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99mTc-bisphophonates bone scan, planar and single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) modalities, is a commonly used technique that provides high sensitivity and specificity for detection of osseous metastases. However, besides bone metastases, SPECT/CT provides an accurate evaluation of the localization of the lesions and supplies anatomic information that can be valuable for diagnosis of nonmalignant bone diseases, occasionally disclosed in the skull. Reporting of craniofacial lesions detected by 99mTc-MDP (99mTc-labeled methylene diphosphonate) bone scintigraphy and SPECT/CT in the literature is limited. The aim of this pictorial review is to present the findings detected by 99mTc-MDP bone scintigraphy and SPECT/CT including cases under two broad categories: osteoblastic and hyperostosis craniofacial lesions.

Megaprosthesis is used to restore the form and function of massive skeletal defects, but it is accompanied by risks of failure, mainly due to perimegaprosthetic infection (PMI). In practice, the diagnosis of infected megaprosthesis among patients with a high index of clinical suspicion, elevated serological markers, and multiple negative or inconclusive imaging can be very challenging and poses a diagnostic conundrum to many orthopaedic surgeons. We present the case of a symptomatic 26-year-old female with large B-cell lymphoma who developed cellulitis with suspected complication of PMI 15 months post-implantation. The combination of advanced nuclear medicine imaging strategies, i.e., 99mTc-besilesomab/ 99mTc-sulfur colloid scintigraphy with hybrid single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) scanning helps to characterise and delineate both infections. Invasive procedures such as joint aspiration and biopsy were avoided, and the patient was successfully treated with antibiotics. Hence, we report a case where advanced imaging modalities were decisive in the investigation of PMI.

Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate the sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) method in patients with cancer of the oesophagus or gastro-oesophageal junction (GOJ) guided by preoperative hybrid single-photon emission tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) lymphoscintigraphy. Methods Thirty-nine patients with stage T1-T3, any N-stage, M0 cancer of the oesophagus or GOJ planned for curatively intended esophagectomy underwent preoperative SPECT/CT lymphoscintigraphy following endoscopically guided submucosal injection of radiocolloid and intraoperative radio-guided SLNB using a hand-held gamma scintillation device. Results The detection rate in preoperative SPECT/CT imaging was 88%. The median number of detected SLN stations in preoperative imaging was 1 (range 0-4). At least one suspected SLN was identified in all intraoperative SLNP procedures. In six cases, no lymph nodes were identified in the SLNB. In six cases, the SLNB was false negative. The sensitivity for successful SLNB procedures was 20%, the specificity was 100% and the accuracy was 75%. Conclusions Preoperative SLN mapping using SPECT/CT yields a high number of detected SLN stations compared to previous studies using planar imaging. The accuracy of the SLNB method in patients with predominantly ≥T3-stage tumours and with a history of previous neoadjuvant treatment is poor, and the method is not recommended in these patient groups.

The most commonly accepted pathophysiologic mechanism for the appearance of the “hot rim” sign is inflammatory changes from the gallbladder spreading to and affecting the surrounding liver. The “hot rim” sign has clinical relevance, because it is associated with a high incidence of perforated or gangrenous cholecystitis. The presence of these above-mentioned conditions increases the likelihood of complications and warrants urgent surgical evaluation. We present present the findings of on hepatobiliary scintigraphy and adjunct single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography-fused imaging in a case of acalculous cholecystitis, which has been confirmed on histopathology (marked degree of acute gangrenous cholecystitis).

Current treatment protocols for myocardial infarction improve the outcome of disease to some extent but do not provide the clue for full regeneration of the heart tissues. An increasing body of evidence has shown that transplantation of cells may lead to some organ recovery. However, the optimal stem cell population has not been yet identified. We would like to propose a novel pro-regenerative treatment for post-infarction heart based on the combination of human skeletal myoblasts (huSkM) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). huSkM native or overexpressing gene coding for Cx43 (huSKMCx43) alone or combined with MSCs were delivered in four cellular therapeutic variants into the healthy and post-infarction heart of mice while using molecular reporter probes. Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography/Computed Tomography (SPECT/CT) performed right after cell delivery and 24 h later revealed a trend towards an increase in the isotopic uptake in the post-infarction group of animals treated by a combination of huSkMCx43 with MSC. Bioluminescent imaging (BLI) showed the highest increase in firefly luciferase (fluc) signal intensity in post-infarction heart treated with combination of huSkM and MSCs vs. huSkM alone (p &lt, 0.0001). In healthy myocardium, however, nanoluciferase signal (nanoluc) intensity varied markedly between animals treated with stem cell populations either alone or in combinations with the tendency to be simply decreased. Therefore, our observations seem to show that MSCs supported viability, engraftment, and even proliferation of huSkM in the post-infarction heart.

(1) Background: To comparatively analyze the uptake of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) on pre-therapeutic imaging modalities, the arterial phase multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT), the parenchymal phase C-arm computed tomography (CACT), the Technetium99m-macroaggregates of human serum albumin single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT), and the correlation to the post-therapeutic Yttrium90 positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in patients with selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT). (2) Methods: Between September 2013 and December 2016, 104 SIRT procedures were performed at our institution in 74 patients with HCC not suitable for curative surgery or ablation. Twenty-two patients underwent an identical sequence of pre-therapeutic MDCT, CACT, SPECT/CT, and post-therapeutic PET/CT with a standardized diagnostic and therapeutic protocol. In these 22 patients, 25 SIRT procedures were evaluated. The uptake of the HCC was assessed using tumor-background ratio (TBR). Therefore, regions of interest were placed on the tumor and the adjacent liver tissue on MDCT (TBRMDCT), CACT (TBRCACT), SPECT/CT (TBRSPECT/CT), and PET/CT (TBRPET/CT). Comparisons were made with the Friedman test and the Nemenyi post-hoc test. Correlations were analyzed using Spearman’s Rho and the Benjamini–Hochberg method. The level of significance was p &lt, 0.05. (3) Results: TBR on MDCT (1.4 ± 0.3) was significantly smaller than on CACT (1.9 ± 0.6) and both were significantly smaller compared to SPECT/CT (4.6 ± 2.0) (pFriedman-Test &lt, 0.001, pTBRMDCT/TBRCACT = 0.012, pTBRMDCT/TBRSPECT/CT &lt, 0.001, pTBRCACT/TBRSPECT/CT &lt, 0.001). There was no significant correlation of TBR on MDCT with PET/CT (rTBRMDCT/TBRPET/CT = 0.116, p = 0.534). In contrast, TBR on CACT correlated to TBR on SPECT/CT (rTBRCACT/TBRSPECT/CT = 0.489, p = 0.004) and tended to correlate to TBR on PET/CT (rTBRCACT/TBRPET/CT =0.365, p = 0.043). TBR on SPECT/CT correlated to TBR on PET/CT (rTBRSPECT/CT/TBRPET/CT= 0.706, p &lt, 0.001) (4) Conclusion: The uptake assessment on CACT was in agreement with SPECT/CT and might be consistent with PET/CT. In contrast, MDCT was not comparable to CACT and SPECT/CT, and had no correlation with PET/CT due to the different application techniques. This emphasizes the value of the CACT, which has the potential to improve the dosimetric assessment of the tumor and liver uptake for SIRT.

