Colloidal particle size is an important characteristic that allows mapping sentinel nodes in lymphoscintigraphy. This investigation aimed to introduce different ways of making a 99mTc-tin colloid with a size of tens of nanometers. All agents, tin fluoride, sodium fluoride, poloxamer-188, and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), were mixed and labeled with 99mTc. Either phosphate or sodium bicarbonate buffers were used to adjust the pH levels. When the buffers were added, the size of the colloids increased. However, as the PVP continued to increase, the size of the colloids was controlled to within tens of nanometers. In all samples, phosphate buffer added PVP (30 mg) stabilized tin colloid (99mTc-PPTC-30) and sodium bicarbonate solution added PVP (50 mg) stabilized tin colloid (99mTc-BPTC-50) were chosen for in vitro and in vivo studies. 99mTc-BPTC-50 (<20 nm) was primarily located in bone marrow and was then secreted through the kidneys, and 99mTc-PPTC-30 (>100 nm) mainly accumulated in the liver. When a rabbit was given a toe injection, the node uptake of 99mTc-PPTC-30 decreased over time, while 99mTc-BPTC-50 increased. Therefore, 99mTc-BPTC-50 could be a good candidate radiopharmaceutical for sentinel node detection. The significance of this study is that nano-sized tin colloid can be made very easily and quickly by PVP.
Animals ; Buffers ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes/*radionuclide imaging ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Metal Nanoparticles/chemistry/ultrastructure ; Mice ; Neoplasms, Experimental/*radionuclide imaging ; Particle Size ; Povidone/*chemistry ; Rabbits ; Radiopharmaceuticals/*chemical synthesis ; Reproducibility of Results ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Technetium Compounds/*chemistry ; Tin/*chemistry ; Tin Compounds/*chemistry

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Accurate preoperative detection of regional lymph nodes and evaluation of tumor resectability is critical to determining the most adequate therapy for gastric cancer. The aim of this study is to identify a possible link between 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) uptake on PET scan combined with CT scan (PET/CT) and predictions of lymph node metastasis and non-curative surgery. METHODS: This study included 156 gastric cancer patients who underwent preoperative 18F-FDG PET/CT and surgery. In cases with perceptible FDG uptake in the primary tumor or lymph nodes, the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) was calculated. RESULTS: In multivariate analysis, non-curative surgery (OR, 11.05; 95% CI, 1.10-111.08; p=0.041), tumor size (> or =3 cm) (OR, 7.39; 95% CI, 2.41-22.70; p<0.001), and lymph node metastasis (OR, 5.47; 95% CI, 2.05-14.64; p=0.001) were significant independent predictors for 18F-FDG uptake in the primary tumors. Tumor size (tumor size > or =3 cm) (OR, 3.15; 95% CI, 1.16-8.58; p=0.025) and lymph node metastasis (OR, 3.36; 95% CI, 1.23-9.14; p=0.018) showed significant association with 18F-FDG uptake in lymph node. When the SUVmax of the primary gastric tumor was greater than 3.75, the sensitivity and specificity of PET/CT with regard to the diagnosis of metastatic lymph node were 73.5% and 74.5%. When the SUVmax of the primary gastric tumor was greater than 4.35 and the FDG uptake of lymph nodes was positive, non-curative surgery was predicted with a sensitivity of 58.8% and specificity of 91.6%. CONCLUSIONS: A high FDG uptake of the gastric tumor was related to histologic positive lymph nodes and non-curative surgery.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Area Under Curve ; Carcinoma/*diagnosis/pathology/surgery ; Female ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes/surgery ; Lymphatic Metastasis/radionuclide imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Odds Ratio ; Peritoneal Neoplasms/diagnosis/secondary ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; ROC Curve ; Regression Analysis ; Stomach Neoplasms/*diagnosis/pathology/surgery ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

The 18F 2-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT scan is an imaging modality used in the management of patients with various types of malignancies. 18F-FDG PET/CT has demonstrated significant efficacy in the staging and detection of metastatic disease in malignancies of the gastrointestinal tract. The assessment of the metabolic response to chemotherapy and improvements of overall survivals in malignancies of esophagus and stomach has been demonstrated in several studies. This review focuses on the role of 18F-FDG PET/CT scan in staging, metastasis, predict of recurrence and assessment of metabolic response in malignancies of the upper gastrointestinal tract.
Esophageal Neoplasms/pathology/*radionuclide imaging ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18/diagnostic use ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasm Staging ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Radiopharmaceuticals/diagnostic use ; Recurrence ; Stomach Neoplasms/pathology/*radionuclide imaging

