American Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging

Radiotracers and medical imaging equipment are the two main keys to molecular imaging. While radiotracers are of great interest to research and industry, medical imaging equipment technology is blossoming everywhere. Total-body PET/CT (TB-PET/CT) has emerged in response to this trend and is rapidly gaining traction in the fields of clinical oncology, cardiovascular medicine, inflammatory/infectious diseases, and pediatric diseases. In addition, the use of a growing number of radiopharmaceuticals in TB-PET/CT systems has shown promising results...

The cannabinoid subtype 1 receptor (CB1R) is highly expressed in the central nervous system and abnormalities in regional CB1R density are associated with neurodegenerative disorders. The PET tracer [18 F]FMPEP- d 2 is an inverse CB1R agonist which was shown to be suitable for non-invasive PET imaging. In this work, we reported the fully automated radiosynthesis of [18 F]FMPEP- d 2 on a Synthra RNplus research module. In a total synthesis time of 70 min, [18 F]FMPEP- d 2 was obtained in 2.2 ± 0.1 GBq (n = 3) with excellent radiochemical and chemical purity...

This study aimed to determine the comparability of tumor-uptake indices of 18 F-FDG in positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) and positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MRI). 2-[fluorine-18]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) PET/CT and PET/MRI were performed on 55 patients with confirmed primary malignancies. PET/CT preceded PET/MRI in all examinations. Accumulation of 18 F-FDG in lesions and normal organs (brain, liver) was measured. Maximum and peak standardized uptake values (SUVs; SUVmax and SUVpeak , respectively), metabolic tumor volume (MTV), and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) with margin thresholds of SUV of 50% (MTV50% ; TLG50% , respectively) were measured as indices for comparison of measurements in tumors...

Follicular lymphoma (FL) is a subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) that is typically characterized by a slow-growing course. Duodenal-type follicular lymphoma (D-FL) was recently reclassified as a distinct variant. This subtype exhibits unique clinical and biological characteristics, which set it apart from other forms of FL. We report a case of a 36-year-old male patient with multiple, small, gray polypoid lesions in the descending duodenum which were detected by esophagogastroduodenoscopy. The pathological diagnosis was low-grade D-FL...

We have previously investigated the biodistribution and therapy effect of a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting free prostate-specific antigen (fPSA) intended for theranostics of hormone-refractory prostate cancer. In the present study, we evaluated the off-target effect and different linear energy transfer (LET) radionuclides without the effect of PSA targeting by using an antibody with the same scaffold as previously used immunoconjugates but with random, non-specific, antigen binding region. This allows us to identify alterations generated by specific targeting and those related to passive bystander effects, such as enhanced permeability and retention (EPR)...

In the last two decades, advancements in positron emission tomography (PET) technology have increased the diagnostic accuracy of patients with large-vessel vasculitis (LVV). Numerous systematic reviews and meta-analyses have been conducted, and patients suspected of having LVV can be diagnosed earlier with 18F-FDG PET. Two subtypes, giant cell arteritis (GCA) and Takayasu arteritis (TA), will progress when their response to corticosteroids and enhanced immunosuppression is inadequate. In the majority of patients, disease activity cannot be monitored solely through laboratory procedures; consequently, glucose metabolism may be a source of potential biomarkers...

OBJECTIVE: The glenohumeral (GH) joint is a classic ball-and-socket joint of the shoulder subject to various pathologies including osteoarthritis (OA). Degenerative changes of the OA evident on traditional imaging are proceeded by molecular changes, which if detected early could enhance disease prevention and treatment. In this study, we use 18 F-FluoroDeoxyGlucose (FDG) and 18 F-sodium-fluoride (NaF)-PET/CT to investigate the effects limb laterality, age, and BMI on the inflammation and bone turnover of the GH shoulder joint...

One novel option for treating metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer is radionuclide therapy targeting prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), e.g. [177 Lu]Lu-PSMA-617. Overexpression of HER2 has been found in 80% of metastatic cases of prostate cancer. Previous research showed that HER2 is elevated post irradiation in PC-3 prostate cancer cells. Co-treating with anti-HER2 antibody Trastuzumab gave less proliferation of irradiated tumor cells in vitro, and when using radionuclide therapy, also in vivo...

[This corrects the article on p. 352 in vol. 11, PMID: 34754606.].

Erdheim-Chester disease (ECD) is a rare and clinically heterogeneous non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis, and its diagnosis relies on established clinical, radiologic, histopathological criteria. ECD can be evaluated by whole-body preoperative imaging methods. Although 18 F-FDG PET/CT shows negative findings in some splenic benign or borderline lesions, such as splenic inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors and hemangioendotheliomas, it can provide value in differentiating some malignant diseases, such as hemangiosarcoma and metastases...

