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Background: The goal of this article was to investigate the feasibility of 64Cu labeling in prostate-specific membrane antigen imaging and therapy (PSMA I&T) for PSMA positron emission tomography (...

Background The purpose of this study was to evaluate both the biodistribution and safety of 64Cu-1,4,7-triazacyclononane-1,4,7-triacetic acid (NOTA)-Trastuzumab, a novel 64Cu-labeled positron emission tomography (PET) tracer for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) in patients with breast cancer. Methods PET images at 1, 24, and 48 h after 296 MBq of 64Cu-NOTA-Trastuzumab injection were obtained from seven patients with breast cancer. Both the primary tumors’ and metastatic lesions’ maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) was evaluated. The mean SUVmax (SUVmean) was evaluated in the other organs, including the blood pool, liver, kidney, muscle, spleen, bladder, and the lungs, as well as the bones. Moreover, the internal radiation dosimetry was calculated using the OLINDA/EXM software. Safety was assessed based on feedback regarding adverse reactions and safety-related issues within 1 month after 64Cu-NOTA-Trastuzumab administration. Results 64Cu-NOTA-Trastuzumab PET images showed that the overall SUVmean values in each organ negatively correlated with time. The liver’s average SUVmean values were measured at 5.3 ± 0.7, 4.8 ± 0.6, and 4.4 ± 0.5 on 1 h, 24 h, and 48 h after injection, respectively. The average SUVmean blood values were measured at 13.1 ± 0.9, 9.1 ± 1.2, and 7.1 ± 1.9 on 1 h, 24 h, and 48 h after injection, respectively. The SUVmax of HER2-positive tumors was relatively higher than HER2-negative tumors (8.6 ± 5.1 and 5.2 ± 2.8 on 48 h after injection, respectively). Tumor-to-background ratios were higher in the HER2-positive tumors than in the HER2-negative tumors. No adverse events related to 64Cu-NOTA-Trastuzumab were reported. The calculated effective dose with a 296 MBq injection of 64Cu-NOTA-Trastuzumab was 2.96 mSv. The highest absorbed dose was observed in the liver (0.076 mGy/MBq), followed by the spleen (0.063 mGy/MBq), kidney (0.044 mGy/MBq), and heart wall (0.044 mGy/MBq). Conclusions 64Cu-NOTA-Trastuzumab showed a specific uptake at the HER2-expressing tumors, thus making it a feasible and safe monitoring tool of HER2 tumor status in patients with breast cancer. Trial registration CRIS, KCT0002790. Registered 02 February 2018, https://cris.nih.go.kr

To evaluate the biodistribution of [18F]Florastamin, a novel 18F-labelled positron emission tomography (PET) tracer for prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) for the diagnosis of prostate cancer. PET was performed for five healthy controls and 10 patients with prostate cancer at 0, 10, 30, 70, and 120 mins after injecting 370 MBq of [18F]Florastamin. The maximum standardised uptake value (SUVmax) was evaluated in the primary tumour. The mean SUVmax (SUVmean) was evaluated in normal organs. Furthermore, the residence time was evaluated by assessing radioactivity in each organ. The internal radiation dosimetry was calculated using the OLINDA/EXM software. The SUVmax in primary tumours increased with time. A favourable tumour to background ratio was also observed over time. Multiple lymph nodes and bone metastases were also evaluated and showed a similar pattern to SUVmax in the primary tumour. In one patient, a tiny lymph node metastasis was identified using [18F]Florastamin PET, which was not observed using other modalities, and was histologically confirmed. The highest absorbed dose was observed in the kidney (0.062 ± 0.015 mGy/MBq), followed by the bladder (0.032 ± 0.013 mGy/MBq), liver (0.022 ± 0.006 mGy/MBq), and salivary gland (0.018 ± 0.006 mGy/MBq). The effective dose with a 370 MBq injection of [18F]Florastamin was 1.81 mSv. No adverse events related to [18F]Florastamin were reported. We identified a novel PSMA-targeted PET ligand, [18F]Florastamin, for imaging prostate cancer. [18F]Florastamin showed a high SUVmax and relatively high tumour to background ratio in both primary tumour and metastatic lesions, which suggests its high sensitivity to detect tumours without any adverse events. KCT0003924 registered at https://cris.nih.go.kr/ .

We evaluated the changes in treatment response over time after single 131I-rituximab radioimmunotherapy (RIT) according to non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) types. Fifteen aggressive and 21 indolent lymphoma cases undergoing RIT were evaluated. All patients underwent 18F-FDG-PET-CT before and 5 days, 1, and 3 months after RIT. The maximum standardized uptake value (SUV) and the sum of the products of the longest perpendicular diameters of tumours (SPD) were evaluated. Treatment responses were evaluated 1 and 3 months after RIT In aggressive lymphoma, SUV decreased at 5 days after RIT but increased after that. SPD decreased at 1 month but significantly increased at 3 months. Complete response (CR), partial response (PR), stable disease (SD), and progressive disease (PD) at 1 month after RIT were changed to PD at 3 months after RIT. In indolent lymphoma, the SUV decreased continuously until 1 month after RIT. The SPD significantly decreased at 1 month and tended to further decrease to 3 months. CR, PR, SD, and PD at 1 month after RIT were achieved in 0, 8, 13, and 0 cases, respectively. Among the 13 SD cases, one changed to CR, three changed to PR, and nine had not changed at 3 months after RIT. The treatment response to single RIT differed depending on NHL type. These findings suggest a need to establish an optimal treatment regimen based on NHL aggressiveness.

