Use of 18F-choline and 11C-choline as contrast agents in positron emission tomography imaging—guided stereotactic biopsy sampling of gliomas

2003 ◽  
Vol 99 (3) ◽  
pp. 474-479 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toshihiko Hara ◽  
Tatsuya Kondo ◽  
Tetsuo Hara ◽  
Noboru Kosaka

Object. Neuroimaging-guided stereotactic biopsy procedures are commonly used for diagnosis of gliomas. A number of the imaging modalities currently in use are not reliable enough in depicting these tumors. The authors developed 18F-choline and 11C-choline as tumor imaging agents for positron emission tomography (PET) scanning, and used them to visualize gliomas prior to stereotactic biopsy procedures. Methods. The PET studies were performed in 12 patients who were thought to be affected by gliomas observed on computerized tomography and magnetic resonance images. The 18F- and 11C-choline were injected separately, and the PET scanning was started 5 and 20 minutes postinjection. The PET scans gave quantitative information about the distribution of 18F- and 11C-choline in the brain. The tumor uptake was constant between 5 and 20 minutes with both agents. Stereotactic biopsy sampling was performed to obtain tissues from the most radioactive areas on the PET scan; histological diagnoses were made using these tissues. The results were as follows: oligodendroglioma was found in two patients, astrocytoma in one, anaplastic astrocytoma in two, and glioblastoma in seven. Conclusions. The uptake of contrast agents was always low in low-grade gliomas, and the uptake in high-grade glioma was always high. The tumor/normal (T/N) ratio of 18F-choline was 10.5:12 in anaplastic astrocytoma and 13.2:21 in glioblastoma. The 18F-choline yielded slightly superior results compared with 11C-choline with regard to the T/N ratio. In one case of oligodendroglioma the tumor showed no uptake of 18F- and 11C-choline. With this exception, the PET scans of gliomas in which 18F- and 11C-choline contrast agents were added would guide the approach to the most malignant areas for stereotactic biopsy sampling.

2002 ◽  
Vol 97 ◽  
pp. 542-550 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc Levivier ◽  
David Wikler ◽  
Nicolas Massager ◽  
Philippe David ◽  
Daniel Devriendt ◽  
...  

Object. The authors review their experience with the clinical development and routine use of positron emission tomography (PET) during stereotactic procedures, including the use of PET-guided gamma knife radiosurgery (GKS). Methods. Techniques have been developed for the routine use of stereotactic PET, and accumulated experience using PET-guided stereotactic procedures over the past 10 years includes more than 150 stereotactic biopsies, 43 neuronavigation procedures, and 34 cases treated with GKS. Positron emission tomography—guided GKS was performed in 24 patients with primary brain tumors (four pilocytic astrocytomas, five low-grade astrocytomas or oligodendrogliomas, seven anaplastic astrocytomas or ependymomas, five glioblastomas, and three neurocytomas), five patients with metastases (single or multiple lesions), and five patients with pituitary adenomas. Conclusions. Data obtained with PET scanning can be integrated with GKS treatment planning, enabling access to metabolic information with high spatial accuracy. Positron emission tomography data can be successfully combined with magnetic resonance imaging data to provide specific information for defining the target volume for the radiosurgical treatment in patients with recurrent brain tumors, such as glioma, metastasis, and pituitary adenoma. This approach is particularly useful for optimizing target selection for infiltrating or ill-defined brain lesions. The use of PET scanning contributed data in 31 cases (93%) and information that was specifically utilized to adapt the target volume in 25 cases (74%). It would seem that the integration of PET data into GKS treatment planning may represent an important step toward further developments in radiosurgery: this approach provides additional information that may open new perspectives for the optimization of the treatment of brain tumors.


2002 ◽  
Vol 96 (2) ◽  
pp. 263-268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arun K. Gupta ◽  
Peter J. Hutchinson ◽  
Tim Fryer ◽  
Pippa G. Al-Rawi ◽  
Dot A. Parry ◽  
...  

