RXBAR is voluntarily recalling certain varieties of bars because they may contain undeclared peanuts. People who have peanut allergies run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product. (Source: Food and Drug Administration)
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RXBAR is voluntarily recalling certain varieties of bars because they may contain undeclared peanuts. People who have peanut allergies run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product. (Source: Food and Drug Administration)
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(Natural News) In an effort to commemorate its "The Best A Man Can Get" ad campaign from 30 years ago, the Gillette razor company could have hardly picked a more controversial way to do it. In 'refreshing' it's three-decade-old message, the company hired Kim Gehrig to direct its opening ad, which is entitled, "We Believe." ... (Source: NaturalNews.com)
from #Head and Neck by Sfakianakis via simeraentaxei on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2suOWQ3
RXBAR is voluntarily recalling certain varieties of bars because they may contain undeclared peanuts. People who have peanut allergies run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product. (Source: Food and Drug Administration)
MedWorm Message: Have you tried our new medical search engine? More powerful than before. Log on with your social media account. 100% free.
(Natural News) In an effort to commemorate its "The Best A Man Can Get" ad campaign from 30 years ago, the Gillette razor company could have hardly picked a more controversial way to do it. In 'refreshing' it's three-decade-old message, the company hired Kim Gehrig to direct its opening ad, which is entitled, "We Believe." ... (Source: NaturalNews.com)
from #Head and Neck by Sfakianakis via simeraentaxei on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2suOWQ3
RXBAR is voluntarily recalling certain varieties of bars because they may contain undeclared peanuts. People who have peanut allergies run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product. (Source: Food and Drug Administration)
MedWorm Message: Have you tried our new medical search engine? More powerful than before. Log on with your social media account. 100% free.
(Natural News) In an effort to commemorate its "The Best A Man Can Get" ad campaign from 30 years ago, the Gillette razor company could have hardly picked a more controversial way to do it. In 'refreshing' it's three-decade-old message, the company hired Kim Gehrig to direct its opening ad, which is entitled, "We Believe." ... (Source: NaturalNews.com)
from #Head and Neck by Sfakianakis via simeraentaxei on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2suOWQ3
(Natural News) In an effort to commemorate its "The Best A Man Can Get" ad campaign from 30 years ago, the Gillette razor company could have hardly picked a more controversial way to do it. In 'refreshing' it's three-decade-old message, the company hired Kim Gehrig to direct its opening ad, which is entitled, "We Believe." ... (Source: NaturalNews.com)
from #Head and Neck by Sfakianakis via simeraentaxei on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2suOWQ3
Left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF) is an important parameter for assessing cardiac systolic function and predicting prognosis in patients with cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of assessing LVEF by Tl-201 hybrid myocardial single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/CT using two attenuation correction methods in patients with angina pectoris.
A total of 339 patients with angina pectoris (62.8 ± 12.9 years, male:female = 206:133) were analyzed. All patients underwent Tl-201 myocardial SPECT/CT and transthoracic two-dimensional (2D) echocardiograph. We compared LVEF assessed by SPECT/CT using two attenuation correction methods: CT-based attenuation correction (CTAC) and non-attenuation correction (non-AC) methods and 2D echocardiography.
LVEF assessed by either of the two attenuation correction techniques and 2D echocardiography showed moderate correlation in all patients with angina pectoris (r = 0.487 for CTAC and r = 0.473 for non-AC, p < 0.001). Results were similar in the subgroup of patients with perfusion abnormalities on myocardial SPECT/CT images. Overall diagnostic performances were similar for the CTAC and non-AC methods for evaluating normal and decreased LVEF by myocardial SPECT/CT.
LVEF measured by the CTAC method of Tl-201-gated myocardial SPECT/CT was comparable with the conventional non-AC method in patients with angina pectoris and in the subgroup of patients with perfusion abnormality. Tl-201-gated myocardial hybrid SPECT/CT can be a reliable tool in the assessment of LVEF in clinic.
Left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF) is an important parameter for assessing cardiac systolic function and predicting prognosis in patients with cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of assessing LVEF by Tl-201 hybrid myocardial single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/CT using two attenuation correction methods in patients with angina pectoris.
A total of 339 patients with angina pectoris (62.8 ± 12.9 years, male:female = 206:133) were analyzed. All patients underwent Tl-201 myocardial SPECT/CT and transthoracic two-dimensional (2D) echocardiograph. We compared LVEF assessed by SPECT/CT using two attenuation correction methods: CT-based attenuation correction (CTAC) and non-attenuation correction (non-AC) methods and 2D echocardiography.
LVEF assessed by either of the two attenuation correction techniques and 2D echocardiography showed moderate correlation in all patients with angina pectoris (r = 0.487 for CTAC and r = 0.473 for non-AC, p < 0.001). Results were similar in the subgroup of patients with perfusion abnormalities on myocardial SPECT/CT images. Overall diagnostic performances were similar for the CTAC and non-AC methods for evaluating normal and decreased LVEF by myocardial SPECT/CT.
LVEF measured by the CTAC method of Tl-201-gated myocardial SPECT/CT was comparable with the conventional non-AC method in patients with angina pectoris and in the subgroup of patients with perfusion abnormality. Tl-201-gated myocardial hybrid SPECT/CT can be a reliable tool in the assessment of LVEF in clinic.
Edwards Lifesciences is resolving its longstanding dispute with Boston Scientific over transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) patents. However, this time the Irvine, CA-based company is on the other side of the lawsuit coin and is poised to dole out a one-time payment of $180 million to Boston Scientific. Both companies said that no further royalty fees will be owed by any company. In addition, both companies said that all pending cases or appeals in courts and patent offices will be dismissed, and the parties will not litigate patent disputes related to current portfolios of transcatheter aortic valves, certain mitral valve repair devices, and left atrial appendage closure devices. Any injunctions currently in place will be lifted. Shares of Edwards (NYSE: EW) were up 7.3% upon new...
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JenaValve Technology said today that it named former ReVision Optics prez & CEO John Kilcoyne as its new chief executive officer, effective immediately, replacing Dr. Victoria Carr-Brendell, who has taken up an executive leadership position with Sonova Holding AG (SIX:SOON). Prior to his time at ReVision Optics, Kilcoyne served as prez & CEO at Micrus Endovascular where he led the company through an initial public offering in 2005 and an acquisition by Johnson & Johnson in 2010. He has also held positions at Solace Therapeutics and Endonetics, Irvine, Calif.-based JenaValve said. "I am pleased to have the opportunity to lead JenaValve, and I look forward to working with the team to bring new, innovative solutions to the transcatheter valve market. Data from past and on...
from #Head and Neck by Sfakianakis via simeraentaxei on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2swh8Ch
Title: Hearing Aid Upkeep Often Out of Reach for the PoorCategory: Health NewsCreated: 1/8/2019 12:00:00 AMLast Editorial Review: 1/9/2019 12:00:00 AM (Source: MedicineNet Hearing General)
from #Head and Neck by Sfakianakis via simeraentaxei on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2TIYOl4
Edwards Lifesciences is resolving its longstanding dispute with Boston Scientific over transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) patents. However, this time the Irvine, CA-based company is on the other side of the lawsuit coin and is poised to dole out a one-time payment of $180 million to Boston Scientific. Both companies said that no further royalty fees will be owed by any company. In addition, both companies said that all pending cases or appeals in courts and patent offices will be dismissed, and the parties will not litigate patent disputes related to current portfolios of transcatheter aortic valves, certain mitral valve repair devices, and left atrial appendage closure devices. Any injunctions currently in place will be lifted. Shares of Edwards (NYSE: EW) were up 7.3% upon new...
