Choroid Plexus as the Best Reference Region for Standardized Uptake Value Analysis on C11-Acetate PET/CT for Grading and Predicting Prognosis in Patients with Cerebral Gliomas

Multislice cardiac CT characterizes late stage macrocalcification in epicardial arteries as opposed to PET/CT, which mirrors early phase arterial wall changes in epicardial and transmural coronary arteries. With regard to tracer, there has been a shift from using mainly 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG), indicating inflammation, to applying predominantly 18F-sodium fluoride (NaF) due to its high affinity for arterial wall microcalcification and more consistent association with cardiovascular risk factors. To make NaF-PET/CT an indispensable adjunct to clinical assessment of cardiac atherosclerosis, the Alavi–Carlsen Calcification Score (ACCS) has been proposed. It constitutes a global assessment of cardiac atherosclerosis burden in the individual patient, supported by an artificial intelligence (AI)-based approach for fast observer-independent segmentation. Common measures for characterizing epicardial coronary atherosclerosis by NaF-PET/CT as the maximum standardized uptake value (SUV) or target-to-background ratio are more versatile, error prone, and less reproducible than the ACCS, which equals the average cardiac SUV. The AI-based approach ensures a quick and easy delineation of the entire heart in 3D to obtain the ACCS expressing ongoing global cardiac atherosclerosis, even before it gives rise to CT-detectable coronary calcification. The quantification of global cardiac atherosclerotic burden by the ACCS is suited for management triage and monitoring of disease progression with and without intervention.

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The role of FDG PET/CT or PET/MRI in assessing response to neoadjuvant therapy for patients with borderline or resectable pancreatic cancer: a systematic literature review

Annals of Nuclear Medicine ◽

10.1007/s12149-021-01629-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Laura Evangelista ◽

Pietro Zucchetta ◽

Lucia Moletta ◽

Simone Serafini ◽

Gianluca Cassarino ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Neoadjuvant Therapy ◽

Fdg Pet ◽

Standardized Uptake Value ◽

Response To Therapy ◽

Ductal Adenocarcinoma ◽

Resectable Pancreatic Cancer ◽

Number Of Patients ◽

Pet Ct ◽

Fdg Pet Ct

AbstractThe aim of the present systematic review is to examine the role of fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) associated with computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in assessing response to preoperative chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for patients with borderline and resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Three researchers ran a database query in PubMed, Web of Science and EMBASE. The total number of patients considered was 488. The most often used parameters of response to therapy were the reductions in the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) or the peak standardized uptake lean mass (SULpeak). Patients whose SUVs were higher at the baseline (before CRT) were associated with a better response to therapy and a better overall survival. SUVs remaining high after neoadjuvant therapy correlated with a poor prognosis. Available data indicate that FDG PET/CT or PET/MRI can be useful for predicting and assessing response to CRT in patients with resectable or borderline PDAC.

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Role of 18F-PET-CT to predict pathological response after neoadjuvant treatment of rectal cancer

Discover Oncology ◽

10.1007/s12672-021-00405-w ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Riccardo Caruso ◽

Emilio Vicente ◽

Yolanda Quijano ◽

Hipolito Duran ◽

Isabel Fabra ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rectal Cancer ◽

Fdg Pet ◽

Locally Advanced ◽

Neoadjuvant Treatment ◽

Standardized Uptake Value ◽

Tumour Regression Grade ◽

Pet Ct ◽

Significant Difference ◽

18F Fdg ◽

Fdg Pet Ct

Abstract Objectives Neoadjuvant chemoradiation (nCRT) is universally considered to be a valid treatment to achieve downstaging, to improve local disease control and to obtain better resectability in locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). The aim of this study is to correlate the change in the tumour 18F-FDG PET-CT standardized uptake value (SUV) before and after nCRT, in order to obtain an early prediction of the pathologic response (pR) achieved in patients with LARC. Data description We performed a retrospective analysis of patients with LARC diagnosis who underwent curative resection. All patients underwent a baseline 18F-FDG PET-CT scan within the week prior to the initiation of the treatment (PET-CT SUV1) and a second scan (PET-CT SUV2) within 6 weeks of the completion of nCRT. We evaluated the prognostic value of 18F-FDG PET-CT in terms of disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with LARC.A total of 133 patients with LARC were included in the study. Patients were divided in two groups according to the TRG (tumour regression grade): 107 (80%) as the responders group (TRG0-TRG1) and 26 (25%) as the no-responders group (TRG2-TRG3). We obtained a significant difference in Δ%SUV between the two different groups; responders versus no-responders (p < 0.012). The results of this analysis show that 18F-FDG PET-CT may be an indicator to evaluate the pR to nCRT in patients with LARC. The decrease in 18F-FDG PET-CT uptake in the primary tumour may offer important information in order for an early identification of those patients more likely to obtain a pCR to nCRT and to predict those who are unlikely to significantly regress.