Object. The benefits of measuring cerebral oxygenation in patients with brain injury are well accepted; however, jugular bulb oximetry, which is currently the most popular monitoring technique used has several shortcomings. The goal of this study was to validate the use of a new multiparameter sensor that measures brain tissue oxygenation and metabolism (Neurotrend) by comparing it with positron emission tomography (PET) scanning. Methods. A Neurotrend sensor was inserted into the frontal region of the brain in 19 patients admitted to the neurointensive care unit. After a period of stabilization, the patients were transferred to the PET scanner suite where C15O, 15O2, and H215O PET scans were obtained to facilitate calculation of regional cerebral blood volume, O2 metabolism, blood flow, and O2 extraction fraction (OEF). Patients were given hyperventilation therapy to decrease arterial CO2 by approximately 1 kPa (7.5 mm Hg) and the same sequence of PET scans was repeated. For each scanning sequence, end-capillary O2 tension (PvO2) was calculated from the OEF and compared with the reading of brain tissue O2 pressure (PbO2) provided by the sensor. In three patients the sensor was inserted into areas of contusion and these patients were eliminated from the analysis. In the subset of 16 patients in whom the sensor was placed in healthy brain, no correlation was found between the absolute values of PbO2 and PvO2 (r = 0.2, p = 0.29); however a significant correlation was obtained between the change in PbO2 (ΔPbO2) and the change in PvO2 (ΔPvO2) produced by hyperventilation in a 20-mm region of interest around the sensor (ρ = 0.78, p = 0.0035). Conclusions. The lack of correlation between the absolute values of PbO2 and PvO2 indicates that PbO2 cannot be used as a substitute for PvO2. Nevertheless, the positive correlation between ΔPbO2 and ΔPvO2 when the sensor had been inserted into healthy brain suggests that tissue PO2 monitoring may provide a useful tool to assess the effect of therapeutic interventions in brain injury.


1999 ◽  
Vol 90 (3) ◽  
pp. 478-483 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard G. Bittar ◽  
André Olivier ◽  
Abbas F. Sadikot ◽  
Frederick Andermann ◽  
Roch M. Comeau ◽  
...  

Object. To investigate the utility of [15O]H2O positron emission tomography (PET) activation studies in the presurgical mapping of primary somatosensory cortex, the authors compared the magnitude and location of activation foci obtained using PET scanning with the results of intraoperative cortical stimulation (ICS).Methods. The authors used PET scanning and vibrotactile stimulation (of the face, hand, or foot) to localize the primary somatosensory cortex before surgical resection of mass lesions or epileptogenic foci affecting the central area in 20 patients. With the aid of image-guided surgical systems, the locations of significant activation foci on PET scanning were compared with those of positive ICS performed at craniotomy after the patient had received a local anesthetic agent. In addition, the relationship between the magnitude and statistical significance of blood flow changes and the presence of positive ICS was examined.In 22 (95.6%) of 23 statistically significant (p < 0.05) PET activation foci, spatially concordant sites on ICS were also observed. Intraoperative cortical stimulation was positive in 40% of the PET activation studies that did not result in statistically significant activation. In the patients showing these results, there was a clearly identifiable t-statistic peak that was spatially concordant with the site of positive ICS in the sensorimotor area. All PET activation foci with a t statistic greater than 4.75 were associated with spatially concordant sites of positive ICS. All PET activation foci with a t statistic less than 3.2 were associated with negative ICS.Conclusions. Positron emission tomography is an accurate method for mapping the primary somatosensory cortex before surgery. The need for ICS, which requires local anesthesia, may be eliminated when PET foci with high (> 4.75) or low (< 3.20) t-statistic peaks are elicited by vibrotactile stimulation.


1999 ◽  
Vol 91 (6) ◽  
pp. 915-921 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard G. Bittar ◽  
André Olivier ◽  
Abbas F. Sadikot ◽  
Frederick Andermann ◽  
G. Bruce Pike ◽  
...  

Object. Accurate identification of eloquent cortex is important to ensure that resective surgery in the region surrounding the central sulcus is performed with minimum risk of permanent neurological deficit. Functional localization has traditionally been accomplished using intraoperative cortical stimulation (ICS). However, this technique suffers from several disadvantages that make the development and validation of noninvasive methods desirable. Functional localization accomplished by activation studies in which positron emission tomography (PET) scanning and the tracer [15O]H2O have been used has been shown to correlate well with the results of ICS. Another noninvasive method for functional localization is functional magnetic resonance (fMR) imaging. We compared the locations of activation peaks obtained in individual patients using fMR and [15O]H2O PET imaging.Methods. Twenty-six combined PET activation—fMR imaging studies were performed in 11 patients who were admitted for evaluation before undergoing surgery in the region surrounding the central sulcus. The PET scans were obtained using bolus injections of the cerebral blood flow tracer [15O]H2O (10 mCi). Multislice T2*-weighted gradient-echo echoplanar images were acquired using a 1.5-tesla MR imaging system. Activation maps were aligned with anatomical MR images and transformed into stereotactic space, after which the locations of activation peaks obtained using both modalities were compared. The average distance between activation peaks obtained using fMR imaging and those obtained using PET imaging was 7.9 ± 4.8 mm (p > 0.05), with 96% of the peaks being located on either the same or adjacent sulci and gyri. Overlapping of voxels activated by each modality occurred in 92% of the studies. Functional MR imaging failed to activate the primary sensorimotor cortex in one study and produced results that were ambiguous in the clinical setting in three cases.Conclusions. Overall, fMR imaging produced activation that correlated well with that obtained using PET scanning. Discrepancies between the sites of activation identified using these two techniques may reflect differences in their physiological bases.