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JenaValve Technology said today that it named former ReVision Optics prez & CEO John Kilcoyne as its new chief executive officer, effective immediately, replacing Dr. Victoria Carr-Brendell, who has taken up an executive leadership position with Sonova Holding AG (SIX:SOON). Prior to his time at ReVision Optics, Kilcoyne served as prez & CEO at Micrus Endovascular where he led the company through an initial public offering in 2005 and an acquisition by Johnson & Johnson in 2010. He has also held positions at Solace Therapeutics and Endonetics, Irvine, Calif.-based JenaValve said. "I am pleased to have the opportunity to lead JenaValve, and I look forward to working with the team to bring new, innovative solutions to the transcatheter valve market. Data from past and on...
from #Head and Neck by Sfakianakis via simeraentaxei on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2swh8Ch
Title: Hearing Aid Upkeep Often Out of Reach for the PoorCategory: Health NewsCreated: 1/8/2019 12:00:00 AMLast Editorial Review: 1/9/2019 12:00:00 AM (Source: MedicineNet Hearing General)
from #Head and Neck by Sfakianakis via simeraentaxei on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2TIYOl4
Edwards Lifesciences is resolving its longstanding dispute with Boston Scientific over transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) patents. However, this time the Irvine, CA-based company is on the other side of the lawsuit coin and is poised to dole out a one-time payment of $180 million to Boston Scientific. Both companies said that no further royalty fees will be owed by any company. In addition, both companies said that all pending cases or appeals in courts and patent offices will be dismissed, and the parties will not litigate patent disputes related to current portfolios of transcatheter aortic valves, certain mitral valve repair devices, and left atrial appendage closure devices. Any injunctions currently in place will be lifted. Shares of Edwards (NYSE: EW) were up 7.3% upon new...
MedWorm Message: Have you tried our new medical search engine? More powerful than before. Log on with your social media account. 100% free.
JenaValve Technology said today that it named former ReVision Optics prez & CEO John Kilcoyne as its new chief executive officer, effective immediately, replacing Dr. Victoria Carr-Brendell, who has taken up an executive leadership position with Sonova Holding AG (SIX:SOON). Prior to his time at ReVision Optics, Kilcoyne served as prez & CEO at Micrus Endovascular where he led the company through an initial public offering in 2005 and an acquisition by Johnson & Johnson in 2010. He has also held positions at Solace Therapeutics and Endonetics, Irvine, Calif.-based JenaValve said. "I am pleased to have the opportunity to lead JenaValve, and I look forward to working with the team to bring new, innovative solutions to the transcatheter valve market. Data from past and on...
from #Head and Neck by Sfakianakis via simeraentaxei on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2swh8Ch
Edwards Lifesciences is resolving its longstanding dispute with Boston Scientific over transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) patents. However, this time the Irvine, CA-based company is on the other side of the lawsuit coin and is poised to dole out a one-time payment of $180 million to Boston Scientific. Both companies said that no further royalty fees will be owed by any company. In addition, both companies said that all pending cases or appeals in courts and patent offices will be dismissed, and the parties will not litigate patent disputes related to current portfolios of transcatheter aortic valves, certain mitral valve repair devices, and left atrial appendage closure devices. Any injunctions currently in place will be lifted. Shares of Edwards (NYSE: EW) were up 7.3% upon new...
MedWorm Message: Have you tried our new medical search engine? More powerful than before. Log on with your social media account. 100% free.
Title: Hearing Aid Upkeep Often Out of Reach for the PoorCategory: Health NewsCreated: 1/8/2019 12:00:00 AMLast Editorial Review: 1/9/2019 12:00:00 AM (Source: MedicineNet Hearing General)
from #Head and Neck by Sfakianakis via simeraentaxei on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2TIYOl4
Our tolerance of food intolerance is falling and retailers and restaurants are taking more risks. (Source: Forbes.com Healthcare News)
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Basophils are a type of white blood cell that plays a vital role in keeping the immune system functioning. Basophil tests can help doctors diagnose a range of health problems, including autoimmune conditions and allergies. Learn more about the function of basophils and what high and low levels mean in this article. (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)
from #Head and Neck by Sfakianakis via simeraentaxei on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2FsVU0A
Our tolerance of food intolerance is falling and retailers and restaurants are taking more risks. (Source: Forbes.com Healthcare News)
from #Head and Neck by Sfakianakis via simeraentaxei on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2Fz5pKV
-- Mold exposure can trigger health problems including asthma, respiratory infections and allergic reactions. Mold can grow on virtually any moist surface and should never be ignored. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency suggests how to prevent... (Source: Drugs.com - Daily MedNews)
MedWorm Message: If you are looking to buy something in the January Sales please visit TheJanuarySales.com for a directory of all the best sales in the UK. Any income gained via affiliate links keeps MedWorm running.
New research suggests that the gut microbiome may help prevent the development of cow 's milk allergy. (Source: NIDDK News)
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(Massachusetts General Hospital) A review article in the Jan. 15, 2019, issue of JAMA recommends best practices for evaluation of reported penicillin allergies and provides clinicians with guidance and tools to help determine appropriate procedures based on the severity of previously reported reactions. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)
from #Head and Neck by Sfakianakis via simeraentaxei on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2FBJfrf
Basophils are a type of white blood cell that plays a vital role in keeping the immune system functioning. Basophil tests can help doctors diagnose a range of health problems, including autoimmune conditions and allergies. Learn more about the function of basophils and what high and low levels mean in this article. (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)
from #Head and Neck by Sfakianakis via simeraentaxei on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2FsVU0A
Verifying the accuracy of a documented penicillin allergy can improve treatment outcomes, avoid spread of antibiotic resistance(PRWeb January 15, 2019)Read the full story at http://bit.ly/2FAWybB (Source: PRWeb: Medical Pharmaceuticals)
from #Head and Neck by Sfakianakis via simeraentaxei on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2Fvkkqj
-- Mold exposure can trigger health problems including asthma, respiratory infections and allergic reactions. Mold can grow on virtually any moist surface and should never be ignored. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency suggests how to prevent... (Source: Drugs.com - Daily MedNews)
MedWorm Message: If you are looking to buy something in the January Sales please visit TheJanuarySales.com for a directory of all the best sales in the UK. Any income gained via affiliate links keeps MedWorm running.
(Massachusetts General Hospital) A review article in the Jan. 15, 2019, issue of JAMA recommends best practices for evaluation of reported penicillin allergies and provides clinicians with guidance and tools to help determine appropriate procedures based on the severity of previously reported reactions. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)
from #Head and Neck by Sfakianakis via simeraentaxei on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2FBJfrf
Verifying the accuracy of a documented penicillin allergy can improve treatment outcomes, avoid spread of antibiotic resistance(PRWeb January 15, 2019)Read the full story at http://bit.ly/2FAWybB (Source: PRWeb: Medical Pharmaceuticals)
from #Head and Neck by Sfakianakis via simeraentaxei on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2Fvkkqj
New research suggests that the gut microbiome may help prevent the development of cow 's milk allergy. (Source: NIDDK News)
MedWorm Message: Have you tried our new medical search engine? More powerful than before. Log on with your social media account. 100% free.
New research suggests that the gut microbiome may help prevent the development of cow 's milk allergy. (Source: NIDDK News)
MedWorm Message: Have you tried our new medical search engine? More powerful than before. Log on with your social media account. 100% free.
Basophils are a type of white blood cell that plays a vital role in keeping the immune system functioning. Basophil tests can help doctors diagnose a range of health problems, including autoimmune conditions and allergies. Learn more about the function of basophils and what high and low levels mean in this article. (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)
from #Head and Neck by Sfakianakis via simeraentaxei on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2FsVU0A
-- Mold exposure can trigger health problems including asthma, respiratory infections and allergic reactions. Mold can grow on virtually any moist surface and should never be ignored. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency suggests how to prevent... (Source: Drugs.com - Daily MedNews)
MedWorm Message: If you are looking to buy something in the January Sales please visit TheJanuarySales.com for a directory of all the best sales in the UK. Any income gained via affiliate links keeps MedWorm running.
(Massachusetts General Hospital) A review article in the Jan. 15, 2019, issue of JAMA recommends best practices for evaluation of reported penicillin allergies and provides clinicians with guidance and tools to help determine appropriate procedures based on the severity of previously reported reactions. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)
from #Head and Neck by Sfakianakis via simeraentaxei on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2FBJfrf
Verifying the accuracy of a documented penicillin allergy can improve treatment outcomes, avoid spread of antibiotic resistance(PRWeb January 15, 2019)Read the full story at http://bit.ly/2FAWybB (Source: PRWeb: Medical Pharmaceuticals)
from #Head and Neck by Sfakianakis via simeraentaxei on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2Fvkkqj
Basophils are a type of white blood cell that plays a vital role in keeping the immune system functioning. Basophil tests can help doctors diagnose a range of health problems, including autoimmune conditions and allergies. Learn more about the function of basophils and what high and low levels mean in this article. (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)
from #Head and Neck by Sfakianakis via simeraentaxei on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2FsVU0A
Frederick Locke, MD, Program Co-Leader, Immunology Moffitt Cancer Center, discusses Improvements To Turn Around Time With CAR-T Therapies. At The 60th ASH Annual Meeting on Dec 1, 2018. Author: obr Added: 01/15/2019 (Source: Oncology Tube)
MedWorm Message: Have you tried our new medical search engine? More powerful than before. Log on with your social media account. 100% free.
