1.Hot Embolus Artifact Mimicking Disease Progression in Post‑therapy177Lu‑DOTATATE Scan: Incremental Value of SPECT/CT
Piyush AGGARWAL ; Anupriya ANWARIYA ; Anwin Joseph KAVANAL ; Ashwani SOOD ; Santosh Ranjan JENA ; Bhagwant Rai MITTAL
Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging 2023;57(3):159-161
Peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) has become an established treatment for patients with inoperable and/or metastatic, well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors with overexpression of somatostatin receptor type 2 (SSTR-2). The post-therapy 177Lu-DOTATATE whole-body scan not only assesses the biodistribution of the lesions seen on pre-therapy68 Ga-SSTR PET/CT scan but also provides a quick assessment of disease status and dosimetry during treatment. Like any other radionuclide scan, the whole-body 177Lu-DOTATATE scan may also show abnormal radiotracer uptake, which may require further imaging to establish its exact etiology. Though radiotracer emboli mimicking focal pulmonary lesions have been described with 18F-FDG and 68 Ga-DOTANOC PET/CT scans, similar artifacts with post-therapy 177Lu-DOTATATE scans have not been described. Herein, we report two cases of hot emboli in the post-therapy 177Lu-DOTATATE scans.
2.Incidental Muscle Uptake of 177 Lu-DOTATATE in Peripheral Vascular Disease
Piyush AGGARWAL ; Kunal Ramesh CHANDEKAR ; Ashwani SOOD ; Shakti ZERIAL ; Rajender KUMAR ; Anindita SINHA
Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging 2021;55(6):320-322
Somatostatin receptor (SSTR)-based imaging and therapy has emerged as well-established modality in neuroendocrine tumors. However, its role in inflammation imaging is still evolving. We present a 48-year-old male with metastatic neuroendocrine tumor who underwent lutetium-177-based somatostatin receptor-based therapy. The post-therapy scan showed a focal tracer uptake in the left calf muscle in addition to the expected tracer uptake at the primary and metastatic sites. Further, cross-sectional imaging and biochemical investigations revealed peripheral vascular disease (PVD). The incidental tracer uptake in the calf on post-therapy scan potentiates the role of somatostatin receptor scintigraphy in identifying macrophagespecific inflammatory reactions.
3.Versatile Role of 18 F-FDG PET/CT in a Patient with Pan-cerebellar Paraneoplastic Manifestation Due to Underlying Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
Piyush AGGARWAL ; Anwin Joseph KAVANAL ; Harmandeep SINGH ; Rajender KUMAR ; Rajeev RANJAN ; Jitupam BAISHYA ; Anish BHATTACHARYA
Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging 2021;55(6):311-314
Hodgkin’s lymphoma most commonly presents as painless lymphadenopathy and systemic B symptoms like fever, night sweats, and weight loss. But rarely, it can present with unusual paraneoplastic manifestations. In the present case, we report a 30-year-old woman who presented with sub-acute onset pan-cerebellar symptoms. The serum neuronal antibody panel was negative. She underwent F-18 FDG PET/CT to evaluate the neoplastic etiology as the underlying cause, which demonstrated both the primary etiology and the paraneoplastic changes in the brain.
4.Incidentally Detected Gallbladder Carcinoma: Can F‑18 FDG PET/CT Aid in Staging and Prognostication?
Venkata Subramanian KRISHNARAJU ; Rajender KUMAR ; Bhagwant Rai MITTAL ; Harjeet SINGH ; Piyush AGGARWAL ; Harmandeep SINGH ; Thakur Deen YADAV ; Ritambhra NADA ; Vikas GUPTA ; Rajesh GUPTA
Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging 2024;58(3):104-112
Purpose:
Incidental gallbladder carcinoma (IGBC) is diagnosed in post-cholecystectomy specimens for benign indications, where the role of 2-fluro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography(FDG-PET/CT) is not clearly defined. The present study aimed to assess the benefits of staging and prognosticating with FDG-PET/CT in IGBC.
Materials and Methods:
A retrospective observational study from a tertiary-care center from January 2010 to July 2020 was performed. The demographic, clinical, histopathological, and treatment-related histories were collected. FDG-PET/CT-image findings were compared with survival outcomes through telephonic follow-up. The chi-square test was used for comparing frequencies. The univariate and multivariate survival estimates were analyzed using the Kaplan–Meier analysis and the Cox-proportional hazard model, respectively. Log-rank test was used to compare the Kaplan–Meier curves.
Results:
The study included 280 postcholecystectomy participants (mean age: 52 ± 11 years; women: 227) of whom 52.1% had open surgery(146/280). Residual disease in the gallbladder fossa (54.8% vs. 36.6%, p = 0.002) and liver infiltration (32.9% vs. 22.4%, p = 0.05) were seen more frequently in open surgery compared to laparoscopic surgery, while anterior abdominal wall deposits were more common in laparoscopy(35.1% vs. 24%,p = 0.041). FDG-PET/CT changed the management in 10% (n = 28) of patients compared to contrast-enhanced CT. The median survival was 14 months (95%CI-10.3–17.7). A higher stage of the disease on the FDG-PET/CT (loco-regional disease-HR 4.86, p = 0.006; metastatic disease-HR 7.53, p < 0.001) and the presence of liver infiltration (HR-1.92, p = 0.003) were independent predictors of poor survival outcomes.
Conclusion
FDG-PET/CT detects residual and metastatic disease in patients with IGBC, enabling the institution of appropriate management and acting as a tool for prognostication of survival.