2000 ◽  
Vol 93 (6) ◽  
pp. 951-957 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolas Massager ◽  
Philippe David ◽  
Serge Goldman ◽  
Benoît Pirotte ◽  
David Wikler ◽  
...  

Object. In the management of brainstem lesions, the place of stereotactic biopsy sampling remains debatable. The authors compared the results of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, positron emission tomography (PET) scanning, and histological studies obtained in 30 patients who underwent MR imaging— and PET-guided stereotactic biopsy procedures for a brainstem mass lesion.Methods. Between July 1991 and December 1998, 30 patients harboring brainstem mass lesions underwent a stereotactic procedure in which combined MR imaging and PET scanning guidance were used. Positron emission tomography scanning was performed using [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose in 16 patients, methionine in two patients, and both tracers in 12 patients. Definite diagnosis was established on histological examination of the biopsy samples. Interpretation of MR imaging findings only or PET findings only was in agreement with the histological diagnosis in 63% and 73% of cases, respectively. Magnetic resonance imaging and PET findings were concordant in 19 of the 30 cases; in those cases, imaging data correlated with histological findings in 79%. Treatment based on information derived from MR imaging was concordant with therapy based on histological findings in only 17 patients (57%). Combining MR imaging and PET scanning data, the concordance between the neuroimaging-based treatment and treatments based on histological findings increased to 19 patients (63%). In seven patients who underwent biopsy procedures with one PET-defined and one MR imaging—defined trajectory, at histological examination the PET-guided samples were more representative of the tumor's nature and grade than the MR imaging—guided samples in four cases (57%). In 18 patients PET scanning was used to define a biopsy target and provided a diagnostic yield in 100% of the cases.Conclusions. Although the use of combined PET and MR imaging improves radiological interpretation of a mass lesion in the brainstem, it does not accurately replace histological diagnosis that is provided by a stereotactically obtained biopsy sample. Combining information provided by MR imaging and PET scanning in stereotactic conditions improves the accuracy of targeting and the diagnostic yield of the biopsy sample; an MR imaging— and PET-guided stereotactic biopsy procedure is a safe and efficient modality for the management of mass lesions of the brainstem.


2004 ◽  
Vol 101 (3) ◽  
pp. 476-483 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benoit Pirotte ◽  
Serge Goldman ◽  
Nicolas Massager ◽  
Philippe David ◽  
David Wikler ◽  
...  

Object. The aim of this study was to compare the contribution of the tracers 11C-methionine (Met) and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) in positron emission tomography (PET)—guided stereotactic brain biopsy. Methods. Forty-five patients underwent combined Met-PET and FDG-PET studies associated with computerized tomography (CT)— or magnetic resonance (MR)—guided stereotactic biopsy. Each patient presented with a lesion that was in proximity to the cortical or subcortical gray matter. The Met-PET and FDG-PET scans were analyzed to determine which tracer offers the best information to guide at least one stereotactic biopsy trajectory. Histologically based diagnoses were rendered in all patients (39 tumors, six nontumorous lesions) and biopsies were performed in all tumors with the aid of PET guidance. When tumor FDG uptake was higher than that in the gray matter (18 tumors), FDG was used for target definition. When FDG uptake was absent or equivalent to that in the gray matter (21 tumors), Met was used for target definition. Parallel review of all histological and imaging data showed that all tumors had an area of abnormal Met uptake and 33 had abnormal FDG uptake. All six nontumorous lesions had no Met uptake and biopsies were performed using CT or MR guidance only. All tumor trajectories had an area of abnormal Met uptake; all nondiagnostic trajectories in tumors had no abnormal Met uptake. Conclusions. When FDG shows limitations in target selection, Met is a good alternative because of its high specificity in tumors. Moreover, in the context of a single-tracer procedure and regardless of FDG uptake, Met is a better choice for PET guidance in neurosurgical procedures.


2000 ◽  
Vol 92 (6) ◽  
pp. 1009-1015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seiji Yamamoto ◽  
Weiyu Teng ◽  
Shigeru Nishizawa ◽  
Takeharu Kakiuchi ◽  
Hideo Tsukada

Object. The hydroxyl radical scavenger (±)-N,N′-propylenedinicotinamide (AVS) has been shown to ameliorate the occurrence of vasospasm following experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and to reduce the incidence of delayed ischemic neurological deficits (DINDs) in patients with SAH. The authors investigated whether prophylactic administration of AVS could improve cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cerebral glucose utilization (CGU) following SAH in rats.Methods. Anesthetized rats were subjected to intracisternal injection of blood (SAH group) or saline (control group). Either AVS (1 mg/kg/min) or saline (vehicle group) was continuously injected into the rat femoral vein. Forty-eight hours later, positron emission tomography scanning was used with the tracers 15O-H2O and 18F-2-fluoro-d-glucose to analyze quantitatively CBF and CGU, respectively, in the frontoparietal and occipital regions (12 regions of interest/group).In SAH rats receiving only vehicle, CBF decreased significantly (p < 0.05, Tukey's test) and CGU tended to decrease, compared with values obtained in control (non-SAH) rats receiving vehicle. In rats that were subjected to SAH, administration of AVS significantly (p < 0.05, Tukey's test) improved CBF and CGU in both the frontoparietal and occipital regions compared with administration of vehicle alone.Conclusions. Prophylactic administration of AVS improves CBF and CGU in the rat brain subjected to SAH, and can be a good pharmacological treatment for the prevention of DINDs following SAH.