Background: Computed tomography (CT) and bone scintigraphy (BS) are the imaging modalities currently used for distant metastasis staging of prostate cancer (PCa). Objective: To compare standard staging modalities with newer and potentially more accurate imaging modalities. Design, setting, and participants: This prospective, single-centre trial (NCT03537391) enrolled 80 patients with newly diagnosed high-risk PCa (International Society of Urological Pathology grade group >= 3 and/or prostate-specific antigen [PSA] >= 20 and/or cT >= T3; March 2018-June 2019) to undergo primary metastasis staging with two standard and three advanced imaging modalities. Outcome measurements and statistical analysis: The participants underwent the following five imaging examinations within 2 wk of enrolment and without a prespecified sequence: BS, CT, Tc-99m-hydroxymethylene diphosphonate (Tc-99m-HMDP) single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)-CT, 1.5 T whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (WBMRI) using diffusion-weighted imaging, and F-18-prostate-specific membrane antigen-1007 (F-18-PSMA-1007) positron emission tomography(PET)-CT. Each modality was reviewed by two independent experts blinded to the results of the prior studies, who classified lesions as benign, equivocal, or malignant. Pessimistic and optimistic analyses were performed to resolve each equivocal diagnosis. The reference standard diagnosis was defined using all available information accrued during at least 12 mo of clinical follow-up. Patients with equivocal reference standard diagnoses underwent MRI and/or CT to search for the development of anatomical correspondence. PSMA PET-avid lesions without histopathological verification were rated to be malignant only if there was a corresponding anatomical finding suspicious for malignancy at the primary or follow-up imaging. Results and limitations: Seventy-nine men underwent all imaging modalities except for one case of interrupted MRI. The median interval per patient between the first and the last imaging study was 8 d (interquartile range [IQR]: 6-9). The mean age was 70 yr (standard deviation: 7) and median PSA 12 ng/mL (IQR:7-23). The median follow-up was 435 d (IQR: 378-557). Metastatic disease was detected in 20 (25%) patients. The imaging modality F-18-PSMA-1007 PET-CT had superior sensitivity and highest inter-reader agreement. The area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUC) values for bone metastasis detection with PSMA PET-CT were 0.90 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.85-0.95) and 0.91 (95% CI: 0.87-0.96) for readers 1 and 2, respectively, while the AUC values for BS, CT, SPECT-CT, and WBMRI were 0.71 (95% CI: 0.58-0.84) and 0.8 (95% CI: 0.67-0.92), 0.53 (95% CI: 0.39-0.67) and 0.66 (95% CI: 0.54-0.77), 0.77 (95% CI: 0.65-0.89) and 0.75 (95% CI: 0.62-0.88), and 0.85 (95% CI: 0.74-0.96) and 0.67 (95% CI: 0.54-0.80), respectively, for the other four pairs of readers. The imaging method F-18-PSMA-1007 PET-CT detected metastatic disease in 11/20 patients in whom standard imaging was negative and influenced clinical decision making in 14/79 (18%) patients. In 12/79 cases, false positive bone disease was reported only by PSMA PET-CT. Limitations included a nonrandomised study setting and few histopathologically validated suspicious lesions. Conclusions: Despite the risk of false positive bone lesions, F-18-PSMA-1007 PET-CT outperformed all other imaging methods studied for the detection of primary distant metastasis in high-risk PCa. Patient summary: In this report, we compared the diagnostic performance of conventional and advanced imaging. It was found that F-18-prostate-specific membrane antigen-1007 positron emission tomography/computed tomography (F-18-PSMA-1007 PET-CT) was superior to the other imaging modalities studied for the detection of distant metastasis at the time of initial diagnosis of high-risk prostate cancer. PSMA PET-CT also appears to detect some nonmetastatic bone lesions. (C) 2020 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of European Association of Urology.

We present the case of a 51-year-old female complaining of persistent abdominal pain that started 5 months ago with recent bone pain. Abdomen-pelvic computed tomography (CT) showed a large pelvic mass raising the possibility of a malignant neoplasm. Bone scan was done to rule out bone metastases and showed extraskeletal abdominal tracer uptake with the single-photon emission CT/CT imaging showing the uptake to correspond to multiple calcified peritoneal deposits.

Situs ambiguous or heterotaxy syndrome is defined as the abnormal arrangement of organs and vessels within the body. Herein, we present an 8-year-old girl with growing right-sided suprarenal masses mimicking adrenal tumors. Technetium-99-m-radiolabeled red blood cells' planar images were inconclusive for the diagnosis of splenic tissue in the right side. Single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography imaging clearly identified right-sided functioning spleens and confirmed the diagnosis of situs ambiguous with polysplenia.

Atrial fibrillation is the most common type of cardiac arrhythmia. Identification of an etiological factor for the occurrence and maintenance of atrial fibrillation is of paramount clinical importance and is a necessary condition for successful treatment.The paper describes a clinical case of myocarditis diagnosed in a patient with atrial fibrillation resistant to drug therapy. Additionally, the patient underwent single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography with 99mTc-pyrophosphate to diagnose a myocardial inflammatory process, followed by comparison of results and histological findings.

Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the value of technetium-99m methoxyisobutylisonitrile (99mTc-MIBI) imaging and ultrasound in preoperative localization of parathyroid adenoma (PA) and parathyroid hyperplasia (PH). Participants and methods A retrospective study of 99mTc-MIBI double-phase scintigraphy (DPS) was performed in 187 hyperparathyroidism cases with pathologically diagnosed PA or PH. Of these patients, 167 cases underwent ultrasound, and 146 cases underwent 99mTc-MIBI single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT). The sensitivity and diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound, 99mTc-MIBI DPS, and SPECT/CT were compared between PA and PH. Differences in 99mTc-MIBI DPS, serum parathyroid hormone (PTH), serum calcium and phosphorus, as well as the weight and longest diameter of lesion between PA and PH were also compared. Results As per patient-based analysis, the sensitivity of ultrasound, 99mTc-MIBI DPS, and SPECT/CT was 90.70% (39/43), 95.56% (43/45), and 100.00% (30/30), respectively, for PA, and 93.55% (116/124), 90.85% (129/142), and 93.10% (108/116), respectively, for PH. There were no significant differences in sensitivity of these three imaging methods between PA and PH. However, per lesion-based analysis, the accuracy of ultrasound, 99mTc-MIBI DPS, and SPECT/CT in detecting PA was 78.43% (40/51), 86.79% (46/53) and 96.88% (31/32), respectively, and the accuracy of 99mTc-MIBI DPS was higher than that of ultrasound (χ2=6.507, P=0.011), and for PH, it was 49.69% (160/322), 40.71% (171/420), and 43.80% (152/347), respectively. The accuracy of ultrasound was higher than that of 99mTc-MIBI DPS (χ2=5.940, P=0.015). The accuracy of a combination of all three examinations of ultrasound+99mTc-MIBI DPS, ultrasound+99mTc-MIBI SPECT/CT, 99mTc-MIBI DPS+SPECT/CT, and ultrasound+99mTc-MIBI DPS+99mTc-MIBI SPECT/CT was 51.51% (154/299), 53.85% (161/299), 50.17% (150/299), and 54.18% (162/299), respectively, which was higher than that of ultrasound (χ2=5.273, P=0.022; χ2=8.226, P=0.004; χ2=3.880, P=0.049; χ2=8.702, P=0.003, respectively). Serum levels of PTH and phosphorus were lower in patients with PA than in patients with PH (P

Goiter with an intrathoracic component is relatively common; however, it is less common to see extent outside the anterior or posterior mediastinum. We present a case of intrathoracic goiter of significant size and abnormal placement which is examined using both 99mTc-pertechnetate and iodine-123 single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography.

Meckel’s diverticulum (MD) is a relatively common true congenital diverticulum on the ileum. Bleeding caused by polypoid hyperplasia of ectopic gastric mucosa in MD is rare. A 14-year-old Chinese boy presented with intermittent melena and haematochezia for 1 month. Laboratory data showed normocytic anaemia. Gastroscopic findings were normal. The patient underwent exploratory laparotomy without bowel preparation on day 2 because of sudden haematochezia and decreased haemoglobin. Intraoperative colonoscopy revealed inflammatory changes in the terminal ileal mucosa with diffuse haemorrhage. Melena with decreased haemoglobin recurred 20 days after the first operation. Computed tomography (CT) and angiography revealed a tubular lesion that was localised in the right lower abdominal quadrant. Single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) fusion imaging with 99m-technetium pertechnetate confirmed moderately increased uptake in the distal ileum. Retrograde double-balloon enteroscopy (DBE) showed a diverticulum with prominent mucosal polypoid hyperplasia at an insertion depth of 100 cm from the anastomotic stoma. Diverticulectomy and end-to-end anastomosis were performed, and MD was confirmed by a histopathological examination. The patient’s postoperative recovery was uneventful during the 2-month follow-up. MD with polypoid hyperplasia of ectopic gastric mucosa is rare. Complementary use of DBE and SPECT/CT can accurately diagnose MD by providing anatomical and functional information.

Objectives: To assess the clinical significance and single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) features of atraumatic costal cartilage fracture (CCF) in patients with malignant tumors. Methods: This was a retrospective review of 38 tumor patients with atraumatic CCF referred to SPECT/CT, who were served as the study group (SG). The features of SPECT/CT of atraumatic CCF were assessed. Another 100 tumor patients who underwent chest SPECT/CT and did not have CCF were randomly selected as the control group (CG). In all patients (SG + CG), the diagnostic powers in the detection of atraumatic CCF were computed among CT, SPECT, and SPECT/CT. The final diagnosis was based on pathological findings and radiologic follow-up of at least 1 year. Results: On SPECT/CT images of atraumatic CCF in the SG, fracture lines, irregular calcification, deformation, and swelling were, respectively, noted in 26.3, 47.4, 34.2, and 18.4% of lesions; low, moderate, and high uptake were, respectively, noted in 13.2, 52.6, and 34.2% of lesions. In all patients (SG + CG), the diagnostic powers in the detection of atraumatic CCF of CT, SPECT, and SPECT/CT were as follows: sensitivity 63.2, 100.0, and 92.1%; specificity 86.0, 81.0, and 94.0%; negative predictive value 86.0, 100.0, and 96.9%; positive predictive value 63.1, 66.7, and 85.4%; and area under the curve value 0.746, 0.905, and 0.931. Conclusions: Atraumatic CCF has certain characteristic appearances on SPECT/CT. It should be enrolled in the differential diagnoses when costal cartilages of patients with malignant tumors show abnormal elevated 99mTc-MDP uptake on scintigraphy. Single-photon emission computed tomography/CT has excellent diagnostic power in detecting atraumatic CCF.

Fibrous dysplasia (FD) is a benign fibroosseous bone disorder. It has poliostotic and monostotic patterns. Monostotic FD is frequently asymptomatic and is usually discovered incidentally by radiologic imaging performed for other reasons. Bone scintigraphy is valuable for identifying disease extent. Craniofacial FD (CFD) is a form of the disease where lesions are limited to contiguous bones of the craniofacial skeleton. We presented a case with monostotic CFD who was detected incidentally on bone scintigraphy single-photon emission computed tomography/computerized tomography while being investigated for inflammatory arthropaties.Fibröz displazi (FD) kemiklerin iyi huylu bir fibroosseöz bozukluğudur. Poliyostatik ve monostatik formları vardır. Monostatik FD sıklıkla asemptomatiktir ve genellikle radyolojik görüntülerde tesadüfen fark edilir. Kemik sintigrafisi hastalığın yayılımını belirlemede değerlidir. Kraniyofasiyal FD (CFD) hastalığın kraniyofasiyal iskeletin kemiklerine sınırlı olduğu bir formudur. Enflamatuvar artropati yönünden araştırılırken tesadüfen kemik sintigrafisinde tek-foton emisyon bilgisayarlı tomografi/bilgisayarlı tomografi ile tespit edilen bir monostatik CFD olgusunu takdim ediyoruz. Anahtar kelimeler: Kraniyofasiyal fibröz displazi, teknesyum-99m-metilen difosfonat kemik sintigrafisi, tek-foton emisyon bilgisayarlı tomografi/bilgisayarlı tomografi.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the additive value of 99mtechnetium methylene diphosphonate (99mTc-MDP) hybrid single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT-CT) in the diagnosis of skull base osteomyelitis (SBO) compared to planar bone scintigraphy (PBS). This was a single institution; prospective study included 23 patients with otitis externa, clinically suspected of SBO, all of them were diabetic. Three-phase bone scintigraphy and SPECT/CT were performed to all patients. The imaging modalities which had the most equivocal results were PBS (9/23) followed by SPECT (3/23). No equivocal results were detected with CT or SPECT-CT. SPECT-CT had the highest sensitivity (100%) and highest accuracy (95.7%) in diagnosis of SBO, whereas, PBS showed the lowest sensitivity (50%) and lowest accuracy (52.2%). In this study, SPECT-CT considered the best modality for accurate localization of the site of SBO involvement, followed by CT. SPECT and planar BS were less accurate in this consideration. When comparing the sensitivity of planar BS, CT, SPECT and SPECT/CT, statistical significance difference was detected between planar BS and SPECT (P = 0.057), planar BS and SPECT/CT (P = 0.001), and between CT and SPECT/CT (P = 0.031). No statistically significant difference was detected between SPECT and SPECT/CT (P = 0.250), CT and planar BS (P = 0.125), and between CT and SPECT (P = 0.508) In conclusion, 99Tc-MDP SPECT/CT has high sensitivity in the diagnosis of SBO and also provide accurate localization of the site of SBO.

