). Stress-associated neural network activity (SNA) was assessed on 18F-FDG PET as amygdala relative to ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) activity. MRI diffusion tensor imaging assessed the axonal integrity (AI) of the uncinate fasciculus (major white matter tract connecting vmPFC and amygdala). Median age was 37 years old and 54% of participants were female. There were no significant differences in atherosclerotic inflammation between participants with PTSD and controls; adjusted mean difference in TBR max (95% confidence interval) of the aorta 0.020 (-0.098, 0.138), and of the carotids 0.014 (-0.091, 0.119). Participants with PTSD had higher hsCRP, spleen activity, and aorta atherosclerotic burden (normalized wall index). Participants with PTSD also had higher SNA and lower AI. Across the cohort, carotid atherosclerotic burden (standard deviation of wall thickness) associated positively with SNA and negatively with AI independent of Framingham risk score. In this study of limited size, participants with PTSD did not have higher atherosclerotic inflammation than controls. Notably, impaired cortico-limbic interactions (higher amygdala relative to vmPFC activity or disruption of their intercommunication) associated with carotid atherosclerotic burden. Larger studies are needed to refine these findings.

Optimization of immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment planning for relapsed or refractory extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma.

Pembrolizumab (anti-programmed cell death-ligand 1 inhibitor) is a promising salvage therapeutic option for relapsed/refractory extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma (R/R ENKTL). However, the appropriate duration of pembrolizumab use in R/R ENKTL patients and the optimal timing for administering pembrolizumab remain undetermined. We collected and analyzed clinical information on R/R ENKTL 58 patients who received pembrolizumab to evaluate the optimal treatment durations and clinical information for considering treatment interruption. Treatment outcomes were assessed by 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG PET/CT) and Epstein Barr virus DNA (EBV DNA) every 3months. Nineteen (32.8%) patients had been treated with more than three chemotherapies before pembrolizumab administration. The best response rate towards the first try of pembrolizumab was 38.9% (31.5% complete response rate (CR), 7.4% partial response (PR)). During the 41.8-month median follow-up duration, the median progression-free survival (PFS) was 3.1months, and the median overall survival (OS) was 7.1months. The failure group, which was characterized by Deaville score (DS) 3-4 and circulating EBV detection, or DS 5 with/without EBV detection, had the worst PFS (p < 0.001) and OS (p < 0.001), followed by the high (DS 1-2 and EBV detection, or DS 3-4 and EBV not detected) and low-risk groups (DS 1-2 and EBV not detected). Among the 21 patients who achieved the best response at the first pembolizumab try, the patients who received planned 24 cycles presented better PFS than those who received incomplete cycles (57.6 months vs 20.9 months, P-value = 0.012). Among 13 patients who received avelumab or pembrolizumab in advance, a few who responded to the second trial of pembrolizumab administration had over one year of chemotherapy vacation. Determining the discontinuation or continuation of pembrolizumab would be considered in selected cases assessed by PET-CT and EBV monitoring. Disruption of pembrolizumab treatment may be advisable for the low-risk group(DS 1-2 and EBV not detected), whereas continuation could be warranted for the high-risk group (DS 1-2 and EBV detection, or DS 3-4 and EBV not detected). Moreover, it might be critical to maintain over 24 cycles to improve the survival outcome of R/R ENKTL.

A New Perspective on the Effectiveness of FDG PET/CT in Predicting KRAS Mutation in Colon Cancer Cases.

Aim: The main aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18FDG) positron emission tomography/computerized tomography (PET/CT) parameters in predicting the Kristen rat sarcoma viral oncogene(KRAS) mutation status of patients with colon cancer. Materials and Methods: Between April 2013 and December 2020, 79 patients who were diagnosed with colon cancer by colonoscopy underwent staging 18FDG PET/CT with this diagnosis and met all the inclusion criteria were included in this study. Clinical and prognostic features and also imaging (18FDG PET/CT and magnetic resonance imaging) reports of the patients were collected and analyzed retrospectively. Results: KRAS mutation was seen in 32 of patients (40.5%). No significant difference was observed between KRAS mutant and wild-type patients in terms of clinical features (tumor location, findings regarding metastasis, T stage, and tumor differentiation grade in patients who underwent surgery) and overall survival. Progression-free survival was significantly shorter in KRAS mutant patients (p = 0.018). Primary tumor standardized uptake value (SUVmean) was significantly higher in KRAS mutant cases in the whole group (p = 0.024) and in patients in whom KRAS analysis was performed only in the primary lesion (p = 0.036). The cutoff value for predicting KRAS mutation status was 7.01 g/mL (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.650, confidence interval [CI] 95%, 0.56-0.74). Conclusions: When colon and rectal cancer cases were evaluated separately, the primary tumor SUVmean value was significantly higher in KRAS mutant colon cancer cases. However, its effectiveness in predicting KRAS mutation status was low, similar to other parameters in the literature.