Purpose The aim of the present study was to obtain information about distribution, radiation dosimetry, toxicity, and pharmacokinetics of O-[18F]fluoromethyl-D-tyrosine (D-18F-FMT), an amino acid PET tracer, in patients with brain tumors. Patients and methods A total of 6 healthy controls (age = 19-25 years, 3 males and 3 females) with brain PET images and radiation dosimetry and 12 patients (median age = 60 years, 6 males and 6 females) with primary (n = 5) or metastatic brain tumor (n = 7) were enrolled. We acquired 60-minute dynamic brain PET images after injecting 370 MBq of D-18F-FMT. Time-activity curves of D-18F-FMT uptake in normal brain versus brain tumors and tumor-to-background ratio were analyzed for each PET data set. Results Normal cerebral uptake of D-18F-FMT decreased from 0 to 5 minutes after injection, but gradually increased from 10 to 60 minutes. Tumoral uptake of D-18F-FMT reached a peak before 30 minutes. Tumor-to-background ratio peaked at less than 15 minutes for 8 patients and more than 15 minutes for 4 patients. The mean effective dose was calculated to be 13.2 μSv/MBq. Conclusions Using D-18F-FMT as a PET radiotracer is safe. It can distinguish brain tumor from surrounding normal brain tissues with a high contrast. Early-time PET images of brain tumors should be acquired because the tumor-to-background ratio tended to reach a peak within 15 minutes after injection.

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the biodistribution and safety of 64Cu-1,4,7-triazacyclononane-1,4,7-triacetic acid (NOTA)-Trastuzumab, a novel 64Cu-labelled positron emission tomography (PET) tracer for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) in patients with breast cancer.Methods: PET images at 1, 24, and 48 hours after injection of 296 MBq of 64Cu-NOTA-Trastuzumab were obtained on seven patients with breast cancer. The maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) was evaluated in the tumors, including the primary tumor and metastatic lesions. The mean SUVmax (SUVmean) was evaluated in the normal organs including the blood pool, liver, kidney, muscle, spleen, bladder, lung, and bone. In addition, the internal radiation dosimetry was calculated using the OLINDA/EXM software. Safety was assessed by gathering the feedback of adverse reactions and safety-related issues within 1 month after 64Cu-NOTA-Trastuzumab administration.Results: The overall values of SUVmean in each normal organ decreased with time on 64Cu-NOTA-Trastuzumab PET images. The average values of SUVmean of the liver were measured at 5.3 ± 0.7, 4.8 ± 0.6, and 4.4 ± 0.5 on 1 hour, 24 hours, and 48 hours after injection. The average values of SUVmean of the blood were evaluated as 13.1 ± 0.9, 9.1 ± 1.2, and 7.1 ± 1.9 on 1 hour, 24 hours, and 48 hours after injection. The SUVmax of HER2-positive tumors showed relatively higher than that of HER2-negative tumors (8.6 ± 5.1 and 5.2 ± 2.8 on 48 hours after injection, respectively). Tumor to background ratios were calculated higher in the HER2-positive tumors than those of HER2-negative tumors. No adverse events related to 64Cu-NOTA-Trastuzumab were reported. The calculated effective dose with a 296 MBq injection of 64Cu-NOTA-Trastuzumab was 2.96 mSv. The highest absorbed dose was observed in the liver (0.076 mGy/MBq), followed by the spleen (0.063 mGy/MBq), kidney (0.044 mGy/MBq), and heart wall (0.044 mGy/MBq).Conclusions: 64Cu-NOTA-Trastuzumab showed specific uptake at the HER2-expressing tumors. It suggests that 64Cu-NOTA-Trastuzumab can be a feasible monitoring tool for HER2 tumor status in the patients with breast cancer with safe.Trial registration: CRIS, KCT0002790. Registered 02 February 2018, https://cris.nih.go.kr

Background The purpose of this study was to evaluate both the biodistribution and safety of 64Cu-1,4,7-triazacyclononane-1,4,7-triacetic acid (NOTA)-Trastuzumab, a novel 64Cu-labeled positron emission tomography (PET) tracer for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) in patients with breast cancer. Methods PET images at 1, 24, and 48 h after 296 MBq of 64Cu-NOTA-Trastuzumab injection were obtained from seven patients with breast cancer. Both the primary tumors’ and metastatic lesions’ maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) was evaluated. The mean SUVmax (SUVmean) was evaluated in the other organs, including the blood pool, liver, kidney, muscle, spleen, bladder, and the lungs, as well as the bones. Moreover, the internal radiation dosimetry was calculated using the OLINDA/EXM software. Safety was assessed based on feedback regarding adverse reactions and safety-related issues within 1 month after 64Cu-NOTA-Trastuzumab administration. Results 64Cu-NOTA-Trastuzumab PET images showed that the overall SUVmean values in each organ negatively correlated with time. The liver’s average SUVmean values were measured at 5.3 ± 0.7, 4.8 ± 0.6, and 4.4 ± 0.5 on 1 h, 24 h, and 48 h after injection, respectively. The average SUVmean blood values were measured at 13.1 ± 0.9, 9.1 ± 1.2, and 7.1 ± 1.9 on 1 h, 24 h, and 48 h after injection, respectively. The SUVmax of HER2-positive tumors was relatively higher than HER2-negative tumors (8.6 ± 5.1 and 5.2 ± 2.8 on 48 h after injection, respectively). Tumor-to-background ratios were higher in the HER2-positive tumors than in the HER2-negative tumors. No adverse events related to 64Cu-NOTA-Trastuzumab were reported. The calculated effective dose with a 296 MBq injection of 64Cu-NOTA-Trastuzumab was 2.96 mSv. The highest absorbed dose was observed in the liver (0.076 mGy/MBq), followed by the spleen (0.063 mGy/MBq), kidney (0.044 mGy/MBq), and heart wall (0.044 mGy/MBq). Conclusions 64Cu-NOTA-Trastuzumab showed a specific uptake at the HER2-expressing tumors, thus making it a feasible and safe monitoring tool of HER2 tumor status in patients with breast cancer. Trial registration CRIS, KCT0002790. Registered 02 February 2018, https://cris.nih.go.kr

To evaluate the biodistribution of [PET was performed for five healthy controls and 10 patients with prostate cancer at 0, 10, 30, 70, and 120 mins after injecting 370 MBq of [The SUVWe identified a novel PSMA-targeted PET ligand, [KCT0003924 registered at https://cris.nih.go.kr/ .

