Abass Alavi

Calcific tendinopathy is a common condition of the shoulder caused by the inflammation and deposition of hydroxyapatite crystals in the rotator cuff tendons. PET tracers capturing the molecular changes associated with the crystal deposition of calcific tendinopathy remain underinvestigated. In this report, we present calcified tendinopathy of the infraspinatus tendon demonstrating both 18 F-NaF and 18 F-FDG focal uptake in a 61-year-old woman.

This educational review article aims to discuss growing evidence from PET studies in the diagnosis and treatment of depression. PET has been used in depression to explore the neurotransmitters involved, the alterations in neuroreceptors, non-neuroreceptor targets (e.g., microglia and astrocytes), the severity and duration of the disease, the pharmacodynamics of various antidepressants, and neurobiological mechanisms of non-pharmacological therapies like psychotherapy, electroconvulsive therapy, and deep brain stimulation therapy, by showing changes in brain metabolism and receptor and non-receptor targets. Studies have revealed alterations in neurotransmitter systems such as serotonin, dopamine, GABA, and glutamate, which are linked to the pathophysiology of depression. Overall, PET imaging has furthered the neurobiological understanding of depression. Despite these advancements, PET findings have not yet led to significant changes in evidence-based practices. Addressing the reasons behind inconsistencies in PET imaging results, conducting large sample size studies with a more standardized methodological approach, and investigating further the genetic and neurobiological aspects of depression may better leverage PET imaging in future studies.

Methods: HNC patients who underwent proton and/or photon RT in combination with chemotherapy at the University of Pennsylvania between February 9, 2010, and January 6, 2020 were the subjects of a retrospective study. Following the application of the exclusion criteria, 18F-FDG-PET/CT scans for 26 HNC patients (9 proton RT, 10 photon RT, 7 with combined proton and photon RT) were obtained for before RT and 5-10 months after RT. All subjects underwent 18F-FDG-PET/CT imaging 60 minutes after 5.0 MBq/kg 18F-FDG injection. Delta global SUVmean was determined by taking the difference between the global SUVmean measured 5 to 10 months after radiation therapy and the baseline global SUVmean for both the left common carotid (LCC) and right common carotid (RCC). OsiriX MD was utilized to analyze 18F-FDG uptake in the RCC and LCC. Wilcoxon’s rank-sum test was performed to compare the …

Purpose of ReviewCombined positron emission tomography and computer tomography with 2-deoxy-[fluorine-18]-flouro-D-glucose ([18F]FDG-PET/CT) is increasingly used in suspected infection and inflammation. Evidence is mounting within several areas. We believe [18F]FDG-PET/CT is a key modality in infection and inflammation and this overview outlines the diagnostic values in most common uses within this domain.Recent Findings[18F]FDG-PET/CT is considered helpful in establishing the underlying disease in 50–60% of FUO patients. In patients with complex blood stream infections, [18F]FDG-PET/CT changes treatment and reduces relapse rates and mortality—if scans are negative prognosis is favorable and it may be safe to withhold or de-escalate treatment strategy. In infectious endocarditis, [18F]FDG-PET/CT has an impact in prosthetic valve endocarditis and cardiovascular implantable electronic …

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a systemic inflammatory disorder that commonly presents with polyarthritis but can have multisystemic involvement and complications, leading to increased morbidity and mortality. The diagnosis of RA continues to be challenging due to its varied clinical presentations. In this review article, we aim to determine the potential of PET/CT to assist in the diagnosis of RA and its complications, evaluate the therapeutic response to treatment, and predict RA remission. PET/CT has increasingly been used in the last decade to diagnose, monitor treatment response, predict remissions, and diagnose subclinical complications in RA. PET imaging with [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose ([18F]-FDG) is the most commonly applied radiotracer in RA, but other tracers are also being studied. PET/CT with [18F]-FDG, [18F]-NaF, and other tracers might lead to early identification of RA and timely evidence-based …

Background: Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of illness and death globally, primarily due to atherosclerosis. This disease reduces blood flow and oxygen delivery to organs, and when it affects the carotid arteries, it can lead to cognitive impairment and dementia. In a population of 104 individuals, comprising both healthy controls and individuals at elevated risk for developing cardiovascular diseases (CVD) due to identified risk factors, we used PET imaging with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) to assess cerebral glucose metabolism and 18F-sodium fluoride (NaF) to detect atherosclerotic calcification. Our statistical analysis revealed significant differences in metabolic activity between healthy and at-risk individuals in specific brain regions. 18F-FDG uptake in the brain varied inversely with respect to the clinical assessment of cardiovascular risk in regions such as the cuneus (β = −0.030, SE = 0.014, p = 0.035), middle occipital gyrus (β = −0.032, SE = 0.011, p = 0.005), and posterior cingulate gyrus (β = −0.032, SE = 0.015, p = 0.044). In contrast, areas including the basis pontis (β = 0.025, SE = 0.012, p = 0.038) and the pons (β = 0.034, SE = 0.013, p = 0.008) exhibited direct correlations. Notably, carotid 18F-NaF uptake had inverse associations with 18F-FDG uptake in the cerebellum (β = −0.825, SE = 0.354, p = 0.021), medulla (β = −0.888, SE = 0.405, p = 0.029), and posterior cingulate gyrus (β = −1.253, SE = 0.567, p = 0.028), while increased carotid calcification influenced metabolic activity in the fusiform gyrus (β = 1.660, SE = 0.498, p = 0.001) and globus pallidus (β = 1.505, SE = 0.571, p = 0.009). We observed that atherosclerotic …

FIRST EXPERIENCES WITH AMYLOID-RELATED IMAGING ABNORMALITIES found after treatment with all three antibodies (5), a fact that tends to be passed over in silence. The only way to clarify the alleged beneficial or possibly harmful effects of the treatments is to examine treated patients and their placebo controls under unbiased conditions with MRI and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET to establish cerebral volume changes and regional glucose utilization and neuronal function, respectively, to measure the functional effects of ARIAs.

METHODS:The FULIMA clinical trial (NCT02187731) was conducted with 70 newly diagnosed MM patients, with exclusion criteria leaving 33 patients for analysis (9 females, 24 males; mean age 66.6 y). Patients’ trabecular body of the L1-L4 vertebrae was analyzed using 18F-NaF PET/CT scans to calculate and evaluate the linear associations among mean standardized NaF uptake value (SUVmean), mean Hounsfield unit (HU) values, and age. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis with area under the curve (AUC) using the Wilson/Brown method assessed the predictive value of NaF uptake via SUVmean for osteoporosis determined by HU threshold.RESULTS:There was significant positive correlation between HU value and SUVmean (r= 0.64, p< 0.0001) and negative correlations between age and both HU value (r=-0.59, p< 0.0003) and SUVmean (r=-0.53, p= 0.002). Additionally, on average …