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High Basal Maximal Standardized Uptake Value (SUVmax) in Follicular Lymphoma Identifies Patients with a Low Risk of Long-Term Relapse

Cancers ◽

10.3390/cancers13122876 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (12) ◽

pp. 2876

Author(s):

Giovanni Manfredi Assanto ◽

Giulia Ciotti ◽

Mattia Brescini ◽

Maria Lucia De Luca ◽

Giorgia Annechini ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Follicular Lymphoma ◽

Standardized Uptake Value ◽

Metabolic Tumor Volume ◽

Late Relapse ◽

Prognostic Role ◽

Pet Ct ◽

Group A ◽

Group B

Background: Despite that the unfavorable prognostic role of a high Total Metabolic Tumor Volume (TMTV) in Follicular Lymphoma has been demonstrated, the role of SUVmax alone at baseline PET/CT could have a different prognostic role. Patients and Methods: We performed a retrospective observational monocentric cohort study. All patients affected by FL who underwent a basal PET/CT were included. Two subgroups were identified and compared in terms of PFS and OS: (A) Basal SUVmax ≤ 6; and (B) Basal SUVmax > 6. Results: Ninety-four patients were included, 34 in group A (36.2%) and 60 in group B (63.8%). The PFS at two years was comparable in the two groups (97%). The five-year PFS was 73.5% for group A and 95% for group B (p 0.005). The five-year PFS in the whole cohort was 87.5%. A clear advantage was confirmed in group A in the absence of other risk factors. Patients with SUVmax ≤ 6 and no risk factors showed a 5-year PFS of 73% against 83% for patients with SUVmax > 6 and at least two risk factors. Conclusion: A high FDG uptake favorably correlated with PFS. A low basal SUVmax reflected a higher rate of late relapse requiring a prolonged follow-up. The basal SUVmax is an approachable parameter with prognostic implications.

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Splenic uptake on FDG PET/CT correlates with Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease severity

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-90350-z ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Hye Seong ◽

Yong Hyu Jeong ◽

Woon Ji Lee ◽

Jun Hyoung Kim ◽

Jung Ho Kim ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Disease Severity ◽

Fdg Pet ◽

Tertiary Care ◽

Clinical Manifestations ◽

Standardized Uptake Value ◽

Total Lesion Glycolysis ◽

Positron Emission ◽

Pet Ct ◽

Systemic Symptoms ◽

Fdg Pet Ct

AbstractKikuchi-Fujimoto disease (KFD) is usually self-limiting, but prolonged systemic symptoms often result in frequent hospital visits, long admission durations, or missed workdays. We investigated the role of fluorine-18 fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in assessing KFD severity. We reviewed the records of 31 adult patients with pathologically confirmed KFD who underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT between November 2007 and April 2018 at a tertiary-care referral hospital. Disease severity was assessed using criteria based on clinical manifestations of advanced KFD. Systemic activated lymph nodes and severity of splenic activation were determined using semi-quantitative and volumetric PET/CT parameters. The median of the mean splenic standardized uptake value (SUVmean) was higher in patients with severe KFD than those with mild KFD (2.38 ± 1.18 vs. 1.79 ± 0.99, p = 0.058). Patients with severe KFD had more systemically activated volume and glycolytic activity than those with mild KFD (total lesion glycolysis: 473.5 ± 504.4 vs. 201.6 ± 363.5, p = 0.024). Multivariate logistic regression showed that myalgia (odds ratio [OR] 0.035; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.001–0.792; p = 0.035), total lymph node SUVmax (cutoff 9.27; OR 24.734; 95% CI 1.323–462.407; p = 0.032), and spleen SUVmean (cutoff 1.79; OR 37.770; 95% CI 1.769–806.583; p = 0.020) were significantly associated with severe KFD. 18F-FDG PET/CT could be useful in assessing KFD severity.