The purpose of this study was to validate the feasibility of contrast-enhanced transcranial Doppler sonography (CE-TCCD) in the diagnosis of Moyamoya disease (MMD). CE-TCCD data on patients with MMD were analyzed. The CE-TCCD data were classified qualitatively into four patterns by two independent investigators: normal vascular color Doppler signal (pattern 1), augmented color Doppler signal with identifiable vascular structure (pattern 2), confluent color Doppler signal filling more than two-thirds of the display frame without identifiable vascular structure (pattern 3) and confluent color Doppler signal filling full display (pattern 4). To investigate the validity, we compared the CE-TCCD data with traditional transcranial Doppler data and Suzuki grades on cerebral angiography. A total of 32 CE-TCCD studies from 16 MMD patients (male 37.5%, median age 48) were included in this study. The CE-TCCD findings were distributed across patterns 1 (n = 3), 2 (n = 12), 3 (n = 10) and 4 (n = 7) and were correlated with the Suzuki grades (p 0.005) and hemodynamic parameters. Inter-rater reliability was promising (Cronbach α = 0.883). The CE-TCCD test provides distinctive patterns in MMD, according to their stage of progression. CE-TCCD patterns seem to be a reliable and valid means for the evaluation of MMD.

The aim of this study is to assess tumor differentiation using parameters from sequential positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with breast cancer. This retrospective study included 78 patients with breast cancer. All patients underwent sequential PET/CT and MRI. For fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-PET image analysis, the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of FDG was assessed at both 1 and 2 h and metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG). The kinetic analysis of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI parameters was performed using dynamic enhancement curves. We assessed diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI)–MRI parameters regarding apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values. Histologic grades 1 and 2 were classified as low-grade, and grade 3 as high-grade tumor. Forty-five lesions of 78 patients were classified as histologic grade 3, while 26 and 7 lesions were grade 2 and grade 1, respectively. Patients with high-grade tumors showed significantly lower ADC-mean values than patients with low-grade tumors (0.99 ± 0.19 vs.1.12 ± 0.32, p = 0.007). With respect to SUVmax1, MTV2.5, and TLG2.5, patients with high-grade tumors showed higher values than patients with low-grade tumors: SUVmax1 (7.92 ± 4.5 vs.6.19 ± 3.05, p = 0.099), MTV2.5 (7.90 ± 9.32 vs.4.38 ± 5.10, p = 0.095), and TLG2.5 (40.83 ± 59.17 vs.19.66 ± 26.08, p = 0.082). However, other parameters did not reveal significant differences between low-grade and high-grade malignancies. In receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, ADC-mean values showed the highest area under the curve of 0.681 (95%CI 0.566–0.782) for assessing high-grade malignancy. Lower ADC-mean values may predict the poor differentiation of breast cancer among diverse PET–MRI functional parameters.

Background To propose a personalized therapeutic approach in osteosarcoma treatment, we assessed whether sequential [18F]FDG PET/CT (PET/CT) could predict the outcome of patients with osteosarcoma of the extremities after one cycle and two cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Methods A total of 73 patients with AJCC stage II extremity osteosarcoma treated with 2 cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, surgery, and adjuvant chemotherapy were retrospectively analyzed in this study. All patients underwent PET/CT before (PET0), after 1 cycle (PET1), and after the completion of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (PET2), respectively. Maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) (corrected for body weight) and the % changes of SUVmax were calculated, and histological responses were evaluated after surgery. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses and the Cox proportional hazards models were used to analyze whether imaging and clinicopathologic parameters could predict event-free survival (EFS). Results A total of 36 patients (49.3%) exhibited a poor histologic response and 17 patients (23.3%) showed events (metastasis in 15 and local recurrence in 2). SUVmax on PET2 (SUV2), the percentage change of SUVmax between PET0 and PET1 (Δ%SUV01), and between PET0 and PET2 (Δ%SUV02) most accurately predicted events using the ROC curve analysis. SUV2 (relative risk, 8.86; 95% CI, 2.25–34.93), Δ%SUV01 (relative risk, 5.97; 95% CI, 1.47–24.25), and Δ%SUV02 (relative risk, 6.00; 95% CI, 1.16–30.91) were independent predicting factors for EFS with multivariate analysis. Patients with SUV2 over 5.9 or Δ%SUV01 over − 39.8% or Δ%SUV02 over − 54.1% showed worse EFS rates than others (p < 0.05). Conclusions PET evaluation after 1 cycle of presurgical chemotherapy can predict the clinical outcome of extremity osteosarcoma. [18F]FDG PET, which shows a potential role in the early evaluation of the modification of timing of local control, can be a useful modality for early response monitoring of neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

This study aimed to investigate the predictive efficacy of positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the pathological response of advanced breast cancer to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). The breast PET/MRI image deep learning model was introduced and compared with the conventional methods. PET/CT and MRI parameters were evaluated before and after the first NAC cycle in patients with advanced breast cancer [n = 56; all women; median age, 49 (range 26–66) years]. The maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), metabolic tumor volume (MTV), and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) were obtained with the corresponding baseline values (SUV0, MTV0, and TLG0, respectively) and interim PET images (SUV1, MTV1, and TLG1, respectively). Mean apparent diffusion coefficients were obtained from baseline and interim diffusion MR images (ADC0 and ADC1, respectively). The differences between the baseline and interim parameters were measured (ΔSUV, ΔMTV, ΔTLG, and ΔADC). Subgroup analysis was performed for the HER2-negative and triple-negative groups. Datasets for convolutional neural network (CNN), assigned as training (80%) and test datasets (20%), were cropped from the baseline (PET0, MRI0) and interim (PET1, MRI1) images. Histopathologic responses were assessed using the Miller and Payne system, after three cycles of chemotherapy. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to assess the performance of the differentiating responders and non-responders. There were six responders (11%) and 50 non-responders (89%). The area under the curve (AUC) was the highest for ΔSUV at 0.805 (95% CI 0.677–0.899). The AUC was the highest for ΔSUV at 0.879 (95% CI 0.722–0.965) for the HER2-negative subtype. AUC improved following CNN application (SUV0:PET0 = 0.652:0.886, SUV1:PET1 = 0.687:0.980, and ADC1:MRI1 = 0.537:0.701), except for ADC0 (ADC0:MRI0 = 0.703:0.602). PET/MRI image deep learning model can predict pathological responses to NAC in patients with advanced breast cancer.