1999 ◽  
Vol 91 (4) ◽  
pp. 605-609 ◽  
Author(s):  
Petra M. Klinge ◽  
Georg Berding ◽  
Thomas Brinker ◽  
Wolfram H. Knapp ◽  
Madjid Samii

Object. In this study the authors use positron emission tomography (PET) to investigate cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cerebrovascular reserve (CVR) in chronic hydrocephalus.Methods. Ten patients whose mean age was 67 ± 10 years (mean ± standard deviation [SD]) were compared with 10 healthy volunteers who were 25 ± 3 years of age. Global CBF and CVR were determined using 15O—H2O and PET prior to shunt placement and 7 days and 7 months thereafter. The CVR was measured using 1 g acetazolamide. Neurological status was assessed based on a score assigned according to the methods of Stein and Langfitt.Seven months after shunt placement, five patients showed clinical improvement (Group A) and five did not (Group B). The average global CBF before shunt deployment was significantly reduced in comparison with the control group (40 ± 8 compared with 61 ± 7 ml/100 ml/minute; mean ± SD, p < 0.01). In Group A the CBF values were significantly lower than in Group B (36 ± 7 compared with 44 ± 8 ml/100 ml/minute; p < 0.05). The CVR before surgery, however, was not significantly different between groups (Group A = 43 ± 21%, Group B = 37 ± 29%). After shunt placement, there was an increase in the CVR in Group A to 52 ± 37% after 7 days and to 68 ± 47% after 7 months (p < 0.05), whereas in Group B the CVR decreased to 14 ± 18% (p < 0.05) after 7 days and returned to the preoperative level (39 ± 6%) 7 months after shunt placement.Conclusions. The preliminary results indicate that a reduced baseline CBF before surgery does not indicate a poor prognosis. Baseline CBF before shunt placement and preoperative CVR are not predictive of clinical outcome. A decrease in the CVR early after shunt placement, however, is related to poor late clinical outcome, whereas early improvement in the CVR after shunt placement indicates a good prognosis.


2005 ◽  
Vol 102 (5) ◽  
pp. 927-929 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michail Plotkin ◽  
Hubertus Hautzel ◽  
Bernd Joachim Krause ◽  
Stephan Mohr ◽  
Karl Josef Langen ◽  
...  

✓ The authors report on a patient suffering from acute Lyme borreliosis who underwent two consecutive [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose—positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) studies demonstrating the course of the disease. The first FDG-PET study revealed markedly increased glucose metabolism in the brainstem, matching exactly the signal abnormalities exhibited on magnetic resonance images and indicating a brainstem tumor. A second PET scan demonstrated no abnormality in this region, thus reflecting clinical remission following antibiotic therapy. Data in the present case indicate that hypermetabolic findings on FDG-PET studies in the brainstem region should be regarded with caution and that neuroborreliosis must be considered as a possible differential diagnosis.


2000 ◽  
Vol 92 (1) ◽  
pp. 64-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen D. Davis ◽  
Ethan Taub ◽  
Frank Duffner ◽  
Andres M. Lozano ◽  
Ronald R. Tasker ◽  
...  

Object. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the sensory thalamus has been used to treat chronic, intractable pain. The goal of this study was to investigate the thalamocortical pathways activated during thalamic DBS.Methods. The authors compared positron emission tomography (PET) images obtained before, during, and after DBS in five patients with chronic pain. Two of the five patients reported significant DBS-induced pain relief during PET scanning, and the remaining three patients did not report any analgesic effect of DBS during scanning. The most robust effect associated with DBS was activation of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). An anterior ACC activation was sustained throughout the 40 minutes of DBS, whereas a more posteriorly located ACC activation occurred at a delay after onset of DBS, although these activations were not dependent on the degree of pain relief reported during DBS. However, implications specific to the analgesic effect of DBS require further study of a larger, more homogeneous patient population. Additional effects of thalamic DBS were detected in motor-related regions (the globus pallidus, cortical area 4, and the cerebellum) and visual and association cortical areas.Conclusions. The authors demonstrate that the ACC is activated during thalamic DBS in patients with chronic pain.


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