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Interim 4′-[methyl-11C]-thiothymidine PET for predicting the chemoradiotherapeutic response in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: comparison with [18F]FDG PET

EJNMMI Research ◽

10.1186/s13550-021-00749-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Katsuya Mitamura ◽

Takashi Norikane ◽

Yuka Yamamoto ◽

Kengo Fujimoto ◽

Yasukage Takami ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Squamous Cell Carcinoma ◽

Cell Carcinoma ◽

Head And Neck ◽

Squamous Cell ◽

Fdg Pet ◽

Tumor Volume ◽

Standardized Uptake Value ◽

Complete Response ◽

Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma ◽

Pet Ct

Abstract Purpose We investigated the potential of interim 4′-[methyl-11C]thiothymidine ([11C]4DST) PET for predicting the chemoradiotherapeutic response for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), in comparison with 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose ([18F]FDG) PET. Methods A total of 32 patients with HNSCC who underwent both [11C]4DST and [18F]FDG PET/CT before therapy (baseline) and at approximately 40 Gy point during chemoradiotherapy (interim) were available for a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data. The baseline was treatment-naïve PET/CT scan as part of staging. The maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), metabolic tumor volume (MTV) from [18F]FDG PET or proliferative tumor volume (PTV) from [11C]4DST PET, and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) from [18F]FDG PET or total lesion proliferation (TLP) from [11C]4DST PET were measured. MTV or PTV was defined as the volume with an SUVmax greater than 2.5. The differences in SUVmax (ΔSUVmax), MTV (ΔMTV) or PTV (ΔPTV) and TLG (ΔTLG) or TLP (ΔTLP) from baseline to interim PET scans were calculated. Patients without or with evidence of residual or recurrent disease at 3 months after completion of chemoradiotherapy were classified as showing a complete response (CR) and non-CR, respectively. Results All patients showed increased uptake in primary tumor on baseline [11C]4DST and [18F]FDG PET studies. All patients showed increased uptake on interim [18F]FDG PET, whereas 18 patients showed no increased uptake on interim [11C]4DST PET. After chemoradiotherapy, 25 patients were found to be in CR group and 7 to be in non-CR group. [11C]4DST ΔSUVmax, ΔPTV, and ΔTLP for CR group showed significantly greater reductions than the corresponding values for non-CR group (P = 0.044, < 0.001, < 0.001, respectively). However, there were no significant differences in [18F]FDG ΔSUVmax, ΔMTV, or ΔTLG between CR group and non-CR group. [11C]4DST ΔMTV of -90 was the best cutoff value for the early identification of patients with non-CR. Conclusion These preliminary results suggest that interim [11C]4DST PET might be useful for predicting the chemoradiotherapeutic response in patients with HNSCC, in comparison with [18F]FDG PET.

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18F-FDG-PET/CT in radiation therapy-induced parotid gland inflammation

European Journal of Hybrid Imaging ◽

10.1186/s41824-020-00091-x ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Alaa Mouminah ◽

Austin J. Borja ◽

Emily C. Hancin ◽

Yu Cheng Chang ◽

Thomas J. Werner ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Parotid Gland ◽