Our tolerance of food intolerance is falling and retailers and restaurants are taking more risks. (Source: Forbes.com Healthcare News)
from #Head and Neck by Sfakianakis via simeraentaxei on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2Fz5pKV
-- Mold exposure can trigger health problems including asthma, respiratory infections and allergic reactions. Mold can grow on virtually any moist surface and should never be ignored. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency suggests how to prevent... (Source: Drugs.com - Daily MedNews)
MedWorm Message: If you are looking to buy something in the January Sales please visit TheJanuarySales.com for a directory of all the best sales in the UK. Any income gained via affiliate links keeps MedWorm running.
Editor's Summary by Howard Bauchner, MD, Editor in Chief of JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association, for the January 15, 2019 issue (Source: JAMA: This Week's Audio Commentary)
from #Head and Neck by Sfakianakis via simeraentaxei on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2FuakNR
Verifying the accuracy of a documented penicillin allergy can improve treatment outcomes, avoid spread of antibiotic resistance(PRWeb January 15, 2019)Read the full story at http://bit.ly/2FAWybB (Source: PRWeb: Medical Pharmaceuticals)
from #Head and Neck by Sfakianakis via simeraentaxei on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2Fvkkqj
Frederick Locke, MD, Program Co-Leader, Immunology Moffitt Cancer Center, discusses Improvements To Turn Around Time With CAR-T Therapies. At The 60th ASH Annual Meeting on Dec 1, 2018. Author: obr Added: 01/15/2019 (Source: Oncology Tube)
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Frederick Locke, MD, Program Co-Leader, Immunology Moffitt Cancer Center, discusses How To Integrate CAR-T With Stem Cell Transplant. At The 60th ASH Annual Meeting on Dec 1, 2018. Author: obr Added: 01/15/2019 (Source: Oncology Tube)
from #Head and Neck by Sfakianakis via simeraentaxei on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2FAWqsD
Editor's Summary by Howard Bauchner, MD, Editor in Chief of JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association, for the January 15, 2019 issue (Source: JAMA: This Week's Audio Commentary)
from #Head and Neck by Sfakianakis via simeraentaxei on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2FuakNR
The ability of patients to participate in recreational activities is an important facet of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) after treatment for cancer of the head and neck. The aim of this study was to analyse patients ' responses to the activity and recreation domains of the University of Washington quality of life questionnaire (UW-QoL), and to relate them to clinical characteristics, the intensity of leisure-time exercise/week, perceived barriers that interfere with exercise, and feeling able to participate i n an exercise programme. (Source: The British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery)
from #Head and Neck by Sfakianakis via simeraentaxei on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2CmxAJP
The ability of patients to participate in recreational activities is an important facet of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) after treatment for cancer of the head and neck. The aim of this study was to analyse patients ' responses to the activity and recreation domains of the University of Washington quality of life questionnaire (UW-QoL), and to relate them to clinical characteristics, the intensity of leisure-time exercise/week, perceived barriers that interfere with exercise, and feeling able to participate i n an exercise programme. (Source: The British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery)
from #Head and Neck by Sfakianakis via simeraentaxei on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2CmxAJP
Manual focuses on patient - physician relationship in different scenarios, including telemedicine (Source: The Doctors Lounge - Psychiatry)
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Genetic component for 40 percent of phenotypes studied; 25 percent have environmental risk factors (Source: The Doctors Lounge - Psychiatry)
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(Bar-Ilan University) The European Union (EU) and the Canadian government have awarded the international iReceptor Plus consortium 8.65 million to promote human immunological data storage, integration and controlled sharing for a wide range of clinical and scientific purposes. The four-year project aims to develop an innovative platform to integrate distributed repositories of Adaptive Immune Receptor Repertoire sequencing (AIRR-seq) data for enabling improved personalized medicine and immunotherapy in cancer, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, allergies and infectious diseases. (Source: EurekAlert! - Cancer)
from #Head and Neck by Sfakianakis via simeraentaxei on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2Dbzej9
A comprehensive understanding of the anatomy of the vascular supply of the coracoid is needed to en- sure that the coracoid remains vascularised in order to optimize bone union during any coracoid transfer procedures. It is the purpose of this study to present an anatomical overview of the blood supply of the coracoid process, describing a previously unidentified vessel that arises directly from the axillary artery and nourishes the coracoid process, permitting the coracoid to be used as a free bone flap.
from #Head and Neck by Sfakianakis via simeraentaxei on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2DcNDeM
Manual focuses on patient - physician relationship in different scenarios, including telemedicine (Source: The Doctors Lounge - Psychiatry)
MedWorm Message: Have you tried our new medical search engine? More powerful than before. Log on with your social media account. 100% free.
Genetic component for 40 percent of phenotypes studied; 25 percent have environmental risk factors (Source: The Doctors Lounge - Psychiatry)
from #Head and Neck by Sfakianakis via simeraentaxei on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2TPVuVa
(Bar-Ilan University) The European Union (EU) and the Canadian government have awarded the international iReceptor Plus consortium 8.65 million to promote human immunological data storage, integration and controlled sharing for a wide range of clinical and scientific purposes. The four-year project aims to develop an innovative platform to integrate distributed repositories of Adaptive Immune Receptor Repertoire sequencing (AIRR-seq) data for enabling improved personalized medicine and immunotherapy in cancer, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, allergies and infectious diseases. (Source: EurekAlert! - Cancer)
from #Head and Neck by Sfakianakis via simeraentaxei on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2Dbzej9
A comprehensive understanding of the anatomy of the vascular supply of the coracoid is needed to en- sure that the coracoid remains vascularised in order to optimize bone union during any coracoid transfer procedures. It is the purpose of this study to present an anatomical overview of the blood supply of the coracoid process, describing a previously unidentified vessel that arises directly from the axillary artery and nourishes the coracoid process, permitting the coracoid to be used as a free bone flap.
from #Head and Neck by Sfakianakis via simeraentaxei on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2DcNDeM
Manual focuses on patient - physician relationship in different scenarios, including telemedicine (Source: The Doctors Lounge - Psychiatry)
MedWorm Message: Have you tried our new medical search engine? More powerful than before. Log on with your social media account. 100% free.
Genetic component for 40 percent of phenotypes studied; 25 percent have environmental risk factors (Source: The Doctors Lounge - Psychiatry)
from #Head and Neck by Sfakianakis via simeraentaxei on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2TPVuVa
(Bar-Ilan University) The European Union (EU) and the Canadian government have awarded the international iReceptor Plus consortium 8.65 million to promote human immunological data storage, integration and controlled sharing for a wide range of clinical and scientific purposes. The four-year project aims to develop an innovative platform to integrate distributed repositories of Adaptive Immune Receptor Repertoire sequencing (AIRR-seq) data for enabling improved personalized medicine and immunotherapy in cancer, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, allergies and infectious diseases. (Source: EurekAlert! - Cancer)
from #Head and Neck by Sfakianakis via simeraentaxei on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2Dbzej9
Manual focuses on patient - physician relationship in different scenarios, including telemedicine (Source: The Doctors Lounge - Psychiatry)
MedWorm Message: Have you tried our new medical search engine? More powerful than before. Log on with your social media account. 100% free.