BACKGROUND: One of the most useful tools for identifying sleep disturbances is neuroimaging, especially magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This review research was to look at the role of MRI findings in movement disorders and sleep disturbances. METHODS: This review collects all MRI data on movement disorders and sleep disruptions. Between 2000 and 2022, PubMed and Google Scholar were utilized to find original English publications and reviews. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, around 100 publications were included...

The PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway is frequently dysregulated in cancer due to its central role in cell growth, survival, and proliferation. Overactivation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway may occur through varying mechanisms including mutations, gene amplification, and upstream signaling events, ultimately resulting in cancer. Therefore, PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway has emerged as an attractive target for cancer therapy and imaging. A promising approach to inhibit this pathway involves a simultaneous inhibition of both PI3K and mTOR using a dual inhibitor...

Claudin 18.2 (CLDN18.2) is an emerging target for the treatment of CLDN18.2-expressing cancers such as gastric and pancreatic cancers. Cell and antibody therapies targeting CLDN18.2 are under intensive clinical trials. In this setting, how to efficiently and specifically detect CLDN18.2 expression before and after the therapies is a clinical challenge. In recent years, molecular imaging with radiolabeled antibodies or antibody fragments have shown promise in noninvasively annotating antigen expression across the body...

Stroke is the leading cause of disability worldwide, the second most common cause of dementia and the third leading cause of death. Though the etiology of stroke has been explored extensively, there remains open questions in the scientific and clinical study of stroke. Traditional imaging techniques, such as magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography, have been applied extensively and remain mainstays in clinical practice. Nevertheless, positron emission tomography has proven to be a powerful molecular imaging tool in exploring the scientific aspects of neurological disease, and stroke remains an area of great interest...

Uterine adenosarcoma is a rare gynecological malignancy with no specific symptoms, and the optimal management is still inconclusive. Herein we present a case of uterine adenosarcoma in a 38-year-old woman with a good prognosis and review of literatures. The patient presented with abnormal vaginal bleeding with no special medical history. Sonographic scan revealed a heterogeneous echoic mass in the cavity, indicating a polypus or a submucous myoma. The pathology based on the specimen after the hysteroscopic tumor excision suggested diagnosis of uterine adenosarcoma...

BACKGROUND: Deep learning (DL) algorithms have shown promise in identifying and quantifying lesions in PET/CT. However, the accuracy and generalizability of these algorithms relies on large, diverse datasets which are time and labor intensive to curate. Modern PET/CT scanners may acquire data in list mode, allowing for multiple reconstructions of the same datasets with different parameters and imaging times. These reconstructions may provide a wide range of image characteristics to increase the size and diversity of datasets...

Large lipid core (extended into arterial lumen) and high density of macrophages (associated with 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose "18 F-FDG" uptake) in atherosclerotic plaque were shown to be an overt feature of plaque rupture. Nineteen participants were imaged with computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography (PET) with 18 F-FDG in a dynamic mode. The mean lumen density in Hounsfield unit (HU) was measured per region of interest (ROI) on CT images and classified as non-calcified and calcified classifications...

While Tc-99m MDP bone scan (BS) remains the conventional standard for detection of bone metastasis in prostate cancer, newly FDA-approved imaging with PSMA-based 18 F-DCFPyL PET/CT has shown promise for early detection of metastatic disease. However, a paucity of data remains in the diagnostic accuracy of PSMA PET/CT in detecting bone metastasis compared to BS. This retrospective study included 91 patients who received both BS and PSMA PET/CT within a 3-month interval from August 2021 to February 2022. Separate concurrent primary cancer, interval PSA levels greater than a 2-fold difference (or absolute difference >1 ng/ml) between the two studies were excluded...

Molecular imaging can dynamically and quantitatively record the biochemical changes in a systemic view. In this research, SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus was intramuscularly injected to simulate the vaccination with inactivated virus. New Zealand white rabbits were evaluated with 18 F-FDG PET for inflammation and 68 Ga-cyc-DX600 PET for ACE2 fluctuation, which were performed before and at 3, 7 and 14 days post injection (d P.I.); furthermore, one rabbit was vaccinated with two cycles with interval of 14 days for a longer period evaluation...

The most prevalent cause of emergency abdominal surgery is acute appendicitis. Ultrasonography is safe and widely available, although it's operator-dependent and difficult for people with massive bodies. Computed tomography (CT) scans are more accurate than ultrasonography, with a 93 to 98% accuracy rate. The goal of this investigation is to evaluate the diagnostic value of ultrasonography and CT scanning for acute appendicitis. This is a cross-sectional study that was performed on 231 patients with suspected with acute appendicitis...