We evaluated the changes in treatment response over time after singleFifteen aggressive and 21 indolent lymphoma cases undergoing RIT were evaluated. All patients underwentThe treatment response to single RIT differed depending on NHL type. These findings suggest a need to establish an optimal treatment regimen based on NHL aggressiveness.

Background and purpose The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic performance and safety of a new ¹⁸F-labeled amyloid tracer, ¹⁸F-FC119S. Methods This study prospectively recruited 105 participants, comprising 53 with Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients, 16 patients with dementia other than AD (non-AD), and 36 healthy controls (HCs). In the first screening visit, the Seoul Neuropsychological Screening Battery cognitive function test was given to the dementia group, while HC subjects completed the Korean version of the Mini Mental State Examination. Individuals underwent ¹⁸F-FC119S PET, ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET, and brain MRI. The diagnostic performance of ¹⁸F-FC119S PET for AD was compared to a historical control (comprising previously reported and currently used amyloid-beta PET agents), ¹⁸F-FDG PET, and MRI. The standardized uptake value (SUV) ratio (ratio of the cerebral cortical SUV to the cerebellar SUV) was measured for each PET data set to provide semiquantitative analysis. All adverse effects during the clinical trial periods were monitored. Results Visual assessments of the ¹⁸F-FC119S PET data revealed a sensitivity of 92% and a specificity of 84% in detecting AD. ¹⁸F-FC119S PET demonstrated equivalent or better diagnostic performance for AD detection than the historical control, ¹⁸F-FDG PET (sensitivity of 80.0% and specificity of 76.0%), and MRI (sensitivity of 98.0% and specificity of 50.0%). The SUV ratios differed significantly between AD patients and the other groups, at 1.44±0.17 (mean±SD) for AD, 1.24±0.09 for non-AD, and 1.21±0.08 for HC. No clinically significant adverse effects occurred during the trial periods. Conclusions ¹⁸F-FC119S PET provides high sensitivity and specificity in detecting AD and therefore may be considered a useful diagnostic tool for AD.

The aim of this study was to assess the clinical activity and toxicity of 131I-rituximab as consolidation therapy for patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who were treated with R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, and prednisolone). Patients who had been diagnosed with advanced stage (Ann Arbor III or IV) or bulky stage II DLBCL and achieved complete or partial response after six to eight cycles of R-CHOP were enrolled. A total of 16 patients were enrolled and treated with a single dose of 131I-rituximab as consolidation therapy after the completion of six or eight cycles of R-CHOP between December 2005 and June 2011. This trial was terminated before the scheduled enrollment owing to low recruitment. Among the 16 patients who were treated with consolidative 131I-rituximab, 6 achieved complete response (CR) after three cycles of R-CHOP, and another 9 patients further achieved CR after the completion of six or eight cycles of R-CHOP. During the median follow-up period of 73 months, only four patients (25 %) experienced relapse. Two-year relapse-free survival was 88 %, and 5-year relapse-free survival was 81 %. Grade 3 or 4 treatment-related toxicity occurred in four patients and included neutropenia and thrombocytopenia. 131I-rituximab showed promising efficacy as consolidation treatment for patients with DLBCL. A future randomized phase III study to confirm our results is warranted.

This study investigates the correlation of retention index (RI) using the dual phase FDG PET/CT scan with the breast cancer biomarkers.A total of 55 patients with breast cancer underwent dual phase FDG PET/CT scans (60 and 120 min after FDG injection) before treatment. SUVmax and SUVmean of the primary breast tumors were measured, then the percent change of SUVmax and SUVmean between the two scans were calculated, and denoted as RImax and RImean, respectively. After the surgical resection of the breast tumor, the status of biomarkers (ER, PR, and HER-2) was evaluated in the postsurgical specimen.RImean was significantly higher in ER (-) (median, 16.2; IQR, 10.8-21.0) or HER-2 (+) (median, 16.1; IQR, 10.7-21.6) tumors than in ER (+) tumors (median, 9.9; IQR, 5.5-15.3) or HER-2 (-) tumors (median, 10.5; IQR, 5.5-16.1). However, there were no significant differences of SUVmax or RImax according to the ER or HER-2 status. There were no significant differences of any PET parameters between PR (+) and PR (-) tumors. Based off ROC curve analyses, RImean predicted the ER (+) tumors (AUC, 0.699; p = 0.006), and HER-2 (+) tumors (AUC, 0.674; p = 0.022), but not the PR (+) tumors. However, neither SUVmax nor RImax predicted ER (+), PR (+), or HER-2 (+) tumors.Retention index of SUVmean can reflect the ER and HER-2 status of breast cancers. Higher retention index of SUVmean might associate with lower ER expression and higher HER-2 expression.

The imaging definition of lacunar infarcts is variable, particularly regarding their size and the presence of cavitation. We investigated the changes of diameter and evolution pattern of acute lacunar infarcts, and the factors associated with the evolution pattern. Patients with acute single subcortical hemispheric or brainstem ischemic lesions of penetrating arterial territories were included. Maximal diameters on initial diffusion-weighted image (DWI) and follow-up fluid-attenuated inversion recovery image (FLAIR), which performed > 12 months after initial DWI, were semi-automatically measured. Clinical characteristics were compared according to evolution patterns on follow-up FLAIR, classified as cavitated, focal lesion without cavitation, and disappeared. Five hundred nine patients were included. Mean time to follow-up was 31.3 ± 13.7 months. Mean diameter of acute lacunar lesions decreased from 12.9 ± 4.4 to 8.5 ± 4.8 mm during follow-up. Lesions of 58.2% patients remained as cavitated, 18.3% as focal lesion without cavitation, and 23.6% disappeared. Initial NIHSS score (p = 0.005), diameter of initial lesion (p