Evaluation of copanlisib in combination with eribulin in triple negative breast cancer patient-derived xenograft models.

The phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway regulates essential cellular functions and promotes chemotherapy resistance. Activation of PI3K pathway signaling is commonly observed in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). However previous studies that combined PI3K pathway inhibitors with taxane regimens have yielded inconsistent results. We therefore set out to examine whether the combination of copanlisib, a clinical grade pan-PI3K inhibitor, and eribulin, an antimitotic chemotherapy approved for taxane-resistant metastatic breast cancer, improves the anti-tumor effect in TNBC. A panel of 8 TNBC patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models were tested for tumor growth response to copanlisib and eribulin, alone or in combination. Treatment induced signaling changes were examined by reverse phase protein array, immunohistochemistry, and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG PET). Compared to each drug alone, the combination of eribulin and copanlisib led to enhanced tumor growth inhibition, which was observed in both eribulin-sensitive and -resistant TNBC PDX models, regardless of PI3K pathway alterations or PTEN status. Copanlisib reduced PI3K signaling and enhanced eribulin induced mitotic arrest. The combination enhanced induction of apoptosis compared to each drug alone. Interestingly, eribulin upregulated PI3K pathway signaling in PDX tumors, as demonstrated by increased tracer uptake by 18F-FDG PET scan of PDX tumor and AKT phosphorylation by immunohistochemistry. These changes were inhibited by the addition of copanlisib. These data support further clinical development for the combination of copanlisib and eribulin. These data led to a phase I/II trial of copanlisib and eribulin in patients with metastatic TNBC.

Diagnostic value of 18F-FDG PET/CT versus diffusion-weighted MRI in detection of residual or recurrent tumors after definitive (chemo) radiotherapy for laryngeal and hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma: A prospective study.

Despite advances in treatment, residual or recurrent tumors after definitive (chemo) radiotherapy for laryngeal and hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) remain a challenge in clinical management and require accurate and timely detection for optimal salvage therapy. This study aimed to compare the diagnostic value of Fluorine 18 (18F) fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) in detecting residual or recurrent tumors after definitive (chemo) radiotherapy for laryngeal and hypopharyngeal SCC. A prospective study was conducted on 30 patients who presented with new symptoms after definitive (chemo) radiotherapy for laryngeal (n = 21) and hypopharyngeal (n = 9) carcinoma. Both 18F-FDG PET/CT and DW-MRI were performed and histopathologic analysis served as the standard of reference. Histopathology showed 20 patients as positive and 10 as negative for tumors. 18F-FDG PET/CT detected all tumors correctly but was falsely positive in one case. DW-MRI detected tumors in 18 out of 20 positive patients and correctly excluded tumors in all negative patients. The sensitivity and specificity of 18F-FDG PET/CT were 100% and 90%, respectively, while the values for DW-MRI were 90% and 100%, respectively. The study concludes that 18F-FDG PET/CT is slightly superior to DW-MRI in detecting residual or recurrent tumors after definitive (chemo) radiotherapy for laryngeal and hypopharyngeal SCC. The combined use of 18F-FDG PET/CT and DW-MRI can potentially improve specificity in therapy response evaluation.

Mycotic pulmonary artery pseudoaneurysm following total arch replacement: a case report

BackgroundAlthough the true prevalence and incidence are not clearly known, mycotic pulmonary artery aneurysm is a potentially devastating condition that leads to high mortality, over 60% if untreated. Among them, mycotic pulmonary artery pseudoaneurysm, which occurs in relatively central areas, has rarely been reported. We report an extremely rare case of a late complication with a mycotic pulmonary artery pseudoaneurysm, presumably due to infective endocarditis, in a 68-year-old woman 4 months after total arch replacement.Case presentationA 68-year-old woman was referred to our department for 2 weeks with fever of unknown origin. She had a history of emergency total arch replacement for an acute type A aortic dissection 4 months earlier and chronic rheumatoid arthritis on monthly subcutaneous tocilizumab treatment for several years. Blood culture was positive for Enterococcus faecalis. Transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography revealed a left ventricular ejection fraction of 58%, severe mitral regurgitation with a 15-mm diameter vegetation on the anterior mitral leaflet, and severe aortic insufficiency with string-like structures. Contrast computed tomography showed a focal saccular outpouching from the right pulmonary artery. On 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography, focal uptake of FDGs was observed along the same lesion of the pulmonary artery and ascending-arch graft. The patient eventually recovered after the surgical intervention of mitral and aortic valve replacement, re-total arch replacement, pulmonary artery repair, application of omental flap, and antibiotics without any evidence of re-infection after 1 year.ConclusionsWe report a successful surgical repair of mycotic pulmonary artery pseudoaneurysm 4 months after total arch replacement for acute type A aortic dissection. This report describes an effective treatment for an extremely rare postoperative condition.