Hyperparathyroidism and concurrent thyroid nodular disease are prominent. In contrast, concomitant papillary thyroid cancer and hyperparathyroidism are uncommon (1%–2%). Parathyroid adenomas in unusual locations are difficult to detect by conventional diagnostic imaging. 99mTc-sestamibi single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) has increased the localizing success rate of these lesions since it provides specific functional and anatomical information, improving exploratory parathyroid surgery planning and decreasing operative time, unnecessary dissections, complications, and morbidity. We confirmed its usefulness in a patient with an occult parathyroid adenoma that was clearly identified by 99mTc-sestamibi SPECT/CT 2 weeks after a thyroidectomy for papillary carcinoma. The SPECT/CT results allowed us to successfully perform efficient reexploration of the thyroid bed, in a retroesophageal parathyroid adenoma by minimally invasive surgery.

Background During (robot-assisted) sentinel node (SN) biopsy procedures, intraoperative fluorescence imaging can be used to enhance radioguided SN excision. For this combined pre- and intraoperative SN identification was realized using the hybrid SN tracer, indocyanine green- 99m Tc-nanocolloid. Combining this dedicated SN tracer with a lymphangiographic tracer such as fluorescein may further enhance the accuracy of SN biopsy. Objective Clinical evaluation of a multispectral fluorescence guided surgery approach using the dedicated SN tracer ICG- 99m Tc-nanocolloid, the lymphangiographic tracer fluorescein, and a commercially available fluorescence laparoscope. Design, setting, and participants Pilot study in ten patients with prostate cancer. Following ICG- 99m Tc-nanocolloid administration and preoperative lymphoscintigraphy and single-photon emission computed tomograpy imaging, the number and location of SNs were determined. Fluorescein was injected intraprostatically immediately after the patient was anesthetized. A multispectral fluorescence laparoscope was used intraoperatively to identify both fluorescent signatures. Surgical procedure Multispectral fluorescence imaging during robot-assisted radical prostatectomy with extended pelvic lymph node dissection and SN biopsy. Measurements ( 1) Number and location of preoperatively identified SNs. (2) Number and location of SNs intraoperatively identified via ICG- 99m Tc-nanocolloid imaging. (3) Rate of intraoperative lymphatic duct identification via fluorescein imaging. (4) Tumor status of excised (sentinel) lymph node(s). (5) Postoperative complications and follow-up. Results and limitations Near-infrared fluorescence imaging of ICG- 99m Tc-nanocolloid visualized 85.3% of the SNs. In 8/10 patients, fluorescein imaging allowed bright and accurate identification of lymphatic ducts, although higher background staining and tracer washout were observed. The main limitation is the small patient population. Conclusion Our findings indicate that a lymphangiographic tracer can provide additional information during SN biopsy based on ICG- 99m Tc-nanocolloid. The study suggests that multispectral fluorescence image–guided surgery is clinically feasible. Patient summary We evaluated the concept of surgical fluorescence guidance using differently colored dyes that visualize complementary features. In the future this concept may provide better guidance towards diseased tissue while sparing healthy tissue, and could thus improve functional and oncologic outcomes.

The complex anatomy and function of the foot and ankle can make it difficult to determine the cause of symptoms in patients with foot and ankle pathology. Following initial clinical and radiographic assessment, additional imaging with magnetic resonance imaging may be required, which is often seen as the modality of choice. Although sensitive to pathological changes in bone metabolism and vascularity, technetium-99m (Tc-99m) bone scintigraphy often lacks the specificity and resolution required to evaluate the structures of the foot and ankle. Tc-99m methylene diphosphonate single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) combines this sensitivity with the superior anatomical detail of CT, enabling better localization of pathological uptake and evaluation of associated structural changes. As a result, SPECT/CT has been growing in popularity for the assessment of patients with foot and ankle pathology where it can provide additional information that may change the initial diagnosis and subsequent management plan. Studies have reported modification of the surgical approach and site of intra-articular local anesthetic injections following SPECT/CT with good results. Interpretation of SPECT/CT studies requires an understanding of the pathological changes that result in increased tracer accumulation in addition to the CT changes that may be seen. This review aims to highlight the advantages of SPECT/CT, potential applications and explain the imaging appearances of common pathologies that may be observed.