The aim of this study was to investigate if increased serum thyroglobulin (Tg) levels after radioactive iodine (RAI) showed more therapeutic effects in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). Data of 65 patients with DTC who underwent RAI from June 2014 to September 2016 were reviewed. Serum thyroglobulin was measured immediately before (Tg1) and 48 h (Tg2) after RAI under TSH stimulation. Differences and ratios between serum Tg measurements (DeltaTg = Tg2 − Tg1 and RatioTg = Tg2/Tg1) were calculated. The treatment response of distant metastasis was assessed using the RECIST criteria. There was no difference in the median values of Tg1 and Tg2 (2.6 [range, 0.7–1957.5] ng/mL vs. 7.4 [range, 0.7–5276.0] ng/mL, p = 0.240) in all patients (73 scans, 65 patients). In subgroup analysis, Tg levels increased slightly in patients with distant metastasis (8 scans, 7 patients) (Tg1 vs. Tg2; 48.9 [range, 2.4–1957.5] ng/mL vs. 63.2 [range, 4.4–5276.0] ng/mL, p = 0.408). Among patients with distant metastasis, one patient with a partial response to treatment had a more than 4000fold increase in Tg levels and one patient with stable disease showed a 20fold increase in Tg levels. In contrast, five patients with disease progression showed only two to eightfold increase or more than 100fold decrease in Tg levels at 48 h after RAI. However, there was a significant increase in serum Tg levels in patients without distant metastasis (65 scans, 58 patients) after RAI (Tg1 vs. Tg2; 2.0 [range, 0.7–141.9] ng/mL vs. 6.8 [range, 0.7–577.7] ng/mL, p = 0.026). A higher elevation of Tg levels after RAI may be associated with a better treatment outcome in DTC patients with distant metastasis. An increase in Tg levels after RAI may reflect the destruction of cancer and thyroid cells.

Objective: Although Iodine-125 (125I) has been widely used for in vitro studies because of its relatively long half-life (60.1 days), 125I imaging is limited because of its low energy (27 - 35 keV), even in an animal-dedicated system. In this study, imaging characteristics of 125I were assessed using a small animal-dedicated imaging system and clinical scanner. Methods: Using the Siemens Inveon and Siemens Symbia TruePoint systems, imaging characteristics such as resolution, sensitivity, and image quality were compared. Mouse high resolution (MHR-0.5), mouse general purpose (MGP-1.0), and mouse high sensitivity (MHS-2.0) collimators were used for the Inveon scanner, and low energy high-resolution (LEHR) and low energy all-purpose (LEAP) collimators were used for the Symbia TruePoint. For animal imaging, 16.8 MBq of 125I was administered to BALB/c mice intravenously, and the planar image and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) were obtained using both scanners. Results: The resolution of 125I for the Inveon scanner was 3.98 mm full width at half maximum (FWHM) at a 30-mm distance with the MHR-0.5 collimator, and the value of Symbia scanner was 8.72 mm FWHM at a 30-mm distance with the LEHR collimator. The sensitivity of 125I for the Inveon scanner was 21.87 cps/MBq, and the value for the clinical scanner was 30.55 cps/MBq. The planar images of mice were successfully obtained at the level of evaluating specific binding in both scanners. Conclusion: 125I small animal imaging can be achieved with a clinical scanner. This result may enhance the utilization of 125I small animal imaging using a clinical scanner.

PURPOSE: We aimed to evaluate the prognostic values of radiography, F-18 FDG PET, and I-131 whole body scans in patients with lung-only metastasis from differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC). METHODS: Between 1998 and 2013, we included 31 patients (F: 26, M: 5) with lung-only metastasis from DTC who had been treated with I-131 and underwent PET. Lung metastasis was categorized according to the size (macronodular ≥1.0 cm vs. micronodular

This research aims to investigate the potential of (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG PET) to predict pathologic response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and overall survival (OS) of patients with synovial sarcoma in Korea.Twenty patients with synovial sarcoma from January 2001 to December 2011 were reviewed retrospectively. All patients underwent pre-treatment FDG PET and tumor removal. Patients were classified with the maximum SUV (SUVmax), metabolic tumor volume (MTV), total lesion glycolysis (TLG), age, sex, histologic subtype, tumor size, NAC, resection margin, and metastasis at diagnosis. Pathologic response was assessed using the French Federation of Cancer Centers system. Statistical analyses were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method, log-rank test, Cox proportional hazards regression model, and Mann-Whitney test.Nine patients (45 %) showed pathologic response, and ten patients survived. Higher SUVmax, higher MTV, higher TLG, monophasic epithelial type, and metastasis at diagnosis were significantly related to poorer OS (p = 0.047, 0.016, 0.016, 0.045, and 0.018, respectively). By multivariate analysis, metastasis at diagnosis was significantly related to poorer OS (p = 0.012/HR = 5.9, 95 % CI 1.47 to 24.1). The SUVmax, MTV, and TLG of the non-responder group were significantly higher than those of the responder group (p = 0.020, 0.020, and 0.020, respectively). There was no significant difference in size between the two groups (p = 0.062).A higher SUVmax on the pre-treatment scan, monophasic epithelial type, and metastasis at diagnosis were significantly associated with a poorer OS, and pathologic responders showed a higher SUVmax before NAC. The PET parameters can be used to predict OS and pathologic response in patients with synovial sarcomas before NAC.

This study investigates the feasibility of using (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography ((18)F-FDG PET/CT) to predict the pCR (pathologic complete response) rate after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NCRT) in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer.A total of 88 patients with locally advanced rectal cancer were retrospectively analyzed. All patients were treated with NCRT, followed by radical surgery, and (18)F-FDG PET/CT was performed before and after NCRT. For a semiquantitative assessment, a volume of interest was drawn, including the whole tumor region, and the maximum SUV (SUVmax), SUVmax normalized to liver uptake (SLR), SUVmax normalized to blood pool uptake (SBR), the metabolic tumor volume at SUV 2.0 (MTV[2.0]), SUV 2.5 (MTV[2.5]), and SUV 3.0 (MTV[3.0]) were measured. In addition, their percentage changes after NCRT were assessed. The pCR was verified through a histologic examination of postsurgical specimens. A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was conducted to predict the pCR by using these PET parameters.The pCR was predicted in 17 patients (19 %). The values of the area under the curve (AUC) for predicting the pCR were 0.774 for SUVmax after NCRT, 0.826 for SLR after NCRT, 0.815 for SBR after NCRT, 0.724 for MTV(2.5) after NCRT, 0.729 for the percentage change in SUVmax, 0.700 for the percentage change in SLR, and 0.749 for the percentage change in MTV (2.5). Among these PET parameters, SLR after NCRT showed the highest AUC value. The optimal criterion, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of SLR after NCRT for predicting the pCR were ≤1.41, 88 %, 65 %, and 68 %, respectively.F-FDG PET was found to be useful for predicting the pCR after NCRT in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer. Among various PET parameters, SUVmax normalized to liver uptake after NCRT was the best predictor of the pCR.