Abstract PS05-01: Accuracy and safety of fibroblast activation protein inhibitor (FAPI) PET/CT in diagnosis of axillary lymph node metastasis in early breast cancer patients: a prospective cohort study (PFB-01&amp;02 study)

Abstract Background Axillary lymph node (ALN) is the most common metastatic site of breast cancer (BC) and the status of ALN determines the staging, treatment and prognosis for BC patients. Traditional imaging techniques, including ultrasound (US), mammography, MRI, and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) were still unsatisfactory to evaluate the status of ALN non-invasively. Fibroblast activation protein (FAP) is highly expressed in cancer-associated fibroblasts and FAP inhibitor (FAPI) PET has been found quite promising in BC. Well-designed prospective large cohort study concerning the diagnostic performance and safety profile of FAPI PET/CT in detection of ALN metastasis of BC is still lacking. Furthermore, FAPI could be radio-labeled with different radio-nuclides including 68Ga and 18F, and there is yet no data concerning the 18F-labeled FAPI in BC. In this study, we investigated the accuracy of FAPI (both 68Ga-FAPI-04 and Al18F-FAPI-04) PET/CT in newly diagnosed BC patients for assessing ALN metastasis. We also compared the diagnostic performance of FAPI PET/CT with that of 18F-FDG PET/CT and US. Methods This prospective study was approved by the Peking Union Medical College Hospital Ethics Committee and was registered online at NIH ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05574907, NCT05574920). The inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) age 18-80 years old; (2) newly diagnosed BC confirmed by biopsy or with BI-RADS category 4C or 5 lesions by US. The exclusion criteria were as follows: (1) pregnancy or lactation; (2) patients unwilling to undergo PET/CT scans. All patients received biopsy or surgery on breast lesion and ALN. Patients received FAPI and 18F-FDG PET/CT after enrollment. The safety profile of FAPI PET was monitored after injection using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events. Two experienced nuclear medicine physicians, who were blinded to the pathological diagnosis and other imaging results, assessed the PET/CT images. It was defined as visually positive if the radioactive uptake of the ALN was higher than that of the adjacent normal tissue. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated for each diagnostic test. The McNemar test was applied to compare the differences of sensitivity and specificity between FAPI PET/CT, 18F-FDG PET/CT, and US. All statistical tests were performed two-sided, and P&amp;lt; 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results In total, 113 patients (27-79 years old, median age 66) were enrolled. 53 patients underwent 68Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT, and the other 60 patients underwent Al18F-FAPI-04 PET/CT. All patients underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT and US. A total of 53/113 (46.9%) patients were finally diagnosed with ALN metastasis. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, PPV, and NPV were 90.6%, 90.0%, 90.3%, 88.9%, and 91.5% for FAPI PET/CT, 84.9%, 73.3%, 78.8%, 73.8%, and 84.6% for 18F-FDG PET/CT, 83.0%, 76.7%, 79.6%, 75.9%, and 83.6% for US, respectively (Table 1). The specificity of FAPI PET/CT was significantly higher than that of 18F-FDG PET/CT (P &amp;lt; 0.05) and US (P &amp;lt; 0.05). The sensitivity of FAPI PET/CT was higher than that of 18F-FDG PET/CT (P= 0.45) and US (P= 0.29). There was no significant difference of sensitivity and specificity between 18F-FDG PET/CT and US (P &amp;gt; 0.05). The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, PPV, and NPV were 92.0%, 92.9%, 92.5%, 92.0%, and 92.9% for 68Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT, and 89.3%, 87.5%, 88.3%, 86.2%, and 90.3% for Al18F-FAPI-04 PET/CT, respectively (Table 2). The 68Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT and Al18F-FAPI-04 PET/CT procedures were well tolerated in all patients. The only adverse event was injection pain in 12/53 (22.6%) patients injected with 68Ga-FAPI-04, and 7/69 (10.1%) patients injected with Al18F-FAPI-04, which might relate to the ethanol in the imaging agent. Conclusion The FAPI PET/CT outperformed 18F-FDG PET/CT and US in the diagnosis of ALN metastasis among early breast cancer patients. The 68Ga-FAPI-04 and Al18F-FAPI-04 PET/CT have similar diagnostic performance. The FAPI PET/CT procedures were well tolerated in all patients. Table 1 Diagnostic performance of FAPI PET/CT, 18F-FDG PET/CT, and ultrasound in the diagnosis of ALN metastasis Table 2 Diagnostic performance of 68Ga-FAPI-04 and Al18F-FAPI-04 PET/CT in diagnosis of ALN metastasis Citation Format: Bo Pan, Zhixin Hao, Chao Ren, Lifan Zhang, Yidong Zhou, Qiang Sun, Li Huo. Accuracy and safety of fibroblast activation protein inhibitor (FAPI) PET/CT in diagnosis of axillary lymph node metastasis in early breast cancer patients: a prospective cohort study (PFB-01&amp;02 study) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PS05-01.

