Brain tumours: treatment challenges and how to support patients who receive a diagnosis

A 3-year follow-up and re-evaluation of all scans on all patients referred for brain scanning in Iceland during 1 year was performed in order to assess the diagnostic reliability of radioisotope scanning for brain tumours. The study included 471 patients. Of these 25 had primary brain tumours and 7 brain metastases. Scans were positive and correctly interpreted in68 % of the patients with primary brain tumours and in 3 of the 7 patients with metastases. The over-all accuracy of brain scanning for brain tumours defined as the total number of correct positive scans and correct negative scans versus total number of scans examined was 96%, this figure being mainly influenced by the high number of true negative scans.

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Clinical value of amino acid imaging in paediatric brain tumours

Nuklearmedizin ◽

10.1055/s-0038-1625755 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 44 (04) ◽

pp. 131-136 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

K. Lang ◽

S. Kloska ◽

R. Straeter ◽

C. H. Rickert ◽

G. Goder ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Amino Acid ◽

Brain Tumours ◽

Photon Emission ◽

Diagnostic Tools ◽

Emission Computed Tomography ◽

Gadolinium Enhancement ◽

Tumour Grading ◽

Enhanced Mri ◽

Contrast Enhanced ◽

Paediatric Brain Tumours

Summary Purpose: To evaluate single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) using the amino acid l-3-[123I]-α-methyl tyrosine (IMT) and contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as diagnostic tools in primary paediatric brain tumours in respect of non-invasive tumour grading. Patients, materials, methods: 45 children with primary brain tumours were retrospectively evaluated. IMT uptake was quantified as tumour/nontumour- ratio, a 4-value-scale was used to measure gadolinium enhancement on contrast enhanced MRI. Statistical analyses were performed to evaluate IMT uptake and gadolinium enhancement in low (WHO I/II) and high (WHO III/ IV) grade tumours and to disclose a potential relationship of IMT uptake to disruption of blood brain barrier as measured in corresponding MRI scans. Results: IMT uptake above background level was observed in 35 of 45 patients. IMT uptake was slightly higher in high grade tumours but the difference failed to attain statistical significance. Grading of individual tumours was neither possible by IMT SPECT nor by gadolinium enhanced MRI. Conclusion: IMT is accumulated in most brain tumours in children. Tumour grading was not possible using IMT or contrast enhancement as determined by MRI. Neither morphological nor functional imaging can replace histology in paediatric brain tumours.

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Radiation oncology and functional imaging

Nuklearmedizin ◽

10.1055/s-0038-1625213 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 44 (S 01) ◽

pp. S38-S40

Author(s):

Th. Herrmann

Keyword(s):

Functional Imaging ◽

Radiation Oncology ◽

Bronchogenic Carcinoma ◽

Brain Tumours ◽

Tumour Volume ◽

Target Volume ◽

Head And Neck Tumours ◽

Pet Ct ◽

Surrounding Healthy Tissue ◽

Prostate Carcinomas

Summary:PET/CT imaging is most likely to be of use in radiation oncology with patients who have poorly defined target volume areas, e.g. brain tumours, bronchogenic carcinoma, and cases of miscellaneous geographical miss. Other tumours that call for dose escalated radiotherapy, such as head and neck tumours, bronchogenic carcinoma, and prostate carcinomas may further benefit from an accurate delineation of the metabolically active tumour volume and its differentiation from surrounding healthy tissue, or tumour atelectasis.

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