Genetic component for 40 percent of phenotypes studied; 25 percent have environmental risk factors (Source: The Doctors Lounge - Psychiatry)
from #Head and Neck by Sfakianakis via simeraentaxei on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2TPVuVa
(Bar-Ilan University) The European Union (EU) and the Canadian government have awarded the international iReceptor Plus consortium 8.65 million to promote human immunological data storage, integration and controlled sharing for a wide range of clinical and scientific purposes. The four-year project aims to develop an innovative platform to integrate distributed repositories of Adaptive Immune Receptor Repertoire sequencing (AIRR-seq) data for enabling improved personalized medicine and immunotherapy in cancer, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, allergies and infectious diseases. (Source: EurekAlert! - Cancer)
from #Head and Neck by Sfakianakis via simeraentaxei on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2Dbzej9
Frederick Locke, MD Program Co-Leader, Immunology Moffitt Cancer Center, discusses Will CAR-T Therapies Be Expanded Into Solid Tumors. At The 60th ASH Annual Meeting on Dec 1, 2018. Author: obr Added: 01/14/2019 (Source: Oncology Tube)
MedWorm Message: Have you tried our new medical search engine? More powerful than before. Log on with your social media account. 100% free.
Frederick Locke, MD Program Co-Leader, Immunology Moffitt Cancer Center, discusses Will CAR-T Therapies Be Expanded Into Solid Tumors. At The 60th ASH Annual Meeting on Dec 1, 2018. Author: obr Added: 01/14/2019 (Source: Oncology Tube)
MedWorm Message: Have you tried our new medical search engine? More powerful than before. Log on with your social media account. 100% free.
(MedPage Today) -- Anti-IgE antibody promising as add-on therapy in phase 1b study (Source: MedPage Today Allergy)
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(MedPage Today) -- Anti-IgE antibody promising as add-on therapy in phase 1b study (Source: MedPage Today Allergy)
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(MedPage Today) -- Anti-IgE antibody promising as add-on therapy in phase 1b study (Source: MedPage Today Allergy)
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(MedPage Today) -- Anti-IgE antibody promising as add-on therapy in phase 1b study (Source: MedPage Today Allergy)
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The spatial resolution of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET does not allow the specific cellular origin of its signal to be determined, but it is commonly accepted that transport and trapping of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose reflects neuronal glucose metabolism. The main frameworks for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease suggest that hypometabolism measured with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET is a biomarker of neuronal injury and neurodegeneration. There is preclinical evidence to suggest that astrocytes contribute, at least partially, to the in vivo 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET signal. However, due to a paucity of PET tracers for imaging astrocytic processes, the relationship between astrocyte function and glucose metabolism in human brain is not fully understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the longitudinal association between astrocyte function and glucose metabolism in Alzheimer's disease.
The current investigation combined longitudinal PET data from patients with autosomal dominant Alzheimer's disease, including data on astrocyte function (11C-deuterium-l-deprenyl binding) and glucose metabolism (18F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake). Research participants included 7 presymptomatic and 4 symptomatic mutation carriers (age 44.9 ± 9.8 years and 58.0 ± 3.7 years, respectively) and 16 noncarriers (age 51.1 ± 14.2 years). Eight carriers and eight noncarriers underwent longitudinal follow-up PET imaging at an average of 2.8 ± 0.2 and 3.0 ± 0.5 years from baseline, respectively.
Longitudinal decline in astrocyte function as measured using 11C-deuterium-l-deprenyl PET was significantly associated with progressive hypometabolism (18F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake) in mutation carriers; no significant association was observed in noncarriers.
The emerging data shift the accepted wisdom that decreases in cerebral metabolism measured with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose solely reflect neuronal injury, and places astrocytes more centrally in the development of Alzheimer's disease.
An error occurred in the labelling of Fig. 3, where math symbols for SUV thresholds were inverted in panel b when the EARL threshold was applied to the PSF dataset and vice versa. This figure should read as follows: Fig. 3: Prognostic value of tumour SUVmax
The extent of amyloid burden associated with cognitive impairment in amnestic mild cognitive impairment is unknown. The primary aim of the study was to determine the extent to which amyloid burden is associated to the cognitive impairment. The secondary objective was to test the relationship between amyloid accumulation and memory or cognitive impairment.
In this prospective study 66 participants with amnestic mild cognitive impairment underwent clinical, neuropsychological and PET amyloid imaging tests. Composite scores assessing memory and non-memory domains were used to identify two clinical classes of neuropsychological phenotypes expressing different degree of cognitive impairment. Detection of amyloid status and definition of optimal amyloid ± cutoff for discrimination relied on unsupervised k-means clustering method.
Threshold for identifying low and high amyloid retention groups was of SUVr = 1.3. Aß + participants showed poorer global cognitive and episodic memory performance than subjects with low amyloid deposition. Aß positivity significantly identified individuals with episodic memory impairment with a sensitivity and specificity of 80 and 79%, (χ2 = 21.48; P < 0.00001). Positive and negative predictive values were 82 and 76%, respectively. Amyloid deposition increased linearly as function of memory impairment with a rate of 0.13/ point of composite memory score (R = −44, P = 0.0003).
The amyloid burden of SUVr = 1.3 allows early identification of subjects with episodic memory impairment which might predict progression from MCI to Alzheimer's disease.
EudraCT 2015-001184-39.
We investigated whether the reproducibility of standard visual reporting (STD method) in flutemetamol (FMM) PET can be improved using a newly introduced method that uses grey matter edges derived from the perfusion phase (GM-EDGE method).
Two-phase FMM PET was performed in 121 patients with mild cognitive impairment. Five nuclear medicine physicians blindly and independently evaluated all late-phase scans, initially employing the STD method and later the GM-EDGE method. A five-point scale was used to express the degree of amyloid positivity, and a binary classification (positive/negative) was used in combination with subjective confidence (five-point scale). Multirater Fleiss' kappa, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and inter-rater reliability (Cohen's kappa) were determined for the STD and GM-EDGE methods.
The weighted Cohen's kappa values for the five-point measure of amyloid positivity ranged from 0.63 to 0.73 (median 0.70) for the STD method and from 0.76 to 0.89 (median 0.80) for the GM-EDGE method (ICC 0.84, 95% CI 0.79–0.88, for the STD method; 0.91, 95% CI 0.89–0.94, for the GM-EDGE method). The nonweighted Cohen's kappa value for the binary classification ranged from 0.73 to 0.93 (median 0.82) for the STD method and 0.90 to 0.97 (median 0.93) for the GM-EDGE method (Fleiss' kappa 0.82, 95% CI 0.77–0.88, for the STD method; 0.93, 95% CI 0.87–0.99, for the GM-EDGE method). The GM-EDGE method resulted in significantly greater subjective confidence in the readings of four physicians (p < 0.010). The binary classification was concordant among all five physicians in 80.8% of the scans using the STD method and in 91.6% of the scans using the GM-EDGE method (p = 0.016).
The newly introduced GM-EDGE method was associated with significantly higher inter-rater agreement among physicians and higher subjective confidence in the reading. The method is easy to implement in clinical practice, especially when the perfusion phase is utilized clinically.
The disease course of multiple sclerosis (MS) is unpredictable, and reliable prognostic biomarkers are needed. Positron emission tomography (PET) with β-amyloid tracers is a promising tool for evaluating white matter (WM) damage and repair. Our aim was to investigate amyloid uptake in damaged (DWM) and normal-appearing WM (NAWM) of MS patients, and to evaluate possible correlations between cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) β-amyloid1-42 (Aβ) levels, amyloid tracer uptake, and brain volumes.
Twelve MS patients were recruited and divided according to their disease activity into active and non-active groups. All participants underwent neurological examination, neuropsychological testing, lumbar puncture, brain magnetic resonance (MRI) imaging, and 18F-florbetapir PET. Aβ levels were determined in CSF samples from all patients. MRI and PET images were co-registered, and mean standardized uptake values (SUV) were calculated for each patient in the NAWM and in the DWM. To calculate brain volumes, brain segmentation was performed using statistical parametric mapping software. Nonparametric statistical analyses for between-group comparisons and regression analyses were conducted.
We found a lower SUV in DWM compared to NAWM (p < 0.001) in all patients. Decreased NAWM-SUV was observed in the active compared to non-active group (p < 0.05). Considering only active patients, NAWM volume correlated with NAWM-SUV (p = 0.01). Interestingly, CSF Aβ concentration was a predictor of both NAWM-SUV (r = 0.79; p = 0.01) and NAWM volume (r = 0.81, p = 0.01).
The correlation between CSF Aβ levels and NAWM-SUV suggests that the predictive role of β-amyloid may be linked to early myelin damage and may reflect disease activity and clinical progression.