Abstract PO1-01-03: Pathological response according to early metabolic remission in an interim FDG-PET scan and to tumor infiltrating lymphocytes - A secondary analysis of the phase II trial ABCSG 52/ATHENE investigating atezolizumab in early HER2+ BC

Abstract Background: ABCSG-52/ATHENE investigated a neoadjuvant chemotherapy de-escalation/immunotherapy escalation approach with trastuzumab, pertuzumab, atezolizumab and epirubicin for early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer. The pathological complete response rate (pCR; ypT0/Tis, ypN0) - the primary endpoint of the trial - was 60.3% (95% CI 47.5% - 71.9%), and was higher than the predefined threshold for positivity (≥ 40%). Interestingly, higher pCR rates were observed in PD-L1 immune cell (IC) negative tumors (pCR 69.2%) as compared to PD-L1 IC positive tumors (pCR 55.2%). No new safety concerns were observed. Primary outcome data were reported at the ESMO Breast Cancer Conference 2023. Here, we present the correlation of pathological outcome according to early metabolic response in an interim fluorodeoxyglucose F18 positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) scan, and according to stromal tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) at baseline. Methods: Patients (pts) with previously untreated, histologically confirmed HER2-positive early breast cancer (EBC; clinical prognostic stage cT1c-4a-d, N0–3, M0) were randomized 1:1 to two 3-weekly cycles of a chemotherapy-free induction phase (Part 1) with trastuzumab and pertuzumab (TP) plus 1200 mg atezolizumab (TP+A), or TP alone. Subsequently, all pts received 4 cycles of TP+A in combination with epirubicin 90 mg/m² (Part 2). Randomization was stratified according to baseline TILs (&amp;lt; 5% vs ≥ 5%), hormone receptor status (positive vs. negative), and prognostic stage (≤ IIA vs. ≥ IIB; AJCC v.8.0). An FDG-PET assessment was performed at baseline and after 2 cycles of study treatment. According to PERCIST, early metabolic responses were classified as metabolic complete response (mCR) and metabolic partial response (mPR) and association with outcome was tested with Fisher’s exact test. TIL assessment in pretreatment biopsy specimen were performed according to the recommendations from the International TILs Working Group. Lymphocytic predominant phenotype was defined as a TIL proportion of ≥ 50%. Correlation of TILs and pCR was modeled with logistic regression. Results: Overall, 58 pts were randomized to TP-A (n=29) or TP (n=29) at 9 sites. In 45 patients, a protocol predefined PERCIST assessment was available. An early mCR was achieved in 14 pts (n=14/45, 31.1%): 5 pts (n=5/21, 23.8%) in the TP group and 9 pts (n=9/24, 37.5%) in the TP-A group. Pts with and without an early mCR achieved a pCR in 92.9% (n=13/14) and 54.8% (n=17/31) of cases (p=0.016), respectively. An early mCR/mPR was achieved in 37 pts (n=37/45, 82.2%). Pts with and without an early mCR/mPR achieved a Residual Cancer Burden (RCB) class 0 or I in 89.2% (n=33/37) and 50.0% (n=4/8) of cases (p=0.024), respectively. The mean stromal TIL proportion was 23.9% in the overall population, with 22.8% in TP group and 25.0% in TP-A group. A lymphocytic predominant phenotype was seen in 10.3% of pts treated in the TP group, and 17.2% of pts treated in the TP-A group. No association between TIL proportion at baseline and pCR could be detected (OR for a 10%-point increase = 1.02, 95% CI 0.78-1.34). A moderate positive correlation between numeric values of TILs and PD-L1 ICs was observed (spearman r=0.57, P&amp;lt; 0.0001). Exploratory correlation analyses of PD-L1 status, TIL proportion and metabolic responses in interim FDG-PET scans will be presented at the meeting. Conclusions: In ABCSG-52, chemotherapy de-escalation with intensified immunotherapy was effective and safe. Early metabolic response assessment was feasible and predicted pathologic response; therefore, incorporation of interim FDG-PET results into de-escalation trials merits further investigation. In contrast to regimens without immune-checkpoint inhibitors, TIL proportion at baseline did not correlate with pathological outcome. Funding: Provision of IMP and financial support by Roche Austria GmbH Citation Format: Gabriel Rinnerthaler, Daniel Egle, Rupert Bartsch, Clemens Schmitt, Andreas Petzer, Marija Balic, Edgar Petru, Ursula Denison, Christian F. Singer, Vesna Bjelic-Radisic, Simon Gampenrieder, Michael Knauer, Karl Sotlar, Christine Brunner, Florian Posch, Dominik Hlauschek, Lidija Sölkner, Zsuzsanna Bago-Horvath, Martin Filipits, Manuela Gili, Michael Gnant, Richard Greil. Pathological response according to early metabolic remission in an interim FDG-PET scan and to tumor infiltrating lymphocytes - A secondary analysis of the phase II trial ABCSG 52/ATHENE investigating atezolizumab in early HER2+ BC [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO1-01-03.