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prognostic value of volume-based metabolic parameters measured with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) in patients with clinically node-negative (cN0) oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC) as compared with other prognostic factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, we included a total of 57 patients who had been diagnosed with cN0 tongue cancer by radiologic, 18F-FDG PET/CT, and physical examinations. The maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), average SUV (SUVavg), metabolic tumor volume (MTV), and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) for primary tumors were measured with 18F-FDG PET. The prognostic significances of these parameters and other clinical variables were assessed by Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. RESULTS: In the univariate analysis, pathological node (pN) stage, American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage, SUVmax, SUVavg, MTV, and TLG were significant predictors for survival. On a multivariate analysis, pN stage (hazard ratio = 10.555, p = 0.049), AJCC stage (hazard ratio = 13.220, p = 0.045), and MTV (hazard ratio = 2.698, p = 0.033) were significant prognostic factors in cN0 OTSCC patients. The patients with MTV > or = 7.78 cm3 showed a worse prognosis than those with MTV < 7.78 cm3 (p = 0.037). CONCLUSION: The MTV of primary tumor as a volumetric parameter of 18F-FDG PET, in addition to pN stage and AJCC stage, is an independent prognostic factor for survival in cN0 OTSCC.
Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/diagnosis/mortality/pathology/*radionuclide imaging ; Female ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18/*diagnostic use ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Positron-Emission Tomography and Computed Tomography ; Prognosis ; Radiopharmaceuticals/*diagnostic use ; Survival Rate ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Tongue Neoplasms/diagnosis/mortality/pathology/*radionuclide imaging ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The usefulness of 18F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (FDG)-PET in detecting primary cancer, lymph node metastasis, and distant metastasis were studied in the gastric cancer patients. METHODS: The subjects were 392 gastric cancer patients who received FDG-PET and an abdominal CT test prior to surgery. The results of FDG-PET and CT were compared with the surgical and pathologic results. RESULTS: The primary site detection rate of FDG-PET was 74.4%, 50.3% in early gastric cancer and 92.0% in advanced gastric cancer. Detection rate was higher when tumors were larger than 3.5 cm, had deeper depth of invasion, and at a later stage (p<0.05, respectively). In multivariate analysis, tumor size, spread of tumor cells beyond the muscle layer (> or =T2), and lymph node metastasis were statistically significant factors in primary site detection rate. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value of FDG-PET to lymph node metastasis were 59.6%, 88.8%, and 81.1% respectively, sensitivity being lower compared to CT while specificity and positive predictive value were higher. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value to distant metastasis were, respectively, 66.7%, 99.2%, and 88.0%, similar to CT. In 21 of the 392 patients (5.4%), synchronous double primary cancers were detected. CONCLUSIONS: In gastric cancer, usefullness of FDG-PET is limited to the advanced stage. Diagnostic value of this test was not superior to CT. However, FDG-PET may be useful in detecting synchronous double primary cancers.
Aged ; Female ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18/chemistry/*diagnostic use ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Predictive Value of Tests ; ROC Curve ; Radiopharmaceuticals/chemistry/*diagnostic use ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms/*diagnosis/radionuclide imaging ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVETo assess the value of (18)F-FDG dual head coincidence imaging in the prediction of the efficacy of radioiodine therapy in patients with cervical lymph node (LN) metastasis of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).

METHODSThirty-six patients undergoing thyroidectomy and radioiodine ablation of the residual normal thyroid tissue received (18)F-FDG dual head coincidence imaging and then therapeutic (131)I-whole body imaging ((131)I-WBI) in the same week. According to those imaging results, the patients were divided into group I with positive results of both imaging examinations and group II with positive results by (131)I-WBI but negative results by(18)F-FDG dual head coincidence imaging. All the patients were followed up for 6 months.

RESULTSIn group I (14 patients), a total of 49 lesions were diagnosed as cervical LN metastases, and the total sensitivity differed significantly between (18)F-FDG dual head coincidence imaging and (131)I- WBI (67.3% vs 89.8%, P=0.027). In both groups, the total sensitivity of (18)F-FDG dual head coincidence imaging and (131)I-WBI showed a significant difference (26.0% vs 94.5%, P<0.001). The target and non-target ratio (T/NT) was identified as one of the factors affecting the radioiodine efficacy (P<0.001). In group II (22 patients), 76 lesions were diagnosed as cervical LN metastases. The effective rates of groups I and II were 35.7% and 81.8%, respectively, showing a significant difference between them (P=0.011).

