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Objective: This study aimed to explore the relationship between fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose ( 18 F-FDG) uptake in the liver, spleen, and bone marrow and inflammatory markers such as c-reactive protein (CRP), albumin, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) in patients undergoing positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) imaging for cancer diagnosis., Subjects and Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study included a total of 708 patients with a diagnosis of malignancy. Fluorine-18-FDG PET/CT images acquired between January 2021 and December 2022. Exclusion criteria comprised prior chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hematological malignancies, or liver/spleen tumors. Statistical analysis included correlation analysis, univariate, and multivariate regression analysis., Results: C-reactive protein levels demonstrated a significant positive correlation with 18 F-FDG uptake in the spleen (r=0.104, P=0.006) and bone marrow (r=0.112, P=0.003). Albumin showed a negative correlation with liver 18 F-FDG uptake (r=-0.220, P<0.001). Regression analysis revealed ESR's impact on spleen-to-liver (P=0.023) and bone marrow-to-liver (P=0.012) 18 F-FDG uptake., Conclusion: This study demonstrates the association between inflammatory markers and 18 F-FDG uptake in liver, spleen and bone marrow. C-reactive protein and ESR showing significant correlations with spleen and bone marrow 18 F-FDG uptake, and albumin correlated with liver 18 F-FDG uptake negatively. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate had significant impact on spleen and bone marrow 18 F-FDG uptakes. These findings suggest the potential of 18 F-FDG PET/CT in diagnosing inflammatory conditions, warranting further investigation into its clinical implications.

The morphology and biomechanics of infant crania undergo significant changes between the pre- and post-weaning phases due to increasing loading of the masticatory system. The aims of this study were to characterize the changes in muscle forces, bite forces and the pattern of mechanical strain and stress arising from the aforementioned forces across crania in the first 48 months of life using imaging and finite element methods. A total of 51 head computed tomography scans of normal individuals were collected and analysed from a larger database of 217 individuals. The estimated mean muscle forces of temporalis, masseter and medial pterygoid increase from 30.9 to 87.0 N, 25.6 to 69.6 N and 23.1 to 58.9 N, respectively (0-48 months). Maximum bite force increases from 90.5 to 184.2 N (3-48 months). There is a change in the pattern of strain and stress from the calvaria to the face during postnatal development. Overall, this study highlights the changes in the mechanics of the craniofacial system during normal development. It further raises questions as to how and what level of changes in the mechanical forces during the development can alter the morphology of the craniofacial system.