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Several articles have assessed the role of preoperative serum thyroglobulin (Tg) as predictor of malignancy of thyroid nodules, with particular focus on nodules with indeterminate cytology. However, the role of serum Tg as diagnostic marker remains unclear. The aim of the study was to perform a systematic review to add more evidence-based data on this topic. A comprehensive literature search was conducted to find relevant published articles on this topic. MeSH terms were: "thyroglobulin" and "predict * ". In order to include only recent serum Tg assay methods, we analyzed the timeframe between 2001 and July 31st, 2014. To expand our search, references of the retrieved articles were also screened. Thirteen studies, including 3 580 patients, were analyzed. Nine out of these studies reported data on thyroid nodules with prior indeterminate cytology. Preoperative serum Tg levels demonstrated suboptimal accuracy in discriminating malignant from benign nodules due to a significant overlap of values between these groups. However, most articles demonstrated a statistically significant difference in mean or median serum Tg between patients with cancer and benign lesions correlated to final histology. Furthermore, most studies reported Tg as independent predictor of malignancy. According to the most recent literature, the preoperative measurement of Tg alone fails to discriminate thyroid cancers from benign lesions. However, our data show that Tg is an independent predictor of malignancy; as a consequence, the presurgical determination of Tg should be considered in patients with thyroid nodules, especially when cytology is indeterminate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: 123I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) scintigraphy is considered a valid imaging test to evaluate the cardiac sympathetic nervous system. However, scientific literature showed that some drugs are able to or are expected to interfere with MIBG uptake. Thirty years after introduction of the method and over 15 years since the appearance of the first document on pharmacological interference with MIBG, an update on this issue has become necessary. AIM: The aims of this review paper are: (1) to identify the pharmacological basis of interference of a variety of substances with MIBG uptake; and (2) to update the list of drugs that definitely interfere with MIBG on the grounds of evidence in the literature. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A MEDLINE search was conducted. Scientific studies, case report and review articles were collected. Papers published demonstrating drugs interfering with MIBG uptake were evaluated. RESULTS: Drugs may interact with MIBG uptake by 5 mechanism: (1) type-1 uptake inhibition; (2) inhibition of active transport to vesicles; (3) competition in transport to vesicles; (4) depletion of neurosecretory vesicle content; (5) calcium-mediated mechanism. We find that drugs like cocaine, antidepressants, some antipsychotic, tramadol, labetalol, sympatho-mimetics, reserpine and some calcium antagonists (as diltiazem, verapamil and nifedipine) do interfere with MIBG uptake. On the other hand, we find that controversial data are available on scientific literature regarding digoxin and amiodarone. CONCLUSIONS: A compiled statement of MIBG interfering medicines is now recommended to help nuclear medicine physicians in clinical practice to avoid potential pitfalls and improve the efficacy of 123I-MIBG scintigraphy as a diagnostic tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AIM: This study was designed to review published data regarding the clinical usefulness of iodine-123-meta-iodobenzyl-guanidine (MIBG) scintigraphy in evaluating the effectiveness of pharmacological treatments in patients with heart failure (HF). METHODS: A comprehensive computer literature search of the PubMed/MEDLINE and Embase databases was conducted to find relevant published articles about the clinical usefulness of MIBG scintigraphy in evaluating the effectiveness of pharmacological treatments in patients with HF. RESULTS: Thirty-three studies, comprising a total sample size of 1124 patients with HF, were included in this review. Main findings of the included studies are presented. CONCLUSIONS: Myocardial innervation imaging using MIBG scintigraphy can be successfully used to assess changes in cardiac sympathetic neuronal function caused by several pharmacological interventions in patients with HF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Parathyroid scintigraphy using (99m)Tc-MIBI is not currently considered a valuable diagnostic tool for the localization of involved glands in patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT). However, published data about its diagnostic accuracy are discordant and a meta-analysis about this topic is still lacking. The aim of our study is to meta-analyze the published data about the diagnostic performance of (99m)Tc-MIBI parathyroid scintigraphy in patients with SHPT. Methods: A comprehensive computer literature search of studies published in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus and Embase databases through September 2011 and regarding the diagnostic accuracy of (99m)Tc-MIBI parathyroid scintigraphy in patients with SHPT was carried out. Only articles in English language in which at least 10 patients with SHPT underwent planar (99m)Tc-MIBI parathyroid scintigraphy were selected. Pooled sensitivity, pooled specificity and area under the ROC curve on a per lesion-based analysis were calculated to measure the diagnostic accuracy of (99m)Tc-MIBI parathyroid scintigraphy in SHPT patients. Results: Twenty-four studies comprising 471 patients were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of (99m)Tc-MIBI parathyroid scintigraphy in detecting hyperplastic glands in SHPT patients were 58 % [95 % confidence interval (95 % CI) 52-65 %] and 93 % (95 % CI 85-100 %), respectively, on a per lesion-based analysis. Area under ROC curve was 0.75. Conclusions: In patients with SHPT and diffuse or nodular hyperplasia, planar parathyroid scintigraphy using (99m)Tc-MIBI has demonstrated an inadequate diagnostic accuracy. Therefore, it should not be considered as a first-line diagnostic imaging method in the pre-surgical detection of hyperplastic parathyroid glands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of our study was to assess the feasibility and usefulness of 2-[(18)F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D: -glucose positron emission tomography computed tomography ([(18)F]FDG-PET/CT) in patients affected by retroperitoneal fibrosis.Materials and Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 25 patients studied in two centers: 18 underwent [(18)F]FDG-PET/CT as initial evaluation, three during follow-up, three during steroid therapy, and one to re-evaluate the disease. Among the group who underwent initial evaluation, ten