Measurement of Cerebral Glucose Metabolism in the Visual Cortex Predicts the Prognosis of Hemianopia

Background and Objective Homonymous hemianopia caused by cerebrovascular disease may improve over time. This study investigated whether functional neuroimaging can predict the prognosis of hemianopia due to cerebral infarction. Methods We studied 19 patients (10 men and 9 women) with homonymous hemianopia and compared them with 34 healthy subjects (20 men and 14 women). Cerebral glucose metabolism was measured by 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET), 1 to 6 months after the onset. Bilateral regions of interest (ROIs) were selected from the posterior and, anterior striate cortices, extrastriate cortex, and thalamus. Furthermore, semi-quantitative data on cerebral glucose metabolism were obtained for ROIs and compared with the data obtained for homologous regions in the contralateral hemisphere by calculating the ipsilateral/contralateral (I/C) ratio. Results The I/C ratio for the cerebral glucose metabolism in the posterior striate cortex was high (>0.750) in 8 patients, and the central visual field of these patients improved or showed macular sparing. The I/C ratio for cerebral glucose metabolism in the anterior striate cortex was high (>0.830) in 7 patients, and the peripheral visual field of these patients improved. However, no improvement was observed in 9 patients with a low I/C ratio for cerebral glucose metabolism in both the posterior and anterior striate cortices. Conclusion Measurement of cerebral glucose metabolism in the striate cortex is useful for estimating visual field prognosis. Furthermore, FDG-PET is useful in predicting the prognosis of hemianopia.

Incidentally found parotid gland lesion in 18F-FDG PET/CT for staging evaluation of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: remote possibility of metastatic tumor or second primary salivary gland malignancy

ObjectivesWe primarily aimed to evaluate whether parotid incidental lesion (PIL) in 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) for staging evaluation of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) would represent a possibility of extrahepatic metastasis or second primary malignancy (SPM). Additionally, we explored the incidence of PIL in HCC patients and examined any associated risk factors.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed patients with HCC who underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT at our institution from 2010 to 2022. The pathological findings of PILs in HCC patients were investigated for confirmatory identification of the risk of HCC metastasis or SPM in parotid gland. Healthy controls received 18F-FDG PET/CT for health screening were also enrolled to compare the incidence of PILs with HCC patients. Various parameters associated with patient demographics and characteristics of HCC were analyzed to find the related factors of PILs.ResultsA total of 17,674 patients with HCC and 2,090 healthy individuals who had undergone 18F-FDG PET/CT scans were enrolled in the analyses. Among the 54 HCC patients who underwent pathological confirmation for PILs, benign primary parotid tumor was most commonly observed (n = 43 [79.6%]); however, no malignant lesions were detected, including HCC metastasis. The incidence of PILs was higher in patients diagnosed with HCC compared with the control group (485 [2.7%] vs. 23 [1.1%], p = 0.002). Analysis for the risk factors for PILs revealed that patient age, sex, and positive viral markers were significantly associated with the incidence of PILs in patients with HCC (all p < 0.001).ConclusionsOur study demonstrates that PILs are more frequently identified in patients with HCC on 18F-FDG PET/CT. However, no malignant PIL, including extrahepatic metastasis of HCC, was identified. Therefore, the presence of PIL should not impede or delay the treatment process for patients with HCC. Additionally, we suggested that for future swift and straightforward differential diagnoses of PIL, the development of additional protocols within the PET/CT imaging could be beneficial.