The authors evaluated the usefulness of axillary lymph node (ALN) to primary breast tumor SUV ratio (determined by 18F-FDG PET/CT) for predicting the presence of ALN metastasis in breast cancer.One hundred thirty-six consecutive female patients with breast cancer were enrolled in this retrospective study between January 2009 and November 2012. All patients underwent surgical resection without neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and ALN metastases were histologically confirmed by ALN dissection (n = 75) or sentinel lymph node (LN) biopsy (n = 61). The maximum SUVs of FDG-avid ALNs (SUVLN) and of primary breast tumors were measured on preoperative 18F-FDG PET/CT images, and ALN to primary breast tumor SUV ratios (LN/T ratios) were calculated. In a subgroup of patients with FDG-avid ALNs, optimal cutoff values for SUVLN and LN/T ratio were determined by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis for predicting the presence of ALN metastasis. Subsequently, the diagnostic performances of visual analysis (presence of FDG-avidity), SUVLN, and LN/T ratio for the prediction of ALN metastasis were determined.In a subgroup of patients with FDG-avid ALNs (n = 65), the area under the curve and the optimal criteria of SUVLN for detecting ALN metastasis were 0.655 and greater than 2.1, and those of LN/T ratio were 0.739 and greater than 0.2, respectively. For these criteria, the sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy of detecting ALN metastasis were 71.4%, 77.3%, and 74.3%, respectively, for visual analysis; 47.1%, 93.9%, and 69.9%, respectively, for SUVLN; and 62.9%, 92.4%, and 77.2%, respectively, for LN/T ratio in all patients. The specificity of LN/T ratio was significantly higher than that of visual analysis (P = 0.0259). Although the sensitivity of LN/T ratio was higher than that of SUVLN, it did not reach a statistical significance (P = 0.0874).The LN/T ratio better predicts the presence of ALN metastasis than visual analysis or SUVLN in breast cancer.

We evaluated the potential of sequential fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (18 F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) and MRI (PET/MRI) after one cycle of neoadjuvant chemotherapy to predict a poor histologic response in osteosarcoma. A prospective study was conducted on 30 patients with osteosarcoma treated with two cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and surgery. All patients underwent PET/MRI before, after one cycle, and after the completion of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, respectively. Imaging parameters [maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), metabolic tumor volume (MTV), total lesion glycolysis (TLG), and tumor volume based on magnetic resonance (MR) images (MRV)] and their % changes were calculated on each PET/MRI data set, and histological responses were evaluated on the postsurgical specimen. A total of 17 patients (57 %) exhibited a poor histologic response after two cycles of chemotherapy. Unlike the little volumetric change in MRI, PET parameters significantly decreased after one and two cycles of chemotherapy, respectively. After one cycle of chemotherapy, SUVmax, MTV, and TLG predicted the poor responders. Among these parameters, either MTV ≥ 47 mL or TLG ≥ 190 g after one cycle of chemotherapy was significantly associated with a poor histologic response on multivariate logistic regression analysis (OR 8.98, p = 0.039). The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of these parameters were 71 %, 85 % and 77 %; and 71 %, 85 % and 77 %, respectively. The histologic response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in osteosarcoma can be predicted accurately by FDG PET after one course of chemotherapy. Among PET parameters, MTV and TLG were independent predictors of the histologic response.

Objective The aim of this study is to investigate the prognostic value of F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (F-18 FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) in gallbladder cancer patients. Methods From June 2004 to June 2010, a total of 50 patients with gallbladder cancer who underwent diagnostic staging with F-18 FDG PET/CT following curative or palliative treatments were retrospectively evaluated. For the analysis, all patients were classified by age, sex, maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), lymph node (LN) or distant metastasis, serum level of CA19-9 and CEA, type of treatment and American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage. Results The median survival for the 50 patients was 245 days and the median SUVmax in PET/CT was 8.3 (range, 0-19.7). Patients with SUVmax

OBJECTIVE Intracavitary injection of beta-emitting radiation source for control of cystic tumors has been tried with a benefit of localized internal radiation. The authors treated cystic brain tumor patients with Holmium-166-chitosan complex (Ho-166-chico), composed of a beta-emitting radionuclide Holmium-166 and biodegradable chit polymer, and evaluated the safety and effective measurement for response. METHODS Twenty-two patients with recurrent cystic brain tumor and/or located in a deep or eloquent area were enrolled in this pilot study. The cyst volume and wall thickness were determined on CT or MRI to assess radiological response. The activity of Ho-166-chico injected via Ommaya reservoir was prescribed to be 10-25 Gy to the cyst wall in a depth of 4 mm. RESULTS There was neither complications related to systemic absorption nor leakage of Ho-166-chico in all 22 patients. But, two cases of oculomotor paresis were observed in patients with recurrent craniopharyngioma. Radiological response was seen in 14 of 20 available follow-up images (70%). Seven patients of 'evident' radiological response experienced more than 25% decrease of both cyst volume and wall thickness. Another 7 patients with 'suggestive' response showed decrease of cyst volume without definitive change of the wall thickness or vice versa. All patients with benign tumors or low grade gliomas experienced symptomatic improvement. CONCLUSION Ho-166-chico intracavitary radiation therapy for cystic tumor is a safe method of palliation without serious complications. The determination of both minimal effective dosage and time interval of repeated injection through phase 1 trial could improve the results in the future.