underwent a second [(18)F]FDG-PET/CT after steroid therapy.Results: [(18)F]FDG-PET/CT was positive in 18 patients and negative in seven. Among the ten patients who underwent a second study after steroid therapy, six showed complete metabolic response, three partial response, and one no significant maximum standardized uptake value (SUV(max)) reduction.Conclusion: Our preliminary results show that [(18)F]FDG-PET/CT is feasible and suitable for evaluating retroperitoneal fibrosis and is useful in assessing therapy response. Larger studies are desirable to confirm these findings and to determine the appropriate position of [(18)F]FDG-PET/CT in the diagnostic flow chart for this disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The diagnosis of spondylodiscitis can be difficult, because the patients history, subjective symptoms and physical findings are often inconclusive, particularly in the early stages. Aim: To perform an overview on the role of nuclear medicine procedures with single photon emission tomography (SPET) and positron emission tomography (PET) tracers in the diagnosis of spondylodiscitis. Materials and Methods: A literature review about bone scintigraphy, Gallium-67-citrate scintigraphy, labeled leukocytes scintigraphy and PET was performed. Main findings of the literature were reported. Results: Bone scintigraphy is a sensitive and widely available nuclear medicine technique, but it is characterized by low specificity. Gallium-67- citrate scintigraphy is often used as a complement to bone scintigraphy to enhance the specificity of the study and to detect extra-osseous sites of infection. Labeled leukocytes scintigraphy is not a useful method in the diagnosis of spondylodiscitis. Fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography is a sensitive method and could potentially be useful in the diagnosis of spondylodiscitis and in the evaluation of treatment response. Nevertheless, scientific literature about this topic is still limited. Conclusions: Overall, nuclear medicine procedures play a useful role in the diagnosis of spondylodiscitis identifying functional abnormalities which precede morphological changes. Therefore, nuclear medicine procedures may complement or integrate morphological imaging findings in patients with suspected spondylodiscitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To systematically review and meta-analyse literature data on the diagnostic performance of fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) and positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in patients with Ewing sarcoma family tumours (ESFT).Materials and Methods: PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase and Scopus databases were searched for articles that evaluated FDG-PET and PET/CT in patients with ESFT from inception to 31 May 2011. Studies that fulfilled the three following criteria were included in the systematic review: FDG-PET or PET/CT performed in patients with ESFT; articles about the diagnostic accuracy of FDG-PET and PET/CT; sample size of at least 10 patients with ESFT were included. Studies in which there were sufficient data to reassess sensitivity and specificity of FDG-PET or PET/CT in ESFT were included in the meta-analysis, excluding duplicate publications. Finally, pooled sensitivity, pooled specificity and area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of FDG-PET or PET/CT in ESFT were calculated.Results: We found 13 studies comprising a total of 342 patients with ESFT. The main findings of the studies included are presented. The meta-analysis of five selected studies provided these results about FDG-PET and PET/CT in ESFT: pooled sensitivity: 96% (95% confidence interval [CI] 91-99%); pooled specificity: 92% (95% CI 87-96%); area under the ROC curve: 0.97.Conclusion: With regard to the staging and restaging of patients with ESFT, the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of FDG-PET and PET/CT are high; the combination of FDG-PET or PET/CT with conventional imaging is a valuable tool for the staging and restaging of ESFT and has a relevant impact on the treatment strategy plan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim The aims of the present study were: (i) to evaluate the focal incidental colorectal uptake of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose ([18F]FDG) and to correlate it with colonoscopy and histological findings; (ii) to evaluate the relationship between the presence/absence of neoplastic disease and clinical data and the anatomical site of [18F]FDG uptake; and (iii) to compare our results with those reported for incidental colorectal uptake of [18F]FDG in the literature and those obtained from various screening programmes for colorectal cancer. Method The database of 6000 patients referred for [18F]FDG positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET-CT) to our centre was retrospectively reviewed for incidental colorectal uptake of [18F]FDG. Patients with focal uptake were selected and the aetiology of PET findings was verified with a subsequent colonoscopy and histopathological analysis when available. Results Incidental colorectal uptake of [18F]FDG was seen in 144 (2.4%) patients, of whom 64 (1.1%) had focal uptake; 48 out of these 64 patients underwent colonoscopy, which showed malignant tumours in 12 (25%), premalignant lesions in 19 (40%), non-neoplastic lesions in six (12%) and lesions not confirmed by colonoscopy in 11 (23%). Our data agreed with previously published data. Statistical analysis did not show any significant relationship between the presence/absence of neoplastic disease and patient sex or age, type of primary disease and anatomical site of [18F]FDG uptake. Comparing our data with various screening programmes, a significant difference was found only with series in which colonoscopy was performed in patients at high risk for colorectal cancer. Conclusion Focal incidental colorectal uptake of [18F]FDG is observed in about 1% of PET/CT studies and carries a high risk of neoplastic disease. A PET-CT report should suggest colonoscopy when abnormal findings are reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background. Positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) using fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) is increasingly used in the evaluation of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC), primarily for staging purposes. The aim of this paper is to perform a systematic review about the usefulness of PET-CT using FDG in response assessment after treatment with tyrosine-kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in patients with advanced RCC.

Background. The aim of the study was to meta-analyze published data about prevalence and malignancy risk of focal colorectal incidentalomas (FCIs) detected by Fluorine-18-Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography or positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG-PET or PET/CT).