Psoriasis. Definition and Classification of A Complex Entity

Psoriasis, a chronic inflammatory skin condition influenced by hereditary factors and immune system response, exhibits diverse clinical manifestations. While its global incidence is around 2%, prevalence varies across geographical regions and ethnicities. The most common form, psoriasis vulgaris, presents as red, itchy patches with silver-colored scales, predominantly affecting the trunk, limbs, and scalp. Other clinical subtypes include inverse psoriasis, guttate psoriasis, pustular psoriasis, and erythrodermic psoriasis, each with distinct features and impacts. Beyond skin manifestations, psoriasis is associated with various co-occurring medical conditions, including hyperlipidemia, hypertension, coronary artery disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. Psoriasis patients have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, with severity correlating with the incidence of diabetes and cardiovascular events. Additionally, psoriatic arthritis affects around 40% of patients and is often accompanied by nail involvement. Recent studies utilizing imaging techniques like 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy have shed light on systemic inflammation and cardiovascular risk in psoriasis patients. Treatments targeting IL-23 and IL-17 have shown promising results, though long-term efficacy and drug survival remain areas of concern. Psoriasis profoundly impacts patients' quality of life, with psychological distress comparable to cancer and depression. However, treatment can significantly alleviate symptoms and improve overall well-being. Ongoing research aims to expand treatment options, particularly targeting novel molecular pathways. In conclusion, while significant progress has been made in understanding and treating psoriasis, challenges remain in optimizing therapy selection and long-term management. Further research is warranted to elucidate the complex genetic and immunological underpinnings of the disease and to enhance treatment outcomes for affected individuals

Association of the multi-biomarker disease activity score with arterial 18-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and atherosclerosis share many common inflammatory pathways. We studied whether a multi-biomarker panel for RA disease activity (MBDA) would associate with changes in arterial inflammation in an interventional trial. In the TARGET Trial, RA patients with active disease despite methotrexate were randomly assigned to the addition of either a TNF inhibitor or sulfasalazine+hydroxychloroquine (triple therapy). Baseline and 24-week follow-up 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography scans were assessed for change in arterial inflammation measured as the maximal arterial target-to-blood background ratio of FDG uptake in the most diseased segment of the carotid arteries or aorta (MDS-TBRmax). The MBDA test, measured at baseline and weeks 6, 18, and 24, was assessed for its association with the change in MDS-TBRmax. Interpretable scans were available at baseline and week 24 for n = 112 patients. The MBDA score at week 24 was significantly correlated with the change in MDR-TBRmax (Spearman's rho = 0.239; p= 0.011) and remained significantly associated after adjustment for relevant confounders. Those with low MBDA at week 24 had a statistically significant adjusted reduction in arterial inflammation of 0.35 units vs no significant reduction in those who did not achieve low MBDA. Neither DAS28-CRP nor CRP predicted change in arterial inflammation. The MBDA component with the strongest association with change in arterial inflammation was serum amyloid A (SAA). Among treated RA patients, achieved MBDA predicts of changes in arterial inflammation. Achieving low MBDA at 24 weeks was associated with clinically meaningful reductions in arterial inflammation, regardless of treatment.

Distinguishing Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease from lymphoma in patients by clinical and PET/CT features.