We evaluated the ability of metabolic and volumetric parameters measured by pretreatment 18F-FDG PET/CT to predict the survival of patients with osteosarcoma of the extremities. Methods: The records of 83 patients with American Joint Committee on Cancer stage II extremity osteosarcoma treated with surgery and chemotherapy were retrospectively reviewed. Imaging parameters (maximum standardized uptake value, metabolic tumor volume [MTV], total lesion glycolysis, and tumor volume based on MR images) were measured before treatment, and histologic responses to neoadjuvant chemotherapy were assessed by examination of postsurgical specimens. Receiver-operating-characteristic curve analyses and the Cox proportional hazards model were used to analyze whether imaging and clinicopathologic parameters could predict metastasis-free survival. Results: Of the imaging parameters, MTV at the fixed standardized uptake value threshold of 2.0 (MTV(2.0)) most accurately predicted metastasis by receiver-operating-characteristic curve analysis (area under the curve = 0.679, P = 0.011). By multivariate analysis, MTV(2.0) > 105 mL (relative risk, 3.93; 95% confidence interval, 1.55–9.92) and poor response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (relative risk, 4.83; 95% confidence interval, 1.64–14.21) independently shortened metastasis-free survival (P = 0.004 for both parameters). The stratification of patients by the combined criteria of MTV(2.0) and histologic response predicted outcome in more detail. Conclusion: MTV is an independent predictor of metastasis in patients with osteosarcoma of the extremities. The combination of MTV and histologic response predicts survival more accurately than the chemotherapeutic response alone.

The aim of this study was to measure the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value at the region with the highest FDG uptake using sequential (18)F-FDG PET and MRI, and to correlate it with the histological grade of invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) of the breast.A retrospective study was conducted on 75 untreated patients with IDC. First, a PET/CT scan and subsequent breast MRI were done and the SUVmax of the each breast tumor was recorded. Then, a PET image and ADC map were co-registered. On the axial slice containing the pixel with SUVmax, we drew multiple circular ROIs within the tumor and measured the mean ADC value of each ROI. The average (ADC-mean) and minimum (ADC-min) of the mean ADC values for all ROIs within the tumor were calculated, respectively. Then, a circular ROI was placed at the corresponding location to the pixel with the highest SUV and the mean ADC value of the ROI was denoted as ADC-PET. We compared the averages of the ADC parameters and assessed the correlations among SUVmax and ADC parameters. ROC curve and logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the utility of ADC and SUVmax for detecting histological grade 3.ADC-min was significantly lower than the ADC-mean or ADC-PET. All of the ADC parameters showed a negative correlation with SUVmax. The area under the ROC curve for identifying histological grade 3 using ADC-PET, ADC-min, ADC-mean and SUVmax was 0.684, 0.660, 0.633 and 0.639, respectively. By multivariate analysis, ADC-PET was a significant, independent predictor of histological grade 3 (p = 0.004).We estimated the ADC value at the breast tumor region with the highest FDG uptake using sequential (18)F-FDG PET and MRI. This new ADC parameter distinguished high-grade IDC, supporting the feasibility of the combined PET-MRI system in patients with breast cancer.

124I has a complex decay scheme with high gamma energy and low positron abundance. In this study, comparative performance measurements of 124I were performed in terms of spatial resolution, sensitivity, and image quality. All measurements were performed using both 2D and 3D PET in both brain mode and whole body mode. The transverse and axial spatial resolutions at 1 cm were 5.56 and 6.07 mm for 124I, and were 4.58 and 4.77 mm and for 18F, respectively. Sensitivities were 0.5 kcps/MBq (2D) and 3.4 kcps/MBq (3D) for 124I, and 1.8 kcps/MBq (2D) and 9.8 kcps/MBq (3D) for 18F. The %contrast of 3D was higher than that of 2D in 124I. For 124I PET imaging, 3D acquisition with brain mode was highest achievable imaging acquisition mode with finer spatial resolution and higher contrast. This result will be useful for 124I PET imaging.

A single treatment of (131)I-rituximab in patients with B cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) showed a modest rate of response (29 %) in a relatively short duration (median 2.9 months). On the basis of this result, we investigated whether repeated treatment with (131)I-rituximab could improve the response.Thirty-one patients with relapsed or refractory B cell NHL received unlabeled rituximab (70 mg) immediately prior to the administration of a therapeutic dose of (131)I-rituximab. The tumor response was evaluated 1 month later by contrast-enhanced (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography. Radioimmunotherapy (RIT) was repeated at 4-week intervals.A total of 87 cycles of RIT were administered. Repeated RIT yielded twofold increases in response rate (68 %) and in median response duration (8.6 months). This protocol also induced a favorable response in patients with an aggressive histology compared to that induced by a single treatment (50 vs. 9 %, respectively, p = 0.063). The toxicities were principally hematologic with grade 4 thrombocytopenia occurring in 12 % and neutropenia occurring in 17 % of the 85 assessable cycles.Compared to a single treatment, repeated RIT with (131)I-rituximab increased the response rate and duration for patients with relapsed or refractory B cell NHL, including those with an aggressive histology.

Purpose This study evaluated the usefulness of the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) as a measure of histologic response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with extremity osteosarcoma. The correlation between [18 F]FDG PET SUVmax values and histologic response to preoperative chemotherapy was also assessed prospectively using PET/MRI.

Aims: It was the aim of this paper to identify prognostic factors in patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, treated by radioimmunotherapy (RIT) with radioiodinated human/murine chimeric anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody rituximab (131I-rituximab). Methods: Twenty-four patients were enrolled prospectively and were treated with unlabeled rituximab 70 mg and a therapeutic activity (median 7.3 GBq) of 131I-rituximab. Contrast-enhanced 18F-FDG PET/CT scans were performed before and after 1 month of RIT. Tumor sizes and maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmax) of scans were measured. Results: Four of the 24 patients survived. High SUVmax in a pretreatment scan was found to be related to poorer overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (p = 0.04 and 0.02, respectively). Furthermore, a large tumor size in a pretreatment scan was associated with poorer OS but not with progression-free survival (p < 0.01 and p = 0.07, respectively). By multivariate analyses, a high SUVmax, a large tumor size in a pretreatment scan and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma histology were significantly associated with poorer OS [p = 0.04/hazard ratio (HR) = 3.54, p < 0.01/HR = 5.52, and p = 0.02/HR = 3.38, respectively). Conclusion: SUVmax and tumor size determined by a pretreatment 18F-FDG PET/CT result as significant predictors of OS in patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma treated by RIT.