To compare the diagnostic performance of 18F-FDG PET/MRI and 18F-FDG PET/CT for primary and locoregional lymph node staging in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
In this prospective study, a total of 84 patients (51 men, 33 women, mean age 62.5 ± 9.1 years) with histopathologically confirmed NSCLC underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT followed by 18F-FDG PET/MRI in a single injection protocol. Two readers independently assessed T and N staging in separate sessions according to the seventh edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer staging manual for 18F-FDG PET/CT and 18F-FDG PET/MRI, respectively. Histopathology as a reference standard was available for N staging in all 84 patients and for T staging in 39 patients. Differences in staging accuracy were assessed by McNemars chi2 test. The maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) and longitudinal diameters of primary tumors were correlated using Pearson's coefficients.
T stage was categorized concordantly in 18F-FDG PET/MRI and 18F-FDG PET/CT in 38 of 39 (97.4%) patients. Herein, 18F-FDG PET/CT and 18F-FDG PET/MRI correctly determined the T stage in 92.3 and 89.7% of patients, respectively. N stage was categorized concordantly in 83 of 84 patients (98.8%). 18F-FDG PET/CT correctly determined the N stage in 78 of 84 patients (92.9%), while 18F-FDG PET/MRI correctly determined the N stage in 77 of 84 patients (91.7%). Differences between 18F-FDG PET/CT and 18F-FDG PET/MRI in T and N staging accuracy were not statistically significant (p > 0.5, each). Tumor size and SUVmax measurements derived from both imaging modalities exhibited excellent correlation (r = 0.963 and r = 0.901, respectively).
18F-FDG PET/MRI and 18F-FDG PET/CT show an equivalently high diagnostic performance for T and N staging in patients suffering from NSCLC.
To determine EARL-compliant prognostic SUV thresholds in a mature cohort of patients with locally advanced NSCLC, and to demonstrate how detrimental it is to use a threshold determined on an older-generation PET system with a newer PET/CT machine, and vice versa, or to use such a threshold with non-harmonized multicentre pooled data.
This was a single-centre retrospective study including 139 consecutive stage IIIA-IIIB patients. PET data were acquired as per the EANM guidelines and reconstructed with unfiltered point spread function (PSF) reconstruction. Subsequently, a 6.3 mm Gaussian filter was applied using the EQ.PET (Siemens Healthineers) methodology to meet the EANM/EARL harmonizing standards (PSFEARL). A multicentre study including non-EARL-compliant systems was simulated by randomly creating four groups of patients whose images were reconstructed with unfiltered PSF and PSF with Gaussian post-filtering of 3, 5, and 10 mm. Identification of optimal SUV thresholds was based on a two-fold cross-validation process that partitioned the overall sample into learning and validation subsamples. Proportional Cox hazards models were used to estimate age-adjusted and multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and their 95% confidence intervals. Kaplan–Meier curves were compared using the log rank test.
Median follow-up was 28 months (1–104 months). For the whole population, the estimated overall survival rate at 36 months was 0.39 [0.31–0.47]. The optimal SUVmax cutoff value was 25.43 (95% CI: 23.41–26.31) and 8.47 (95% CI: 7.23–9.31) for the PSF and for the EARL-compliant dataset respectively. These SUVmax cutoff values were both significantly and independently associated with lung cancer mortality; HRs were 1.73 (1.05–2.84) and 1.92 (1.16–3.19) for the PSF and the EARL-compliant dataset respectively. When (i) applying the optimal PSF SUVmax cutoff on an EARL-compliant dataset and the optimal EARL SUVmax cutoff on a PSF dataset or (ii) applying the optimal EARL compliant SUVmax cutoff to a simulated multicentre dataset, the tumour SUVmax was no longer significantly associated with lung cancer mortality.
The present study provides the PET community with an EARL-compliant SUVmax as an independent prognosticator for advanced NSCLC that should be confirmed in a larger cohort, ideally at other EARL accredited centres, and highlights the need to harmonize PET quantitative metrics when using them for risk stratification of patients.
The PET tracer [18F]florbetapir is a specific fibrillar amyloid-beta (Aβ) biomarker. During the late scan phase (> 40 min), it provides pathological information about Aβ status. Early scan phase (0–10 min) can provide FDG-'like' information. The current investigation tested the feasibility of using florbetapir as a dual-phase biomarker in behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD).
Eight bvFTD patients underwent [18F]florbetapir and [18]FDG-PET scans. Additionally, ten healthy controls and ten AD patients underwent florbetapir-PET only. PET data were acquired dynamically for 60-min post-injection. The bvFTD PET data were used to define an optimal time window, representing blood flow-related pseudo-metabolism ('pseudo-FDG'), of florbetapir data that maximally correlated with the corresponding real FDG SUVR (40–60 min) in a composite neocortical FTD region.
A 2 to 5-min time window post-injection of the florbetapir-PET data provided the largest correlation (Pearson's r = 0.79, p = 0.02) to the FDG data. The pseudo-FDG images demonstrated strong internal consistency with actual FDG data and were also visually consistent with the bvFTD patients' hypometabolic profiles. The ability to identify bvFTD from blind visual rating of pseudo-FDG images was consistent with previous reports using FDG data (sensitivity = 75%, specificity = 85%).
This investigation demonstrates that early phase florbetapir uptake shows a reduction of frontal lobe perfusion in bvFTD, similar to metabolic findings with FDG. Thus, dynamic florbetapir scans can serve as a dual-phase biomarker in dementia patients to distinguish FTD from AD and cognitively normal elderly, removing the need for a separate FDG-PET scan in challenging dementia cases.
We investigated the regional distribution of 18F-THK5351 uptake in gray (GM) and white matter (WM) in patients with behavioral-variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) and compared it with that in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) or semantic dementia (SD).
18F-THK-5351 positron emission tomography (PET), 18F-florbetaben PET, magnetic resonance imaging, and neuropsychological testing were performed in 103 subjects including 30, 24, 9, and 8 patients with mild cognitive impairment, AD, bvFTD, and SD, respectively, and 32 normal subjects. Standardized uptake value ratios (SUVRs) of 18F-THK-5351 PET images were measured from six GM and WM regions using cerebellar GM as reference. GM and WM SUVRs and WM/GM ratios, the relationship between GM SUVR and WM/GM ratio, and correlation between SUVR and cognitive function were compared.
In AD, both parietal GM (p < 0.001) and WM (p < 0.001) SUVRs were higher than in bvFTD. In AD and SD, the WM/GM ratio decreased as the GM SUVR increased, regardless of lobar region. In AD, memory function correlated with parietal GM (ρ = −0.74, p < 0.001) and WM (ρ = −0.53, p < 0.001) SUVR. In SD, language function correlated with temporal GM SUVR (ρ = −0.69, p = 0.006). The frontal WM SUVR was higher in bvFTD than in AD (p = 0.003) or SD (p = 0.017). The frontal WM/GM ratio was higher in bvFTD than in AD (p < 0.001). In bvFTD, the WM/GM ratio increased more prominently than the GM SUVR only in the frontal lobe (R2 = 0.026). In bvFTD, executive function correlated with frontal WM SUVR (ρ = −0.64, p = 0.014).
Frontal WM 18F-THK5351 uptake was higher in bvFTD than in other dementias. The increase in frontal WM uptake was greater than the increase in GM uptake and correlated with executive function. This suggests that frontal lobe WM 18F-THK5351 uptake reflects neuropathological differences between bvFTD and other dementias.
The aim of this study was to verify the reliability and generalizability of an automatic tool for the detection of Alzheimer-related hypometabolic pattern based on a Support-Vector-Machine (SVM) model analyzing 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET data.
The SVM model processed metabolic data from anatomical volumes of interest also considering interhemispheric asymmetries. It was trained on a homogeneous dataset from a memory clinic center and tested on an independent multicentric dataset drawn from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. Subjects were included in the study and classified based on a diagnosis confirmed after an adequate follow-up time.
The accuracy of the discrimination between patients with Alzheimer Disease (AD), in either prodromal or dementia stage, and normal aging subjects was 95.8%, after cross-validation, in the training set. The accuracy of the same model in the testing set was 86.5%. The role of the two datasets was then reversed, and the accuracy was 89.8% in the multicentric training set and 88.0% in the monocentric testing set. The classification rate was also evaluated in different subgroups, including non-converter mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients, subjects with MCI reverted to normal conditions and subjects with non-confirmed memory concern. The percent of pattern detections increased from 77% in early prodromal AD to 91% in AD dementia, while it was about 10% for healthy controls and non-AD patients.