Stress fractures are injuries most commonly seen in the lower limbs and are usually caused by repetitive stress. While the distal and middle third of the tibia is the most frequent site for stress fractures (almost 50%), stress fractures of the proximal tibia is relatively rare and could be confused with other types of tibial fractures, thus altering management plans for the clinician. Early diagnosis of stress fractures is also important to avoid complications. Imaging plays an important role in the diagnosis of stress fractures, especially bone scan. Combined with single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) it is an important imaging technique for stress fractures in both upper and lower extremities, and is widely preferred over other imaging techniques. In this case, we present the case of a 39-year-old male patient diagnosed with stress fracture of the proximal tibia and demonstrate the contribution of CT scan fused with SPECT imaging in the early diagnosis of stress fracture prior to other imaging modalities.Stres kırıkları çoğunlukla alt ekstremitede görülen ve genellikle tekrarlayan strese bağlı gelişen yaralanmalardır. Tibia orta kesimi ve distali stres kırıklarının en sık görüldüğü bölgeler iken (yaklaşık %50), proksimal tibianın stres kırıkları nispeten nadirdir, diğer kırık türleriyle karıştırılabilir ve bu durum klinisyenin tedavi planını etkileyebilir. Stres kırıklarının erken tanısı komplikasyonları önlemek açısından önemlidir. Görüntüleme yöntemleri, stres kırıklarının teşhisinde önemli bir rol oynamaktadır. Özellikle tek-foton emisyon bilgisayarlı tomografi/bilgisayarlı tomografi (SPECT/BT) ile birleştirilen kemik sintigrafisi hem üst hem de alt ekstremite stres kırıkları için önemli bir görüntüleme tekniğidir ve diğer görüntüleme tekniklerine göre çok daha fazla tercih edilmektedir. Bu yazıda proksimal tibiada stres kırığı tanısı alan 39 yaşındaki bir erkek hastanın hikayesini sunuyor ve stres kırığının erken tanısında SPECT/BT taramasının katkısını gösteriyoruz. Anahtar kelimeler: Stres kırığı, proksimal tibia, kemik sintigrafisi, tek-foton emisyonlu bilgisayarlı tomografi/bilgisayarlı tomografi.

Many causes of incidental focal uptake on raw data images using myocardial perfusion imaging, including malignant diseases, metastatic processes, benign pathologies, and physiological conditions, have been reported in the literature. However, iatrogenic 99mTc sestamibi emboli have not yet been reported. Herein, we demonstrated iatrogenic 99mTc sestamibi embolization on consecutive rest and stressed myocardial perfusion images at different locations.

We present a case of suspected idiopathic Parkinson's disease in whom extrastriatal accumulation of Technetium-99m labeled tropane derivatives in a pituitary macroadenoma interfered with image quality and interpretation. Subsequent F-18 fluoro-dihydroxyphenylalanine positron emission tomography/computed tomography was useful to demonstrate the absence of presynaptic dopaminergic dysfunction.

A 45-year-old male with a history of trauma was referred to the department of nuclear medicine to identify site of a biliary leak, which could not be identified in ultrasound and exploratory laparotomy. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) was able to identify lacerations in the right lobe of the liver, but the extent of injury to the biliary pathways and vessels was unclear. 99mTc-HIDA scintigraphy with single-photon emission CT/CT was not only able to identify the site of leak but also the extent of infarcted area.

Purpose To identify the non-neoplastic variants of the sternal uptake in patients known to have a primary tumor, referred for detection of metastases elsewhere. Materials and methods This retrospective study was approved by the Institutional Review Board. Fifty eligible patients (17 males & 33 females) known to have a primary tumor underwent 99mTc-MDP-bone scan for detection of metastases. All patients underwent SPECT/CT of the chest region. For each patient, 10 subsites were evaluated (right & left sternoclavicular joints, right and left first costo-sternal articulation, manubrium sterni, manubriosternal junction, body of the sternum, xiphisternal junction, xiphoid process and other sub-sites (e.g. chondro-sternal articulations)). The uptake was described as normal or abnormal. CT findings were categorized as normal/abnormal (arthritis, degenerative, developmental & congenital). Any patient with suspicious metastatic sternal lesion based on CT findings or abnormal tracer uptake was excluded. Results A total of 500 sub-sites were analyzed. Increased uptake was seen in 189 sub-sites. Of them, 133 showed abnormal CT findings (95 arthritis, 33 degenerative, 3 developmental & 2 congenital) and 56 sites were unremarkable. Of the 311 with normal uptake, only 18 showed abnormal CT findings (8 arthritis & 10 degenerative). The association was statistically significant (P Conclusion Increased sternal uptake is significantly associated with CT structural abnormalities and knowledge of these non-neoplastic variants is essential for correct interpretation of SPECT/CT bone scans especially in patients with known cancers.

The aim of this study was to disclose the prevalence of myocardial ischemia, as detected by adenosine stress myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) with hybrid single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT), in asymptomatic diabetic and pre-diabetic patients and to find out whether ischemia predicted the occurrence of adverse cardiac/cerebrovascular events (ACCE) at follow-up.Forty-three diabetic and thirty-five pre-diabetic asymptomatic patients without any history of coronary artery disease, underwent MPI and were followed-up for a 12.8±2.2 (8-19) months for the occurrence of ACCE. Baseline variables that would predict the presence of ischemia and the value of ischemia on MPI for predicting the occurrence of ACCE at follow-up were evaluated by logistic regression analysis.Ischemia was detected in ten (23.3%) of the diabetic and in four (11.4%) of the pre-diabetic patients. The presence of diabetes was the only independent predictor of myocardial ischemia [odds ratio (OR): 12.31, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.83-82.66; p0.01]. During 12.8±2.2 (8-19) months of follow-up, ACCE was observed in five out of 78 (6.4%) patients. Patients with ischemia were significantly more likely to have ACCE during follow-up as compared to those with normal MPI scans (event rates: 21.4% vs. 3.1%, OR: 8.455 95% CI: 1.264-56.562, p=0.038).Myocardial ischemia as detected by adenosine stress SPECT/CT in a population of asymptomatic patients with diabetes mellitus or pre-diabetes appeared to predict the occurrence of ACCE at follow-up.Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı asemptomatik diyabetik ve pre-diyabetik hastalarda stres miyokardiyal perfüzyon tek foton emisyon bilgisayarlı tomografi/bilgisayarlı tomografi miyokard perfüzyon sintigrafisi (MPS) ile miyokardiyal iskemi prevalansını belirlemek ve iskemi bulgularının takipte istenmeyen kardiyak ve serebrovasküler olayları öngörüp görmediğini saptamaktır. Yöntem: Daha önce bilinen koroner arter hastalığı olmayan 43 diyabetik ve 35 pre-diyabetik asemptomatik hastaya MPS yapılarak, hastalar istenmeyen kardiyak/serebrovasküler olaylar açısından ortalama 12,8±2,2 (8-19) ay takip edildi. İskemiyi öngören bazal değişkenler ve MPS’nin takipte istenmeyen kardiyovasküler olayları öngörmedeki değeri lojistik regresyon modeli ile değerlendirildi. Bulgular: Diyabetik hastaların onunda (%23,3) ve pre-diyabetik hastaların dördünde (%11,4) MPS ile iskemi saptandı. Miyokardiyal iskemi açısından tek bağımsız risk faktörü diabetes mellitus varlığı idi (odds ratio (OR): 12,31, %95 güven aralığı (GA): 1,83-82,66; p0,01). Ortalama 12,8±2,2 (8-19) aylık takip süresi boyunca yetmiş sekiz hastanın beşinde (%6,4) istenmeyen kardiyovasküler olay gelişti. Sintigrafide iskemi bulgusu olanların takibinde kardiyovasküler olay gelişme riski, normal MPS bulguları olanlara göre belirgin olarak yüksekti (olay oranı: %21,4 ile %3,1, OR: 8,455 %95 GA: 1,264-56,562, p=0,038). Sonuç: Adenozin stres SPECT/CT ile saptanan iskeminin asemptomatik diyabetik ve pre-diyabetik hastalarda takipte gelişecek olan kardiyovasküler olayları öngördüğü söylenebilir.