CONCLUSION(131)I-WBI is more sensitive than (18)F-FDG dual head coincidence imaging in detecting cervical LN metastasis in patients with PTC. Patients with cervical LN metastases who have positive results in both (131)I-WBI and (18)F-FDG dual head coincidence imaging tend to have a poorer response to the therapy than the patients with negative results in (18)F-FDG dual head coincidence imaging. The T/NT of the cervical LN metastases in (18)F-FDG dual head coincidence imaging is associated with the efficacy of radioiodine therapy.

Carcinoma ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; radiotherapy ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; Female ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 ; Humans ; Iodine Radioisotopes ; therapeutic use ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; diagnostic imaging ; Male ; Neck ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Radionuclide Imaging ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; radiotherapy ; Treatment Outcome ; Whole Body Imaging

OBJECTIVETo investigate the reliability and feasibility of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) of papillary thyroid carcinoma using combination of lymphoscintigraphy, the gamma probe and methylene blue staining techniques.

METHODSTwenty-three consecutive patients with thyroid papillary carcinoma were entered in the study between August 2007 and August 2009. All cases were without clinical evidence of cervical lymph node involvement. The (99)Tc(m)-dextran of 74 MBq (2mCi) was injected intratumorally under ultrasound guidance about 2 h to 5 h prior to surgery. Methylene blue was injected around the tumor during surgery. Preoperative lymphoscintigraphy, intra-operative hand-held gamma probe detecting and methylene blue staining techniques were used to detect the sentinel lymph node (SLN). SLN biopsies were sent to prepare frozen sections and the results were compared with specimen of routine selective neck dissection.

RESULTSThe SLNs were identified in all cases with the combination techniques. The SLN identification rates were 87.0% and 100% with methylene blue staining and lymphoscintigraphy plus probe scanning, respectively. Metastases in SLNs were revealed by frozen-section histology in 12 patients. In one case, SLNs frozen-section were negative, but metastasis was detected in routine histology. In other case both SLN and routine histology were negative, but metastasis was detected in non-SLN (level VI) neck dissection. The overall accuracy of the SLN biopsy was 91.3%, positive predictive value 100% and negative predictive value 81.8%.

CONCLUSIONThe results seem the SLN biopsy technique is a feasible and valuable method for detecting cervical lymph node metastasis and is helpful to decide performing neck dissection in patients with cN0 papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; surgery ; Dextrans ; Female ; Humans ; Lymph Node Excision ; Lymph Nodes ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Methylene Blue ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Organotechnetium Compounds ; Radionuclide Imaging ; Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; surgery ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the distribution of metastatic pelvic lymph nodes in the women with early stage cervical carcinoma, and the feasibility of dividing these nodes into three stations in those patients.

METHODS(99m)Tc-DX of 2 ml was injected into the cervix to a depth of 5 to 10 mm at 3, 6, 9, 12 o'clock positions preoperatively in 196 patients with early stage cervical cancer. Pelvic lymphadenectomy and radical hysterectomy were performed in all patients. Pelvic lymph nodes were detected by gamma-probe. The sentinel lymph nodes (SLN) were determined if the radioactivity reached 5 times higher than that in the ipsilateral nodes. All resected pelvic lymph nodes were examined by histopathology with HE stained serial sections.

RESULTSOf the 196 patients, 41 were found to have metastasis in 83 lymph nodes. The metastatic rate was 78.3% (65/83) in the parametrial and obturator lymph nodes, 20.5% (17/83)in the internal and external iliac lymph nodes, 1.2% (1/83) in the commmon iliac lymph nodes. Of the 22 patients with metastatic parametrial lymph nodes, metastatic external iliac lymph nodes were detected in 5 patients, and metastatic internal iliac lymph nodes in 3 patients. Among the 19 patients with metastatic obturator lymph nodes, metastatic external iliac lymph nodes were found in 4 patients, and metastatic internal iliac lymph nodes in 3 cases. It was shown by Chi-sqare test that the metastases in parametrial and/or obturator lymph nodes were positively correlated with lymph node metastases in other pelvic sites. Eighty-one SLN were found to have metastasis. The metastatic rate of parametrial and obturator SLN was 79.0% (64/81) versus 21.0% (17/81) of internal and external iliac SLN. No statistically significant difference in 1- and 3-yr survival was observed between the groups with and without metastasis in parametrial and obturator lymph nodes, while the 5-yr survival rate in the patients without metastatic lymph node was 93.2%, significantly higher than that of patients with lymphatic metastasis (65.1%).