The present findings show a good level of reproducibility and generalizability of a model for detecting the hypometabolic pattern in AD and confirm the accuracy of FDG-PET in Alzheimer disease.
Mutations of cholinergic neuronal nicotinic receptors have been identified in the autosomal dominant nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy (ADNFLE), associated with changes on PET images using [18F]-F-85380-A (F-A-85380), an α4β2 nicotinic receptor ligand. The aim of the present study was to evaluate potential changes in nicotinic receptor availability in other types of epilepsy.
We included 34 male participants, 12 patients with idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE), 10 with non-lesional diurnal focal epilepsy, and 12 age-matched healthy controls. All patients underwent PET/CT using F-A-85380 and [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG), 3D T1 MRI and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). F-A-85380 and FDG images were compared with the control group using a voxel-wise (SPM12) and a volumes of interest (VOI) analysis.
In the group of patients with IGE, the voxel-wise and VOI analyses showed a significant increase of F-A-85380 ratio index of binding potential (BPRI, corresponding to the receptor availability) in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), without structural changes on MRI. At an individual level, F-A-85380 BPRI increase in the ACC could distinguish IGE patients from controls and from patients with focal epilepsy with good accuracy.
We observed focal changes of density/availability of nicotinic receptors in IGE, namely an increase in the ACC. These data suggest that the modulation of α4β2 nicotinic receptors plays a role not only in ADNFLE, but also in other genetic epileptic syndromes such as IGE and could serve as a biomarker of epilepsy syndromes with a genetic background.
In oncological patients, 18F-FDG PET/CT performance for pulmonary nodules' characterization is not well-established. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the 18F-FDG PET/CT diagnostic performance in pulmonary nodules detected during follow-up in oncological patients and the relationship between malignancy and nodules' characteristics.
We retrospectively evaluated 182 pulmonary nodules (121 solitary, 61 multiple; mean size = 16.5 ± 8.1 mm, mean SUVmax = 5.2 ± 5.1) in 148 oncological patients (89 males; mean age = 69.5 ± 8.4 years). Final diagnosis was established by histology or radiological follow-up. Diagnostic performance of 18F-FDG visual analysis (malignancy-criterion: uptake ≥ mediastinal activity), ROC curve analysis for SUVmax and nodules' characteristics were assessed.
In 182 nodules, the prevalence of malignancy was 75.8%; PET/CT provided sensitivity = 79%, specificity = 81.8%, accuracy = 79.7%, PPV = 93.1%, NPV = 55.4%; ROC analysis (SUVmax cut-off = 1.7) provided sensitivity = 85.5%, specificity = 72.7%. In 121 solitary nodules, the prevalence of malignancy was 87.6%; PET/CT provided sensitivity = 82.1%, specificity = 73.3%, accuracy = 81%, PPV = 95.6%, NPV = 36.7%; ROC analysis (SUVmax cut-off = 2) provided sensitivity = 84%, specificity = 80%. In 61 multiple nodules, the prevalence of malignancy was 52.5%; PET/CT (nodule and patient-based analysis, respectively) provided sensitivity = 68.7% and 88.9%, specificity = 86.2% and 55.6%, accuracy = 77% and 77.8%, PPV = 84.4% and 80%, NPV = 71.8% and 71.5%; ROC analysis (nodule-based, SUVmax cut-off = 1.8) provided sensitivity = 71.9%, specificity = 82.8%. Malignant nodules were prevalent in males, in solitary pattern and in upper lobes, and had significantly greater size and metabolic activity (SUVmax and TLG) than benign ones, with no differences in interval-time between previous cancer diagnosis and nodule detection, patients' age or other nodules' features (lung side, central/peripheral). When comparing solitary and multiple patterns, malignant nodules had significantly greater size and metabolic activity than benign ones in both groups.
In oncological patients, 18F-FDG PET/CT provides good diagnostic performance for ruling in the malignancy in pulmonary nodules detected during follow-up, even at small size and especially when solitary. In multiple patterns, PET seems useful in the perspective of a personalized management, for identifying the "reference" nodule deserving histological assessment.
The spatial resolution of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET does not allow the specific cellular origin of its signal to be determined, but it is commonly accepted that transport and trapping of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose reflects neuronal glucose metabolism. The main frameworks for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease suggest that hypometabolism measured with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET is a biomarker of neuronal injury and neurodegeneration. There is preclinical evidence to suggest that astrocytes contribute, at least partially, to the in vivo 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET signal. However, due to a paucity of PET tracers for imaging astrocytic processes, the relationship between astrocyte function and glucose metabolism in human brain is not fully understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the longitudinal association between astrocyte function and glucose metabolism in Alzheimer's disease.
The current investigation combined longitudinal PET data from patients with autosomal dominant Alzheimer's disease, including data on astrocyte function (11C-deuterium-l-deprenyl binding) and glucose metabolism (18F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake). Research participants included 7 presymptomatic and 4 symptomatic mutation carriers (age 44.9 ± 9.8 years and 58.0 ± 3.7 years, respectively) and 16 noncarriers (age 51.1 ± 14.2 years). Eight carriers and eight noncarriers underwent longitudinal follow-up PET imaging at an average of 2.8 ± 0.2 and 3.0 ± 0.5 years from baseline, respectively.
Longitudinal decline in astrocyte function as measured using 11C-deuterium-l-deprenyl PET was significantly associated with progressive hypometabolism (18F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake) in mutation carriers; no significant association was observed in noncarriers.
The emerging data shift the accepted wisdom that decreases in cerebral metabolism measured with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose solely reflect neuronal injury, and places astrocytes more centrally in the development of Alzheimer's disease.
An error occurred in the labelling of Fig. 3, where math symbols for SUV thresholds were inverted in panel b when the EARL threshold was applied to the PSF dataset and vice versa. This figure should read as follows: Fig. 3: Prognostic value of tumour SUVmax
The extent of amyloid burden associated with cognitive impairment in amnestic mild cognitive impairment is unknown. The primary aim of the study was to determine the extent to which amyloid burden is associated to the cognitive impairment. The secondary objective was to test the relationship between amyloid accumulation and memory or cognitive impairment.
In this prospective study 66 participants with amnestic mild cognitive impairment underwent clinical, neuropsychological and PET amyloid imaging tests. Composite scores assessing memory and non-memory domains were used to identify two clinical classes of neuropsychological phenotypes expressing different degree of cognitive impairment. Detection of amyloid status and definition of optimal amyloid ± cutoff for discrimination relied on unsupervised k-means clustering method.
Threshold for identifying low and high amyloid retention groups was of SUVr = 1.3. Aß + participants showed poorer global cognitive and episodic memory performance than subjects with low amyloid deposition. Aß positivity significantly identified individuals with episodic memory impairment with a sensitivity and specificity of 80 and 79%, (χ2 = 21.48; P < 0.00001). Positive and negative predictive values were 82 and 76%, respectively. Amyloid deposition increased linearly as function of memory impairment with a rate of 0.13/ point of composite memory score (R = −44, P = 0.0003).
The amyloid burden of SUVr = 1.3 allows early identification of subjects with episodic memory impairment which might predict progression from MCI to Alzheimer's disease.
EudraCT 2015-001184-39.
We investigated whether the reproducibility of standard visual reporting (STD method) in flutemetamol (FMM) PET can be improved using a newly introduced method that uses grey matter edges derived from the perfusion phase (GM-EDGE method).
Two-phase FMM PET was performed in 121 patients with mild cognitive impairment. Five nuclear medicine physicians blindly and independently evaluated all late-phase scans, initially employing the STD method and later the GM-EDGE method. A five-point scale was used to express the degree of amyloid positivity, and a binary classification (positive/negative) was used in combination with subjective confidence (five-point scale). Multirater Fleiss' kappa, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and inter-rater reliability (Cohen's kappa) were determined for the STD and GM-EDGE methods.