Objectives: Single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) hybrid systems have the advantage of performing various scans using the same imaging setting. Absorption and scattering of the gamma rays by the patient’s body significantly affect images obtained from scintigraphy, especially in myocardial perfusion imaging. An important parameter for image quality in SPECT is image contrast which is defined as the difference in density between regions of the image corresponding to different levels of radioactive uptake in the patient. The objective of the study was to evaluate the influence of applying different correction methods on image contrast of myocardial SPECT/CT images. Material and Methods: A total of 114 patients, 43 females and 71 males, patient’s raw data were processed and analyzed using attenuation correction (AC), scatter correction (SC), both attenuation and scatter correction together (ACSC), and no correction (NC). The short axis (coronal) slices resulted from the raw data reconstruction were chosen to perform the processing for hot and cold spheres for contrast values measurement. Statistical analysis was made for the measured contrast values for AC, SC, ACSC, and NC to determine the best image contrast. Results: When applying SC alone, it yields better contrast value (0.834), compared to AC (0.677) and ACSC (0.739). Both ACSC and AC had better image contrast compared to NC (0.592). Conclusion: The intercomparison study between the correction conditions indicates that the counts in SPECT/ CT are highly affected by all correction methods. The image contrast has been significantly improved by using SC, AC, and ACSC when compared with the NC image. Furthermore, SC is superior in the image contrast than the other correction conditions in the reconstruction of SPECT/CT MPI.

Repair of medial meniscus posterior root tear (MMPRT) is considered as an effective early intervention strategy for osteoarthritis. We aimed at evaluating whether or not single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) could predict the treatment outcome. Eleven patients with MMPRT who underwent preoperative SPECT/CT were retrospectively enrolled. Clinical symptoms were evaluated based on the knee injury and osteoarthritis outcome score (KOOS) and visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain. The uptake pattern of the medial tibial plateau (MTP) on SPECT/CT was visually assessed. Additionally, the maximum lesion-to-cortical counts ratio (LCRmax) for the anterior and posterior aspects of MTP and anterior-posterior MTP ratio (APR) were quantitatively assessed. Spearman correlation analyses were performed between the change in clinical symptom scores and preoperative SPECT/CT patterns. All patients showed increased radiotracer uptake in MTP. Among them, 8 (73%) showed dominant uptake in the anterior aspect of MTP. The rest 3 (27%) showed posterior-dominant uptake. Patients with anterior-dominant patterns tended to show better outcomes in terms of the postoperative KOOS score (P = .07). Anterior MTP LCRmax showed a negative correlation with the change in VAS (ρ = −0.664, P

A cervicogenic headache (CEH) is difficult to diagnose due to its varied pathology. We evaluated the usefulness of single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) in diagnosing CEH and its interventional treatment. Retrospectively, 23 patients diagnosed with CEH between March 2016 to August 2018 were allocated to SPECT/CT (n = 11) and control (n = 12) groups. The SPECT/CT group was further stratified into SPECT/CT(+) and SPECT/CT(-) groups according to the presence of positive findings. Patients in the SPECT/CT group underwent an intra-articular injection at a radiologically verified lesion site, whereas those in the control group underwent third occipital nerve block. Clinical outcomes were evaluated with the visual analog scale (VAS), neck disability index (NDI), and global perceived effect (GPE) scale at baseline, and at one, three, and six months postoperatively. The SPECT/CT group showed less VAS, NDI, and GPE scores at six months postoperatively (2.91 &plusmn, 2.30 vs. 4.42 &plusmn, 1.62, p = 0.08, 38.00 &plusmn, 16.54 vs. 48.7 &plusmn, 12.40, p = 0.093, 2.00 &plusmn, 1.41 vs. 3.17 &plusmn, 1.11, p = 0.039). Successful responders at six months postoperatively were higher in the SPECT/CT(+) group than in the control group (75% vs. 0%). SPECT/CT can identify arthritic changes and accurately define therapeutic targets.

Somatostatin receptor-targeted alpha radionuclide therapies have been introduced including actinium-225 labeled tetraazacyclododecanetetraacetic acid–octreotide (Ac-225 DOTATATE) for advanced metastatic neuroendocrine tumors (NET). Very limited data are available on the posttherapy imaging using Ac-225 DOTATATE therapy in metastatic NET. We present Ac-225 single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography images of a 72-year-old patient diagnosed as a case of advanced rectal NET treated primarily with Ac-225 DOTATATE.

During follow-up of thyroid cancer, 131I whole-body scan showed intense tracer uptake in the right hemithorax of a patient previously submitted to thyroidectomy and radioiodine therapy for differentiated thyroid cancer. Thyroglobulin was undetectable at the time of the scan. Single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) of the thorax correctly identified widespread bronchiectasis 131I-avid in the middle lobe of the right lung. After bronchoalveolar lavage, a bronchial specimen was positive for Mycobacterium avium infection. Hybrid imaging with SPECT/CT allowed to correctly identify a false-positive case of 131I uptake due to inflammation in a single diagnostic session, minimizing patient discomfort or misdiagnoses.

Osteopetrosis is a rare inherited bone disease where bones harden and become abnormally dense. While the diagnosis is clinical, it also greatly relies on appearance of the skeleton radiographically. X-ray, radionuclide bone scintigraphy and magnetic resonance imaging have been reported to identify characteristics of osteopetrosis. We present an interesting case of a 59-year-old man with a history of bilateral hip fractures. He underwent (99m)Tc-methylene diphosphonate whole body scan supplemented with single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography of spine, which showed increased uptake in the humeri, tibiae and femora, which were in keeping with osteopetrosis.