PURPOSE The aim of this retrospective study was to determine whether glucose metabolism assessed by fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (F-FDG) PET/computed tomography (CT) provides prognostic information independent of established prognostic factors in patients with gastric lymphoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS We reviewed the medical records of 86 patients retrospectively (men, 42; women, 44; mean age 58±13 years) with pathologically proven gastric lymphoma (34 mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue and 52 aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma). They underwent F-FDG PET/CT as part of a pretreatment work-up from February 2004 to July 2012. For the analysis, patients were classified by age, sex, Musshoff stage, serum lactate dehydrogenase, International Prognostic Index score, extragastric spread, and visual intensity [visual assessment and maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), respectively]. The relationship between F-FDG uptake and survival was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method with a log-rank test and Cox's proportional-hazard regression method. RESULTS The median survival of all 86 study participants was 1117 days and the median SUV measured by PET/CT was 6.1 (range, 1.9-32.7). Patients with an SUVmax less than or equal to 5.2 survived significantly longer than patients with an SUVmax more than 5.2 (median, 1163 vs. 1004 days; P=0.003). Survival was also found to be significantly related to age (P=0.0005), histological type (P=0.004), extragastric spread (P=0.0004), International Prognostic Index score (P

There is a need for non-invasive monitoring the differentiation of transplanted cell in stem cell therapy. In this study, we evaluated the usefulness of sodium iodide symporter (NIS) gene as molecular imaging reporter gene during cardiomyogenic differentiation of bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). In a previous study, we showed that a transgenic mouse model expressing NIS driven by the α-myosin heavy chain (α-MHC) promoter was developed to image cardiomyocytes in vivo with a γ-camera and micro positron emission tomography (microPET). BMSCs were found to express stem cell specific surface markers including stem cell antigen-1 (Sca-1) and CD44. After treatment with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), BMSCs morphologically changed and acquired a cardiomyocyte-like shape. The cardiomyogenic differentiation of BMSCs resulted in upregulated expression of cardiac specific genes including α-MHC and ventricular myosin light chain 2 (MLC-2v) and decreased expression of the stem cell specific marker, Sca-1. The ATRA treated BMSCs exhibited higher 125I uptake than that of nontreated cells, and this result suggested that the cardiomyogenic differentiation upregulated NIS gene activity as reporter in vitro. We demonstrated that, under the control of the α-MHC promoter, NIS activity reflected cardiomyogenic differentiation of BMSCs in vitro, and an imaging system based on NIS, the reporter gene, may be a useful tool for monitoring in the lineage specific differentiation of stem cells.

Recent studies have been conducted on the relationship between fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in F-18 FDG PET/CT and prognosis in patients with pancreatic cancer, but these studies have been carried out in small numbers of patients. The aim of this retrospective study was to determine in a large number of patients whether glucose metabolism as assessed by F-18 FDG PET/CT provides prognostic information independent of established prognostic factors in patients with pancreatic cancer.We reviewed retrospectively the medical records of 165 patients (men 105, women 60, mean age 67 ± 10 years) with a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer that had undergone F-18 FDG PET/CT as part of a pretreatment workup from January 2004 to December 2009. Subsequently, all patients underwent surgery, cyberknife, radiotherapy, and/or chemotherapy. For the analysis, patients were classified by age, demographic data, maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), size, location, serum level of CA19-9, type of treatment, and AJCC stage. The relationship between FDG uptake and survival was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier with log-Rank test and Cox's proportional-hazard regression methods.Median survival for all 165 study subjects was 290 days and median SUV by PET/CT was 5.8 (range: 0-25.1). Patients were allocated to high ( 4.1) and low (≤4.1) SUV groups, and median survivals of these patients were 229 days and 610 days, respectively, which were significantly different (p 0.0001). Furthermore, SUVmax was found to be significantly related to survival in each stage, i.e., there were 1267 days in stage I, 440 days in stage II, 299 days in stage III, and 143 days in stage IV (p 0.0001). The median survival was also found to be significantly related to tumor size (p = 0.001), site (p = 0.0298), serum level of CA19-9 (p = 0.0017), distant metastasis (p 0.0001), and type of treatment (p 0.0001). Multivariate analysis study revealed that the patients with a low SUV (p = 0.0298), a lower serum level of CA19-9 (p = 0.0071), a lower stage (p = 0.0017), and no distant metastasis (p 0.0001) had longer survivals. In addition, SUVmax values were found to have a similar hazard ratio of distant metastasis; it was well known predictor. Furthermore, SUVmax values showed a higher hazard ratio than that of other clinicopathologic predictors.The present study shows that SUVmax on F-18 FDG PET/CT can provide a prognostic information in patients with pancreatic cancer.

Purpose : Multimodality imaging contributes to the activation of translational research by compensating for its weak points. Herein, we developed a noninvasive dual-reporter gene system for nuclear and optical imaging. Materials and methods : We constructed a fusion reporter vector concurrently expressing the human sodium/iodide symporter (hNIS) and monomeric red fl uorescent protein (mCherry), and evaluated the function of this fusion reporter system under in vitro and in vivo conditions. Results : The expression of hNIS/mCherry fusion gene was confi rmed in transfected cells using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting. As the numbers of cells increased, the fl uorescence and 125 I uptake increased in the hNIS/mCherry-transfected cells, and a high correlation between fl uorescence intensity and radioactivity was noted. The fl uorescence intensities and radioactivity signals were also well-correlated in HT-29-hNIS/mCherry tumors (R 2 0.9304) in in vivo fl uorescence and gamma camera imaging. Conclusions : The dual-reporter imaging method using hNIS and mCherry genes refl ected tumor extent as well as viable cell numbers, and correlated well with one another. This suggests that the hNIS/mCherry dual-reporter system can be a useful tool for multi-modal imaging.