The weighted Cohen's kappa values for the five-point measure of amyloid positivity ranged from 0.63 to 0.73 (median 0.70) for the STD method and from 0.76 to 0.89 (median 0.80) for the GM-EDGE method (ICC 0.84, 95% CI 0.79–0.88, for the STD method; 0.91, 95% CI 0.89–0.94, for the GM-EDGE method). The nonweighted Cohen's kappa value for the binary classification ranged from 0.73 to 0.93 (median 0.82) for the STD method and 0.90 to 0.97 (median 0.93) for the GM-EDGE method (Fleiss' kappa 0.82, 95% CI 0.77–0.88, for the STD method; 0.93, 95% CI 0.87–0.99, for the GM-EDGE method). The GM-EDGE method resulted in significantly greater subjective confidence in the readings of four physicians (p < 0.010). The binary classification was concordant among all five physicians in 80.8% of the scans using the STD method and in 91.6% of the scans using the GM-EDGE method (p = 0.016).
The newly introduced GM-EDGE method was associated with significantly higher inter-rater agreement among physicians and higher subjective confidence in the reading. The method is easy to implement in clinical practice, especially when the perfusion phase is utilized clinically.
The disease course of multiple sclerosis (MS) is unpredictable, and reliable prognostic biomarkers are needed. Positron emission tomography (PET) with β-amyloid tracers is a promising tool for evaluating white matter (WM) damage and repair. Our aim was to investigate amyloid uptake in damaged (DWM) and normal-appearing WM (NAWM) of MS patients, and to evaluate possible correlations between cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) β-amyloid1-42 (Aβ) levels, amyloid tracer uptake, and brain volumes.
Twelve MS patients were recruited and divided according to their disease activity into active and non-active groups. All participants underwent neurological examination, neuropsychological testing, lumbar puncture, brain magnetic resonance (MRI) imaging, and 18F-florbetapir PET. Aβ levels were determined in CSF samples from all patients. MRI and PET images were co-registered, and mean standardized uptake values (SUV) were calculated for each patient in the NAWM and in the DWM. To calculate brain volumes, brain segmentation was performed using statistical parametric mapping software. Nonparametric statistical analyses for between-group comparisons and regression analyses were conducted.
We found a lower SUV in DWM compared to NAWM (p < 0.001) in all patients. Decreased NAWM-SUV was observed in the active compared to non-active group (p < 0.05). Considering only active patients, NAWM volume correlated with NAWM-SUV (p = 0.01). Interestingly, CSF Aβ concentration was a predictor of both NAWM-SUV (r = 0.79; p = 0.01) and NAWM volume (r = 0.81, p = 0.01).
The correlation between CSF Aβ levels and NAWM-SUV suggests that the predictive role of β-amyloid may be linked to early myelin damage and may reflect disease activity and clinical progression.
To compare the diagnostic performance of 18F-FDG PET/MRI and 18F-FDG PET/CT for primary and locoregional lymph node staging in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
In this prospective study, a total of 84 patients (51 men, 33 women, mean age 62.5 ± 9.1 years) with histopathologically confirmed NSCLC underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT followed by 18F-FDG PET/MRI in a single injection protocol. Two readers independently assessed T and N staging in separate sessions according to the seventh edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer staging manual for 18F-FDG PET/CT and 18F-FDG PET/MRI, respectively. Histopathology as a reference standard was available for N staging in all 84 patients and for T staging in 39 patients. Differences in staging accuracy were assessed by McNemars chi2 test. The maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) and longitudinal diameters of primary tumors were correlated using Pearson's coefficients.
T stage was categorized concordantly in 18F-FDG PET/MRI and 18F-FDG PET/CT in 38 of 39 (97.4%) patients. Herein, 18F-FDG PET/CT and 18F-FDG PET/MRI correctly determined the T stage in 92.3 and 89.7% of patients, respectively. N stage was categorized concordantly in 83 of 84 patients (98.8%). 18F-FDG PET/CT correctly determined the N stage in 78 of 84 patients (92.9%), while 18F-FDG PET/MRI correctly determined the N stage in 77 of 84 patients (91.7%). Differences between 18F-FDG PET/CT and 18F-FDG PET/MRI in T and N staging accuracy were not statistically significant (p > 0.5, each). Tumor size and SUVmax measurements derived from both imaging modalities exhibited excellent correlation (r = 0.963 and r = 0.901, respectively).
18F-FDG PET/MRI and 18F-FDG PET/CT show an equivalently high diagnostic performance for T and N staging in patients suffering from NSCLC.
To determine EARL-compliant prognostic SUV thresholds in a mature cohort of patients with locally advanced NSCLC, and to demonstrate how detrimental it is to use a threshold determined on an older-generation PET system with a newer PET/CT machine, and vice versa, or to use such a threshold with non-harmonized multicentre pooled data.
This was a single-centre retrospective study including 139 consecutive stage IIIA-IIIB patients. PET data were acquired as per the EANM guidelines and reconstructed with unfiltered point spread function (PSF) reconstruction. Subsequently, a 6.3 mm Gaussian filter was applied using the EQ.PET (Siemens Healthineers) methodology to meet the EANM/EARL harmonizing standards (PSFEARL). A multicentre study including non-EARL-compliant systems was simulated by randomly creating four groups of patients whose images were reconstructed with unfiltered PSF and PSF with Gaussian post-filtering of 3, 5, and 10 mm. Identification of optimal SUV thresholds was based on a two-fold cross-validation process that partitioned the overall sample into learning and validation subsamples. Proportional Cox hazards models were used to estimate age-adjusted and multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and their 95% confidence intervals. Kaplan–Meier curves were compared using the log rank test.
Median follow-up was 28 months (1–104 months). For the whole population, the estimated overall survival rate at 36 months was 0.39 [0.31–0.47]. The optimal SUVmax cutoff value was 25.43 (95% CI: 23.41–26.31) and 8.47 (95% CI: 7.23–9.31) for the PSF and for the EARL-compliant dataset respectively. These SUVmax cutoff values were both significantly and independently associated with lung cancer mortality; HRs were 1.73 (1.05–2.84) and 1.92 (1.16–3.19) for the PSF and the EARL-compliant dataset respectively. When (i) applying the optimal PSF SUVmax cutoff on an EARL-compliant dataset and the optimal EARL SUVmax cutoff on a PSF dataset or (ii) applying the optimal EARL compliant SUVmax cutoff to a simulated multicentre dataset, the tumour SUVmax was no longer significantly associated with lung cancer mortality.
The present study provides the PET community with an EARL-compliant SUVmax as an independent prognosticator for advanced NSCLC that should be confirmed in a larger cohort, ideally at other EARL accredited centres, and highlights the need to harmonize PET quantitative metrics when using them for risk stratification of patients.
The PET tracer [18F]florbetapir is a specific fibrillar amyloid-beta (Aβ) biomarker. During the late scan phase (> 40 min), it provides pathological information about Aβ status. Early scan phase (0–10 min) can provide FDG-'like' information. The current investigation tested the feasibility of using florbetapir as a dual-phase biomarker in behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD).
Eight bvFTD patients underwent [18F]florbetapir and [18]FDG-PET scans. Additionally, ten healthy controls and ten AD patients underwent florbetapir-PET only. PET data were acquired dynamically for 60-min post-injection. The bvFTD PET data were used to define an optimal time window, representing blood flow-related pseudo-metabolism ('pseudo-FDG'), of florbetapir data that maximally correlated with the corresponding real FDG SUVR (40–60 min) in a composite neocortical FTD region.
A 2 to 5-min time window post-injection of the florbetapir-PET data provided the largest correlation (Pearson's r = 0.79, p = 0.02) to the FDG data. The pseudo-FDG images demonstrated strong internal consistency with actual FDG data and were also visually consistent with the bvFTD patients' hypometabolic profiles. The ability to identify bvFTD from blind visual rating of pseudo-FDG images was consistent with previous reports using FDG data (sensitivity = 75%, specificity = 85%).
This investigation demonstrates that early phase florbetapir uptake shows a reduction of frontal lobe perfusion in bvFTD, similar to metabolic findings with FDG. Thus, dynamic florbetapir scans can serve as a dual-phase biomarker in dementia patients to distinguish FTD from AD and cognitively normal elderly, removing the need for a separate FDG-PET scan in challenging dementia cases.