Fdg Pet ◽

Standardized Uptake Value ◽

Post Treatment ◽

Parotid Glands ◽

Positron Emission ◽

Pet Ct ◽

Average Maximum ◽

Pre Treatment ◽

Fdg Pet Ct

Abstract Background 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) is used in the clinical management of oncologic and inflammatory pathologies. It may have utility in detecting radiotherapy (RT)-induced damage of oral tissues. Thus, the aim of the present study was to use FDG-PET/CT to evaluate parotid gland inflammation following RT in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC). Methods This retrospective study included patients with HNC treated with photon, proton, or combined photon/proton RT, in addition to chemotherapy. All patients received FDG-PET/CT imaging pre-treatment and 3 months post-treatment. The average mean standardized uptake value (Avg SUVmean) and the average maximum standardized uptake value (Avg SUVmax) of the left and right parotid glands were determined by global assessment of FDG activity using OsiriX MD software. A two-tailed paired t test was used to compare Avg SUVmean and Avg SUVmax pre- and post-RT. Results Forty-seven HNC patients were included in the study. Parotid gland Avg SUVmean was significantly higher at 3 months post-treatment than pre-treatment (p < 0.05) in patients treated with photon RT, but no significant differences were found between pre- and post-treatment Avg SUVmean in patients treated with proton RT or combined photon/proton RT. Conclusion Our results suggest that photon RT may cause radiation-induced inflammation of the parotid gland, and that proton RT, which distributes less off-target radiation, is a safer treatment alternative.

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Quantitative, Dynamic 18F-FDG PET/CT in Monitoring of Smoldering Myeloma: A Case Report

Diagnostics ◽

10.3390/diagnostics11040649 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. 649

Author(s):

Christos Sachpekidis ◽

Matthias Türk ◽

Antonia Dimitrakopoulou-Strauss

Keyword(s):

Bone Marrow ◽

Plasma Cells ◽

Autologous Transplantation ◽

Standardized Uptake Value ◽

Focal Lesions ◽

Fdg Uptake ◽

Pet Ct ◽

18F Fdg ◽

Smoldering Myeloma

We report on a 52-year-old patient with an initial diagnosis of smoldering myeloma (SMM), who was monitored by means of dynamic and static positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) with the radiotracer 1⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG). Baseline PET/CT revealed no pathological signs. Six months later, a transition to symptomatic, multiple myeloma (MM) was diagnosed. The transition was not accompanied by focal, hypermetabolic lesions on PET/CT. However, a diffusely increased 18F-FDG uptake in the bone marrow, accompanied by a marked increase of semi-quantitative (standardized uptake value, SUV) and quantitative, pharmacokinetic 18F-FDG parameters, was demonstrated. After successful treatment, including tandem autologous transplantation, the diffuse uptake in the bone marrow as well as the semi-quantitative and quantitative parameters showed a marked remission. This response was also confirmed by the clinical follow-up of the patient. These findings suggest that in MM a diffuse 18F-FDG uptake in the bone marrow may indeed reflect an actual bone marrow infiltration by plasma cells. Moreover, SUV values and kinetic parameters, not only from myeloma lesions but also from random bone marrow samples, may be used for MM monitoring. This could be particularly helpful in the follow-up of myeloma patients negative for 18F-FDG-avid focal lesions.

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68Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT Follow Up after Single or Hypofractionated Gamma Knife ICON Radiosurgery for Meningioma Patients

Brain Sciences ◽

10.3390/brainsci11030375 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 375

Author(s):

Fabio Barone ◽

Francesco Inserra ◽

Gianluca Scalia ◽

Massimo Ippolito ◽

Sebastiano Cosentino ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gamma Knife ◽

Case Series ◽

Biological Response ◽

Standardized Uptake Value ◽

Emission Tomography ◽

Tumor Diameter ◽

Relative Percentage ◽

Positron Emission ◽

Pet Ct

68Ga-DOTATOC represents a useful tool in tumor contouring for radiosurgery planning. We present a case series of patients affected by meningiomas on who we performed 68Ga-DOTATOC positron emission tomography (PET)/CT pre-operatively, a subgroup of which also underwent a post-operative 68Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT to evaluate the standardized uptake value (SUV) modification after Gamma Knife ICON treatment in single or hypofractionated fractions. Twenty patients were enrolled/included in this study: ten females and ten males. The median age was 52 years (range 33–80). The median tumor diameter was 3.68 cm (range 0.12–22.26 cm), and the median pre-radiotherapy maximum SUV value was 11 (range 2.3–92). The average of the relative percentage changes between SUVs at baseline and follow up was −6%, ranging from −41% to 56%. The SUV was reduced in seven out of 12 patients (58%), stable in two out of 12 (17%), and increased in three out of 12 (25%), suggesting a biological response of the tumor to the Gamma Knife treatment in most of the cases. 68Ga-DOTATOC-PET represents a valuable tool in assessing the meningioma diagnosis for primary radiosurgery; it is also promising for follow-up assessment.

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