CONCLUSIONIt is feasible for cervical cancer to divide the pelvic lymph nodes into three levels. The level I lymph nodes consist of parametrial and obturator lymph nodes. Internal and external iliac lymph nodes can be considered as level II lymph nodes, and the common iliac and inguinal lymph nodes as level III nodes. A rational treatment plan can be made according to the distribution of metastatic pelvic lymph nodes.

Adenocarcinoma ; pathology ; surgery ; Adult ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; pathology ; surgery ; Dextrans ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; methods ; Lymph Node Excision ; Lymph Nodes ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; surgery ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; pathology ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Organotechnetium Compounds ; Pelvis ; Radionuclide Imaging ; Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy ; Survival Rate ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to compare the prognoses of patients with pathologically true negative (P-TN) N2 and PET/CT false negative (FN) results in stage T1 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our institutional review board approved this retrospective study with a waiver of informed consent. The study included 184 patients (124 men and 60 women; mean age, 59 years) with stage T1 NSCLC who underwent an integrated PET/CT and surgery. After estimating the efficacy of PET/CT for detecting N2 disease, we determined and compared disease-free survival (DFS) rates in three groups (P-TN [n = 161], PET/CT FN [n = 12], and PET/CT true positive [TP, n = 11]) using the Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank test. RESULTS: Pathologic N2 disease was observed in 23 (12%) patients. PET/CT had an N2 disease detection sensitivity of 48% (11 of 23 patients), a specificity of 95% (153 of 161), and an accuracy of 89% (164 of 184). The 3-year DFS rate in the PET/CT FN group (31%, 95% confidence interval [CI]; 13.6-48.0%) was similar to that of the TP group (16%, 95% CI; 1.7-29.5%) (p = 0.649), but both groups had significantly shorter DFS rates than the P-TN group (77%, 95% CI; 72.0-81.2%) (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The PET/CT shows a high specificity, but low sensitivity for detecting N2 disease in stage T1 NSCLC. Patients with PET/CT FN N2 disease have survival rates similar to PET/CT TP N2 disease patients, which are both substantially shorter than the survival rate of P-TN patients.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/mortality/*radiography/*radionuclide imaging ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18/diagnostic use ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms/mortality/*radiography/*radionuclide imaging ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Mediastinum ; Middle Aged ; *Positron-Emission Tomography ; Prognosis ; Radiopharmaceuticals/diagnostic use ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Survival Rate ; *Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVETo investigate an optimal examination method to detect micrometastases in sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) of breast cancer.

METHODSFirstly, the SLNs of breast cancer were found by 99mTc-DX isotope method. Secondly, all the SLNs which were negative by routine HE examination were serially sectioned at a 100 microm interval and stained by both HE and immunohistochemistry for detecting micrometastases. All tumor tissue paraffin blocks were also sectioned and stained with HE and immunohistochemistry as control.

RESULTSTotally, 121 SLNs and 44 tumors of 59 patients were examined. Micrometastasis was found to be positive in 17 SLNs (14.0%) of 14 patients (23.7%). When examined number of sections was increased from one to three, more positive micrometastatic SLNs were detected by HE staining only (3, 7, 10 for 1, 2, 3 sections, respectively). When HE staining was combined with immunohistochemical staining for AE1/3 or CK19 or muc1, much more positive micrometastatic SLNs were found (14, 12, 16 for 1, 2, 3 sections, respectively). The more sections were examined, the more micrometastases in SLNs were found. Furthermore, micrometastasis was also found to be positively correlated with the tumor size and the expression of c-erbB2, MMP-2, VEGF. The larger the tumor size was or the stronger expression of the above mentioned biomarkers, the more micrometastases in SLNs could be found.

CONCLUSIONSerially sections at a 100 microm interval and staining with both HE and immunohistochemical technique using muc1 antibody may be the best way to detect micrometastases in sentinel lymph nodes in breast cancer patients.

Adult ; Aged ; Breast Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; metabolism ; pathology ; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast ; diagnostic imaging ; metabolism ; pathology ; Dextrans ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lymph Nodes ; diagnostic imaging ; metabolism ; pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Organotechnetium Compounds ; Radionuclide Imaging ; Receptor, ErbB-2 ; metabolism ; Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy ; methods ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; metabolism