To assess the added value of single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) in patients with end-stage renal failure (ESRF) or renal transplant recipients in whom focal infection was suspected. Gallium-67 (Ga-67) citrate scintigrams of 18 patients (10 in ESRF and eight with renal transplants) were reviewed. Sites of abnormal uptake seen on the whole body and SPECT were noted. A SPECT/CT was also reviewed to see if additional information could be obtained. Imaging results were compared with the final diagnosis. Overall, 14 out of 18 (78%) patients had a proven cause to explain symptoms while four patients did not have a final cause identified. Infection was proven in the final diagnosis in 12 out of 14 (86%) patients. Of the 10 patients with ESRF, six had confirmed infection with the Ga-67 citrate study correctly identifying five out of six (83%) patients, and SPECT/CT providing additional information in four out of five (80%) patients. In the eight renal transplant recipients, six had a confirmed source of infection (all identified by the Ga-67 citrate study). SPECT/CT provided additional information in two out of six (33%) patients. Ga-67 citrate imaging had an overall sensitivity of 13/14 (93%), with one false negative. SPECT/CT provided an additional contribution in eight out of 18 (44%) patients by better defining the location/extent of infection and differentiating the physiological from the pathological uptake.

The American Society of Clinical Oncology guidelines recommend sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) for all patients with melanoma tumors of intermediate thickness (between 1 and 4 mm). In case of patients with thick melanoma tumors (>4 mm), SLNB may be recommended as well, for staging purposes and to facilitate regional disease control. We report a case of an 82-year-old man, undergone excision of a cutaneous melanoma of the right thigh, which shows some limitation of SLNB in thick melanoma. Lymphoscintigraphy, performed as single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT), failed to identify the real sentinel lymph node, as tracer uptake was seen in A right inguinal node. Due to the presence on CT co-registered images of another suspicious node (with no radiopharmaceutical uptake) in the crural region, and considering the "high-risk" pathologic features of the removed primary lesion, a 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/CT (18F-FDG PET/CT) staging scan was planned. PET/CT showed high metabolic activity in the suspected crural lymphadenopathy. Histopathology demonstrated massive invasion of the crural ("sentinel") node and no metastatic cells in the inguinal node. This report highlights both the higher accuracy of lymphoscintigraphy, when performed as SPECT/CT and the potential utility of 18F-FDG PET/CT in regional staging.

A 72-year-old male with a history of prostate cancer and high prostate specific antigen levels underwent 99mtechnetium-methylene diphosphonate (99mTc-MDP) single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT), to identify bone metastasis. The patient possessed no previous history of serious illnesses or surgical procedures and no family history of malignancies. A whole-body CT scan revealed an intense MDP uptake in the right inguinal region on the anterior view, but not in the posterior view, which was suspected to be a metastatic lesion. However, there was no evidence of bone metastasis on the CT scan. In addition, an increased 99mTc-MDP uptake was indicated on the SPECT images in the right inguinal region, which appeared to be separate from the main bladder activity. CT images of the pelvis revealed an inferior tongue-like extension of the bladder into the right inguinal region. Fused SPECT/CT axial images indicated the circular accumulation of the 99mTc-MDP in the medial right groin, with well-defined walls that connected the accumulation to the bladder. The final diagnosis was a bladder hernia (T2N0M0), which may have been responsible for the misdiagnosis of bone metastasis due to the use of radiopharmaceuticals (99mTc-MDP) that were mainly excreted through urination. Considering the comprehensive situation of the patient, radical prostatectomy was performed. The bladder hernia was subsequently monitored by follow-up examination every 3 months, and remains alive and under follow-up to date.

We describe the lymphoscintigraphy findings of a 25-year-old female patient who was undergoing presurgical workup for lymphangiomas of the vulva. She had a history of treatment for disseminated tuberculosis 6 years back and presented with herpetiform oozing vesicles in the external genitalia. Single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) confirmed cutaneous tracer accumulation in the vulval lesions and demonstrated the presence of densely calcified inguinal nodes secondary to healed tuberculosis as the etiology of secondary lymphangioma.

In breast cancer, single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) shows the exact anatomical location of sentinel nodes (SN). SPECT/CT mainly exposes axilla and partly exposes atypical sites of extra-axillary lymphatic drainage. The mechanism of how the atypical hot nodes are involved in lymphatic metastasis was retrospectively investigated in the present study, particularly at the level II/III region. SPECT/CT was performed in 92 clinical stage 0-IIA breast cancer patients. Sentinel lymph nodes are depicted as hot nodes in SPECT/CT. Patients were divided into two groups: With or without hot node in level II/III on SPECT/CT. The existence of metastasis in level II/III was investigated and the risk factors were identified. A total of 12 patients were sentinel lymph node biopsy metastasis positive and axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) was performed. These patients were divided into two groups: With and without SN in level II/III, and nodes in level II/III were pathologically proven. In 11 of the 92 patients, hot nodes were detected in level II/III. There was a significant difference in node metastasis depending on whether there were hot nodes in level II/III (P=0.0319). Multivariate analysis indicated that the hot nodes in level II/III and lymphatic invasion were independent factors associated with node metastasis. There were 12 SN-positive patients followed by ALND. In four of the 12 patients, hot nodes were observed in level II/III. Two of the four patients with hot nodes depicted by SPECT/CT and metastatic nodes were pathologically evident in the same lesion. Therefore, the present study indicated that the hot node in level II/III as depicted by SPECT/CT may be a risk of SN metastasis, including deeper nodes.

We report a 15-year-old girl referred to our department for a brain perfusion study with a diagnosis of Parry-Romberg syndrome with left hemifacial atrophy and left enophthalmos. In the presence of a normal magnetic resonance imaging, Tc-99m ECD brain perfusion revealed left temporal lobe hypoperfusion with preserved perfusion in rest of the cortical and subcortical regions and both cerebellar hemispheres.

Cherubism, a rare hereditary fibro-osseous lesion characterized by painless expansion of jaws, starts early in life manifesting itself fully in the second decade of life and is almost regressed in the third decade. Here, we report a sporadic case of Cherubism with clinico-radiological and scintigraphic presentation of its classical features for its disease rarity and single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography findings with review the literature.

Purpose We sought to further localize radioiodine activity in the mouth on post-thyroid cancer therapy imaging using single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT). Materials and methods We retrospectively reviewed all patients (58) who underwent thyroid cancer therapy with iodine-131 (131I) at our institution from August 2009 to March 2011 whose post-therapy radioiodine imaging included neck SPECT/CT. A small group (six) of diagnostic 123I scans including SPECT/CT was also reviewed. Separately, we performed in-vitro 131I (sodium iodide) binding assays with amalgam and Argenco HP 77 (77% dental gold alloy) as proof of principle for these interactions. Results Of the 58 post-therapy patients, 45 (78%) had undergone metallic dental restorations, and of them 41 (91%) demonstrated oral 131I activity localizing preferentially to those restorations. It was observed that radioiodine also localized to other dental restorations and to orthodontic hardware. Gum-line activity in edentulous patients suggests radioiodine interaction with denture adhesive. In vitro, dental amalgam and Argenco HP 77 bound 131I in a time-dependent manner over 1–16 days of exposure. Despite subsequent washings with normal saline, significant 131I activity (maximally 12% for amalgam and 68% for Argenco HP 77) was retained by these metals. Subsequent soaking in a saturated solution of potassium iodide partially displaced 131I from amalgam, with near-total displacement of 131I from Argenco HP 77. Conclusion SPECT/CT shows that radioiodine in the oral cavity localizes to metallic dental restorations. Furthermore, in-vitro studies demonstrate partially reversible binding of 131I to common dental metals.