To develop a scheme for distinguishing Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease (KFD) from lymphoma in patients presenting enlarged lymph nodes (LNs) predominantly on the upper side of the diaphragm. From November 2015 to August 2023, 32 KFD patients and 38 lymphoma patients were pathologically confirmed and enrolled in this retrospectively study. Clinical and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) features were collected. When comparing those PET/CT parameters, we set 5 models with different research objects: (1) all affected LNs; (2) the 5 largest affected LNs in terms of maximum diameter; (3) the 5 largest affected LNs in terms of maximum standard uptake values (SUVmax); (4) the largest affected LNs in terms of maximum diameter; (5) the largest affected LNs in terms of SUVmax. Compared to lymphoma patients, KFD patients were younger; and with higher incidence of fever, arthralgia, abnormal serum white blood cell, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and splenomegaly; lower incidence of affected LNs perinodal infiltration, necrosis and conglomeration; more affected LNs in Head and Neck nodes (particularly in level II) and Axillary in KFD (P ˂ .05). PET/CT parameters presented as various difference in each model. Finally, 11 clinical and PET/CT features (age ≤ 34, with fever, arthralgia, abnormal white blood cell, abnormal LDH, and without node necrosis and node conglomeration have a score of 2 each; splenomegaly, perinodal infiltration, median maximum diameter ≤ 20.5 and median SUVmax ≤ 7.1 of affected LNs in model 2 have score of 1 each) were selected as scheme items for distinguishing KFD from lymphoma. Individuals who have a total score > 8, meet the criteria for KFD. Sensitivity and specificity were high: 86.8% (95% CI: 71.9%, 95.5%) and 96.9% (95% CI: 83.7%, 99.5%), AUC = 0.975 (95% CI: 90.5%, 99.6%), respectively. It can effectively distinguish KFD from lymphoma by clinical and PET/CT parameters.

Diagnostic Performance of 18F-FDG Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography and Blood Test Parameters for Pulmonary Inflammatory Pseudotumor.

Pulmonary inflammatory pseudotumor (PIP) is an inflammatory proliferative tumor-like lesion that frequently exhibits hypermetabolism on 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography imaging (PET/CT) and is readily misdiagnosed as a malignant tumor. The purpose of this study was to identify PIP by combining PET/computed tomography metabolic and blood test characteristics with machine learning. We recruited 27 patients with PIP and 28 patients with lung cancer (LC). The PET metabolic and blood test parameters were collected, and the differences between the groups were evaluated. In addition, we combined the support vector machine (SVM) classifier with the indicators that differed between the groups to classify PIP and LC. For PET metabolic parameters, our findings showed that, as compared with the LC group, maximal standardized uptake value (P< 0.001, t = -4.780), Mean standardized uptake value SUVmean, P< 0.001, t = -4.946), and SD40% (P< 0.001, t = -4.893) were considerably reduced in the PIP group, whereas CV40% (P= 0.004, t = 3.012) was significantly greater. For blood test parameters, the total white blood cell count (P< 0.001, t= 6.457) and absolute neutrophil count (P< 0.001, t= 6.992) were substantially higher in the PIP group than in the LC group. Furthermore, the performance of SVM trained solely on PET metabolic parameters (mean area under the curve [AUC] = 0.84) was comparable to that of SVM trained solely on blood test parameters (mean AUC = 0.86). Surprisingly, utilizing the combined parameters increased SVM performance significantly (mean AUC = 0.98). PET metabolic and blood test parameters differed significantly between the PIP and LC groups, and the SVM paradigm using these significantly different features has the potential to be used to classify PIP and LC, which has important clinical implications.

The Utility of [18]F-Fluorocholine Positron Emission Computed Tomography and [18]F-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography–Computed Tomography in Evaluating Breast Cancer Phenotypes: A Pilot Study

The Utility of [18]F-Fluorocholine Positron Emission Computed Tomography and [18]F-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography–Computed Tomography in Evaluating Breast Cancer Phenotypes: A Pilot Study

Diagnostic value of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography imaging in pediatric opsoclonus myoclonus ataxia syndrome presenting with neuroblastoma.

Early precision diagnosis and effective treatment of opsoclonus myoclonus ataxia syndrome (OMAS) patients presenting with neuroblastoma can prevent serious neurological outcomes. To assess the diagnostic value of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) imaging in pediatric OMAS with neuroblastoma. A retrospective evaluation of 45 patients diagnosed with OMAS who underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT was performed. A univariate analysis was performed to compare clinical characteristics between OMAS with and without neuroblastoma. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were applied to identify independent risk factors for OMAS with neuroblastoma and to develop the clinical model. Finally, independent risk factors and PET/CT were fitted to build the combined model for the diagnosis of OMAS with neuroblastoma and presented as a nomogram. Receiver operating characteristic curve, decision curve, and calibration curveanalyses were conducted to evaluate the performance of the models. Among 45 patients, 27 were PET/CT-positive, 23/27 lesions were neuroblastoma, and four were false positives. One of the false positive patients was confirmed to be adrenal reactive hyperplasia by postoperative pathology, and the symptoms of OMAS disappeared in the remaining three cases during clinical follow-up. The average maximal standardized uptake value of PET/CT-positive lesions was 2.6. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of PET/CT were 100%, 81.8%, 85.2%, 100%, and 91.1%, respectively. Age at diagnosis, lactate dehydrogenase, and neuron-specific enolase showed statistically significant differences between OMAS with and without neuroblastoma. Lactate dehydrogenase was identified as the independent risk factor to develop the clinical model, and the clinical model demonstrated an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.82 for the diagnosis of OMAS with neuroblastoma, with an AUC as high as 0.91 when combined with PET/CT. The decision curve analysis and calibration curve demonstrated that the nomogram had good consistency and clinical usefulness. In patients with OMAS, 18F-FDG PET/CT has a high diagnostic accuracy in detecting tumors of the neuroblastoma, especially when combined with the independent risk factor serum lactate dehydrogenase.