We investigated the regional distribution of 18F-THK5351 uptake in gray (GM) and white matter (WM) in patients with behavioral-variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) and compared it with that in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) or semantic dementia (SD).
18F-THK-5351 positron emission tomography (PET), 18F-florbetaben PET, magnetic resonance imaging, and neuropsychological testing were performed in 103 subjects including 30, 24, 9, and 8 patients with mild cognitive impairment, AD, bvFTD, and SD, respectively, and 32 normal subjects. Standardized uptake value ratios (SUVRs) of 18F-THK-5351 PET images were measured from six GM and WM regions using cerebellar GM as reference. GM and WM SUVRs and WM/GM ratios, the relationship between GM SUVR and WM/GM ratio, and correlation between SUVR and cognitive function were compared.
In AD, both parietal GM (p < 0.001) and WM (p < 0.001) SUVRs were higher than in bvFTD. In AD and SD, the WM/GM ratio decreased as the GM SUVR increased, regardless of lobar region. In AD, memory function correlated with parietal GM (ρ = −0.74, p < 0.001) and WM (ρ = −0.53, p < 0.001) SUVR. In SD, language function correlated with temporal GM SUVR (ρ = −0.69, p = 0.006). The frontal WM SUVR was higher in bvFTD than in AD (p = 0.003) or SD (p = 0.017). The frontal WM/GM ratio was higher in bvFTD than in AD (p < 0.001). In bvFTD, the WM/GM ratio increased more prominently than the GM SUVR only in the frontal lobe (R2 = 0.026). In bvFTD, executive function correlated with frontal WM SUVR (ρ = −0.64, p = 0.014).
Frontal WM 18F-THK5351 uptake was higher in bvFTD than in other dementias. The increase in frontal WM uptake was greater than the increase in GM uptake and correlated with executive function. This suggests that frontal lobe WM 18F-THK5351 uptake reflects neuropathological differences between bvFTD and other dementias.
The aim of this study was to verify the reliability and generalizability of an automatic tool for the detection of Alzheimer-related hypometabolic pattern based on a Support-Vector-Machine (SVM) model analyzing 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET data.
The SVM model processed metabolic data from anatomical volumes of interest also considering interhemispheric asymmetries. It was trained on a homogeneous dataset from a memory clinic center and tested on an independent multicentric dataset drawn from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. Subjects were included in the study and classified based on a diagnosis confirmed after an adequate follow-up time.
The accuracy of the discrimination between patients with Alzheimer Disease (AD), in either prodromal or dementia stage, and normal aging subjects was 95.8%, after cross-validation, in the training set. The accuracy of the same model in the testing set was 86.5%. The role of the two datasets was then reversed, and the accuracy was 89.8% in the multicentric training set and 88.0% in the monocentric testing set. The classification rate was also evaluated in different subgroups, including non-converter mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients, subjects with MCI reverted to normal conditions and subjects with non-confirmed memory concern. The percent of pattern detections increased from 77% in early prodromal AD to 91% in AD dementia, while it was about 10% for healthy controls and non-AD patients.
The present findings show a good level of reproducibility and generalizability of a model for detecting the hypometabolic pattern in AD and confirm the accuracy of FDG-PET in Alzheimer disease.
Mutations of cholinergic neuronal nicotinic receptors have been identified in the autosomal dominant nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy (ADNFLE), associated with changes on PET images using [18F]-F-85380-A (F-A-85380), an α4β2 nicotinic receptor ligand. The aim of the present study was to evaluate potential changes in nicotinic receptor availability in other types of epilepsy.
We included 34 male participants, 12 patients with idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE), 10 with non-lesional diurnal focal epilepsy, and 12 age-matched healthy controls. All patients underwent PET/CT using F-A-85380 and [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG), 3D T1 MRI and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). F-A-85380 and FDG images were compared with the control group using a voxel-wise (SPM12) and a volumes of interest (VOI) analysis.
In the group of patients with IGE, the voxel-wise and VOI analyses showed a significant increase of F-A-85380 ratio index of binding potential (BPRI, corresponding to the receptor availability) in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), without structural changes on MRI. At an individual level, F-A-85380 BPRI increase in the ACC could distinguish IGE patients from controls and from patients with focal epilepsy with good accuracy.
We observed focal changes of density/availability of nicotinic receptors in IGE, namely an increase in the ACC. These data suggest that the modulation of α4β2 nicotinic receptors plays a role not only in ADNFLE, but also in other genetic epileptic syndromes such as IGE and could serve as a biomarker of epilepsy syndromes with a genetic background.
Phonetica 2019;76:82 (Source: Phonetica)
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Publication date: Available online 15 January 2019Source: Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: BiologyAuthor(s): Omama E. Elshawi, Asmaa I. NabeelAbstractRadiotherapy is considered as a primary modality for cancer treatment which accompanied by several side effects. Protection of normal tissues from radiation effects is one of the most significant concerns for researchers. Although many compounds acting as radio protectors, only two compounds were licensed clinically. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), as an inflammatory mediator is associated with ROS production with a NF-κB gene up regulation dependent manner in normal tissues. To that extend, his study was designed to target COX-2 and NF-κB by a newly synthesized benzopyran-4-one or chromone derivative; (2E)-2-((4-oxo-4H-chromen-3-yl)...
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Publication date: Available online 14 January 2019Source: Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: BiologyAuthor(s): Zahra Alamzadeh, Jaber Beik, Vahid Pirhajati Mahabadi, Ali Abbasian Ardakani, Alireza Ghader, S. Kamran Kamrava, Amin Shiralizadeh Dezfuli, Habib Ghaznavi, Ali Shakeri-ZadehAbstractThe current chemotherapy method demonstrates the need for improvement in terms of efficacy and safety. Given the beneficiary effect of heat in combination with chemotherapy, the purpose of this study is to develop a multifunctional nanoplatform by co-incorporating gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as photothermal agent and cisplatin as anticancer drug into alginate hydrogel (named as ACA) to enable concurrent thermo-chemotherapy. The in vitro cytotoxicity experiment showed that the as-developed nano...
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. (Source: International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology)
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Conclusion Despite the discrepancies found in the present literature review on vocal fold polyps, there has been a notable scientific progress in the otolaryngologic techniques and in the effectiveness of speech therapy as initial treatment, with direct and indirect techniques, corroborating the need for scientific investigation of the issue. [...] Thieme Revinter Publicações Ltda Rio de Janeiro, BrazilArticle in Thieme eJournals: Table of contents | Abstract | open access Full text (Source: International Archives of Otorhinolaryngology)
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Phonetica 2019;76:82 (Source: Phonetica)
MedWorm Message: Have you tried our new medical search engine? More powerful than before. Log on with your social media account. 100% free.
Publication date: Available online 15 January 2019Source: Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: BiologyAuthor(s): Omama E. Elshawi, Asmaa I. NabeelAbstractRadiotherapy is considered as a primary modality for cancer treatment which accompanied by several side effects. Protection of normal tissues from radiation effects is one of the most significant concerns for researchers. Although many compounds acting as radio protectors, only two compounds were licensed clinically. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), as an inflammatory mediator is associated with ROS production with a NF-κB gene up regulation dependent manner in normal tissues. To that extend, his study was designed to target COX-2 and NF-κB by a newly synthesized benzopyran-4-one or chromone derivative; (2E)-2-((4-oxo-4H-chromen-3-yl)...
from #Head and Neck by Sfakianakis via simeraentaxei on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2VNSDxI
Publication date: Available online 14 January 2019Source: Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: BiologyAuthor(s): Zahra Alamzadeh, Jaber Beik, Vahid Pirhajati Mahabadi, Ali Abbasian Ardakani, Alireza Ghader, S. Kamran Kamrava, Amin Shiralizadeh Dezfuli, Habib Ghaznavi, Ali Shakeri-ZadehAbstractThe current chemotherapy method demonstrates the need for improvement in terms of efficacy and safety. Given the beneficiary effect of heat in combination with chemotherapy, the purpose of this study is to develop a multifunctional nanoplatform by co-incorporating gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as photothermal agent and cisplatin as anticancer drug into alginate hydrogel (named as ACA) to enable concurrent thermo-chemotherapy. The in vitro cytotoxicity experiment showed that the as-developed nano...
from #Head and Neck by Sfakianakis via simeraentaxei on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2QSKIM9