Tumoral calcinosis (TC) is an uncommon ectopic calcification syndrome. TC is a benign condition characterized by the presence of large calcific soft tissue deposits occurring predominantly in a periarticular location. It generally occurs as a complication of renal dialysis or trauma, and is rarely seen in familial and sporadic cases. Bone scintigraphy is a sensitive method for diagnosing TC. We report a case of year old female with. She underwent bone scintigraphy to see the sites of involvement, which showed intense foci of tracer activity in soft tissue in bilateral thigh and gluteal region. Hybrid single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography of the pelvis and thigh localized tracer uptake to the calcification in the gluteal and thigh region.

Tc-99m TRODAT is cocaine analog and binds to the dopamine transporter in vivo. Tc-99m TRODAT single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography. (SPECT/CT) is useful for demonstrating presynaptic dopaminergic dysfunction in patients with Parkinsonism. However, few reports have shown extrastriatal uptake of Tc-99m TRODAT. We present the case of a 67-year-old male who underwent Tc-99m TRODAT SPECT/CT for evaluation of Parkinsonism. In addition to tracer binding in the striatum, tracer uptake was noted in an osteoid tumor of the clivus. Integrated SPECT/CT enabled precise localization and characterization of the extrastriatal site of tracer binding and emphasizes the importance of such coincidental findings.

Enhanced accumulation of the radiotracer at superior lateral orbital margin is a common finding in bone scintigraphy. Its possible sources are discussed and illustrated with examples from own archive of the authors as well as from the literature. These sources include: Physiologically enhanced bone metabolism at frontozygomatic suture (normal variant), a metastasis at this suture (illustrated with an example of solitary metastasis from prostate cancer), lesions to the zygomatic bone or the greater wing of the sphenoid bone, deepened fossa for lacrimal gland and the gland itself.

We present a case report where Tc-99m sulfur colloid single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/computed tomography (CT) scan was useful in characterizing a soft tissue abdominal mass and helped with patient management. A 63-year-old male with no previous history of trauma had an incidental finding of a soft tissue nodule adjacent to the splenic hilum, unchanged in size over 4 months and with similar enhancing features as the spleen. A Tc-99m sulfur colloid SPECT/CT scan was performed to determine the nature of the nodule. It showed no uptake of tracer within this mass, therefore excluding splenic tissue. This prompted subsequent investigations and this tissue was found to represent a pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor, which was excised.

Tc-99m labeled red blood cell (RBC) scintigraphy is one of the most sensitive tests to diagnose occult gastrointestinal (GI) bleed. Visualization of gallbladder is a rare finding in this study. Most of the previously reported cases with similar false-positive finding were associated chronic renal failure, anemia, and received multiple blood transfusions. Thus, while interpreting GI bleed scan, a thorough clinical history is of utmost importance to avoid any false-positive findings. Here, we report a case of gallbladder visualization in 99mTc-RBC scintigraphy confirmed by single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography in a patient with chronic renal failure and anemia with failed renal transplant within 3 months.

Purpose of Study: Loss of dopamine neurons in the brain is a characteristic feature of Parkinson's disease (PD). TRODAT-1 is a tropane derivative that binds to dopamine transporter (DAT) receptors. It can be used for noninvasive in vivo imaging of DAT receptors leading to the early detection of PD. The present study aims to optimize the in-house radiolabeling of TRODAT-1 with Tc-99 m in hospital radiopharmacy set up along with performing single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography imaging in patients with PD. Materials and Methods: Radiolabeling was performed through transchelation method. For optimization studies, varied amount of glucoheptonate (GHA) and stannous chloride was incubated with Tc-99 m for 10 min at room temperature. TRODAT-1 was added to the reaction mixture followed by incubation at 95°C for various time intervals. Phosphate buffer saline was added to maintain the pH of the final product. After performing the quality checks, whole-body imaging was performed to check the biodistribution in 4 patients at 1 h postinjection of 20–25 mCi (740–925 MBq) of Tc-99 m-TRODAT-1. Regional brain imaging was performed at 3–4 h. Clinical evaluation was done in control (n = 5) and in patients with PD (n = 5). Results: Radiolabeling yield of 100% was achieved by incubating TRODAT-1 with Tc-99 m GHA. All the quality control indicated the suitability of radiopharmaceutical for the intravenous administration. Good uptake of Tc-99 m TRODAT-1 was observed in the striatum of normal patients. However, decreased uptake was seen in patients with PD. Conclusion: Tc-99 m TRODAT-1 is a potential radiopharmaceutical for the diagnosis and staging PD which can be radiolabeled in-house with good yield leading to its easy availability.

An 83-year-old male patient with ventriculoperitoneal shunt underwent radionuclide shunt study using single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) to evaluate the shunt patency. The planar images showed activity at the cranial region and spinal canal but no significant activity at the peritoneal cavity. However, SPECT/CT images clearly demonstrated accumulation of activity at the superior part of bifurcation level with no activity at the distal end of shunt as well as no spilling of radiotracer into the peritoneal cavity indicating shunt obstruction. SPECT/CT makes the interpretation of radionuclide shunt study more accurate and easier as compared with traditional planar images.

Pheochromocytomas are rare catecholamine-secreting tumors derived from the sympathetic nervous system. The most common sites of metastasis for pheochromocytoma or extra-adrenal paraganglioma are lymph nodes, bones, lungs, and liver. Patients with known or suspected malignancy should undergo staging with computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging as well as functional imaging (e.g. with 123 I/ 131 I-MIBG ( 131 I-metaiodobenzylguanidine) and 68 Ga-DOTANOC ( 68 Ga-labeled [1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid]-1-NaI3-octreotide) positron emission tomography (PET)/CT) to determine the extent and location of disease. We present a case of recurrent malignant pheochromocytoma with unusual site of metastasis in omentum, which was positive on 68 Ga-DOTANOC PET/CT and 131 I-MIBG single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT/)/CT scintigraphy.