Enhancing NSCLC recurrence prediction with PET/CT habitat imaging, ctDNA, and integrative radiogenomics-blood insights

While we recognize the prognostic importance of clinicopathological measures and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), the independent contribution of quantitative image markers to prognosis in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains underexplored. In our multi-institutional study of 394 NSCLC patients, we utilize pre-treatment computed tomography (CT) and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) to establish a habitat imaging framework for assessing regional heterogeneity within individual tumors. This framework identifies three PET/CT subtypes, which maintain prognostic value after adjusting for clinicopathologic risk factors including tumor volume. Additionally, these subtypes complement ctDNA in predicting disease recurrence. Radiogenomics analysis unveil the molecular underpinnings of these imaging subtypes, highlighting downregulation in interferon alpha and gamma pathways in the high-risk subtype. In summary, our study demonstrates that these habitat imaging subtypes effectively stratify NSCLC patients based on their risk levels for disease recurrence after initial curative surgery or radiotherapy, providing valuable insights for personalized treatment approaches.

Diagnosis of bone marrow involvement in angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma should be based on both [18F]FDG-PET/CT and bone marrow biopsy findings

Objective During the initial staging of certain lymphoma subtypes, 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography ([18F]FDG-PET/CT) has become an alternative to bone marrow biopsy (BMB) for detecting bone marrow (BM) involvement. However, whether [18F]FDG-PET/CT can accurately detect BM involvement in angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) remains unknown. Our study aimed to assess the diagnostic and prognostic capability of [18F]FDG-PET/CT for detecting BM involvement in AITL. Methods: This retrospective study included 84 individuals newly diagnosed with AITL who underwent baseline BMB and [18F]FDG-PET/CT. “BM involvement” was defined as one or both of the following: 1) angioimmunoblastic T-cells detected in the BM; or 2) initially heightened focal uptake having disappeared on follow-up [18F]FDG-PET/CT. The ability of [18F]FDG-PET/CT to detect BM cancerous lesions was respectively analyzed by BM involvement confirmed by BMB or the aforementioned definition as the reference standard. The patients’ clinical characteristics and survival and prognostic outcomes were respectively analyzed. Results Of the 84 participants, five (6.0%) displayed positive BMB and PET/BM results, 17 (20.2%) had BMB-positive but PET/BM-negative results, eight (9.5%) showed BMB-negative but PET/BM-positive outcomes, and 54 (64.3%) displayed negative BMB and PET/BM outcomes. Using pre-defined BM involvement as the reference standard, [18F]FDG-PET/CT exhibited a specificity of 100%, sensitivity of 40%, negative predictive value (NPV) of 75%, and positive predictive value (PPV) of 100%. In contrast, using BMB-detected BM involvement as reference, [18F]FDG-PET/CT exhibited a sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of 38.5%, 76.1%, 22.7%, and 87.1%, respectively. Among patients with PET/BM-positive and BMB-negative outcomes, 62.5% (5/8) underwent upstaging from III to IV. In 58.8% (10/17) of patients who were initially diagnosed with stage II/III disease based on the [18F]FDG-PET/CT results, repeat BMB resulted in upstaging to IV. PET/BM-negative patients had a higher 3-year progression-free survival rate (38.3% vs. 22.8%, p = 0.018) and 3-year overall survival rate (64.4% vs. 34.6%, p = 0.011) than PET/BM-positive patients. Conclusion In AITL patients, PET/BM-positive results may obviate the necessity for repeat BMB to ascertain confirm BM involvement. PET/BM-negative results do not definitively exclude BM involvement. The combined use of [18F]FDG-PET/CT and BMB can increase the diagnostic accuracy of BM involvement for AITL patients.