Thoracic and abdominal SPECT-CT image fusion without external markers in endocrine carcinomas. The Group of Thyroid Tumoral Pathology of Champagne-Ardenne

Superimposition of SPECT and computed tomography (CT) slices from the thoracoabdominal region was achieved without the use of external markers for 14 studies in 13 patients with endocrine carcinoma. Technical feasibility and clinical validation of this retrospective fusion method were assessed. METHODS: Patients had a history of thyroid cancer or of carcinoid tumor. To detect tumor sites, CT scan and dual-isotope tomoscintigraphy were performed, with 99mTc-hydroxymethylene diphosphonate for bone scintigraphy and with 111In-pentetreotide, 131I or 131I-metaiodobenzylguanidine for tumor scintigraphy (TS). A superimposition method previously developed for the pelvic region was adapted to the nonrigid thoraco-abdominal region. CT-bone scintigraphy and CT-TS superimposed images were obtained. Clinical validation of the information obtained from the superimposed images was obtained from surgery or follow-up imaging studies performed after clinical evolution of the disease process. RESULTS: Reliable and reproducible registration was achieved in all patients. CT-TS superimposed images produced accurate localization of abnormal TS foci. Accuracy was limited primarily by variable relative displacements of the thoracoabdominal organs. For 10 sites in 8 patients, localization and/or characterization obtained from CT-TS images was confirmed by a reference technique. Superimposition enabled the localization of tumor sites that otherwise could not have been suspected from CT alone and allowed the characterization of CT suspicious masses and the confirmation of CT positive sites. Nonspecific tumor TS uptake sites were also localized. CONCLUSION: With standard CT and dual-isotope SPECT acquisitions, SPECT-CT fusion is feasible in the thoracoabdominal region without the use of external markers. Fused images were validated in 8 patients for 10 sites. The use of this technique could probably improve the management and care of patients with endocrine carcinoma.     

Involvement of zinc in intracellular oxidant/antioxidant balance

Methods to directly and indirectly identify the central sulcus are presented. In the axial plan, direct method is remarkable but obviously requires good visualization of the sulci in the central region. Sulci are readily visible in 90% of the cases on CT scans and in 50% of the cases on MRI. The method can also be applied when tumoral development erases the cerebral sulci by direct lecture of the controlateral rolandic region and right-left transfer. Within the precision limits of the method, it can be considered that the central sulci are symmetrical. The main signs are: the relative morphologies of the superior frontal sulcus and the precentral sulcus, the hook-shaped aspect of the middle part of the central sulcus, the internal end of the central sulcus projection anteriorly to the pars marginalis, the bifid nature of the internal end of the posterior central sulcus contouring the pars marginalis, and the lesser thickness of the posterior central gyrus compared with the precentral gyrus. The indirect method is less precise and is used when the direct method is unsuccessful. The central sulcus is identified on the sagittal images and, using the lateral view of the skull as a reference image, the topographic information is transferred to the axial images.     

Glucocorticoids and aging

In this review we analyze the morphologic changes, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis functions, glucocorticoid (GC) receptors, and steroidogenic enzyme activities in both animals and humans during aging. In rodent studies, older animals tend to show: 1) hypertrophy of adrenal zona fasciculata (ZF) cells; 2) neuronal loss in the hypothalamic area; 3) loss of GC receptors in the hippocampus; 4) raised circulating adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and GC levels, and increased release of corticotropin-releasing hormone from the hypothalamus; 5) reduced suppression of endogenous GC secretion after administration of dexamethasone; 6) decreased attenuation of response to chronic stress; and 7) increased activity of P450scc and 21-hydroxylase. According to the GC cascade hypothesis, stress and GCs facilitate the aging process in rats. Stress induces downregulation of GC receptors in the hippocampus, then impairs GC feedback on stress-induced HPA axis activation. Finally, an increase in the basal level of corticosterone and extended GC secretion following stress occurs. Because activation of the hippocampus decreases HPA axis function, the unrestrained elevation of GC concentration and the reduction in the level of GC receptors in the hippocampus may gradually weaken the feedback mechanisms and halt the response to stress. In humans, there are conflicting reports of HPA axis function during aging, so it is difficult to make a final conclusion regarding the relationship between aging and HPA axis function.     

Review of thymic pathology in 30 cats and 36 dogs

Data are presented from 30 cats and 36 dogs in which thymic disease was recognised clinically or on postmortem examination. The diagnoses included thymic lymphoma (19 cats, 12 dogs), thymoma (five cats, 18 dogs), thymic branchial cyst formation or cystic change (one cat, four dogs), thymic hyperplasia (two cats), congenital hypoplasia (one cat, one dog), thymic haemorrhage (one cat, one dog) and thymic amyloidosis (one cat). Thymic lymphoma occurred in younger dogs and cats, and was recorded equally among domestic shorthaired and purebred (especially Siamese) cats. Eight cats with thymic lymphoma were tested for feline leukaemia virus and four were positive. Thymoma occurred more frequently in older cats and dogs, and in Labradors and German shepherd dogs. Thymic tumours were associated with paraneoplastic hypercalcaemia (six dogs), megaoesophagus (two dogs) or interface dermatitis with basement membrane immune complex deposition (one cat). Non-neoplastic thymic diseases were associated with myasthenia gravis (one cat), pemphigus foliaceus (one cat) and superficial necrolytic dermatitis (one cat).     

Insertion/deletion polymorphism in the angiotensin-converting enzyme gene associated with macroangiopathy and blood pressure in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

In the search for new risk factors for diabetic macroangiopathy the insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism in the angiotensin-converting enzyme gene was studied in 237 consecutive patients (125 men and 112 women) with non-insulin-dependent diabetes. The female population showed an excess of ischemic electrocardiographic changes or definite myocardial infarctions in the patients homozygous for the deletion [D/D; odds ratio (OR) 2.8; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.4-5.3] and in the insertion/deletion heterozygotes (I/D; OR 1.8; CI 1.1-3.1) compared with the patients homozygous for the insertion (I/I). In the total series coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and claudication were more often observed in the patients with I/D (OR 1.5; CI 1.0-2.2) or the D/D genotype patients (OR 1.7; CI 1.1-2.6) than in those with the genotype I/I. The systolic blood pressure was lower in patients with genotype I/I (138 +/- 19 mmHg) than in those with the genotype I/D (149 +/- 22 mmHg) or D/D (150 +/- 21 mmHg; P < 0.02). The prevalence of hypertension and the median urinary albumin excretion rate also tended to be lowest in the I/I genotype patients. Multiple logistic analysis revealed that in women the angiotensin-converting enzyme D/D genotype is independently associated with coronary heart disease. Our findings suggest that variation at the angiotensin-converting enzyme gene locus is one of the factors involved in the predisposition of diabetic patients to the development of arterial disease and hypertension.     

Mitochondrial DNA haplotype frequencies in natural and experimental populations of Drosophila subobscura

The evolution of Drosophila subobscura mitochondrial DNA has been studied in experimental populations, founded with flies from a natural population from Esporles (Majorca, Balearic Islands, Spain). This population, like other European ones, is characterized by the presence of two very common (>96%) mitochondrial haplotypes (called I and II) and rare and endemic haplotypes that appear at very low frequencies. There is no statistical evidence of positive Darwinian selection acting on the mitochondrial DNA variants according to Tajima's neutrality test. Two experimental populations, with one replicate each, were established with flies having a heterogeneous nuclear genetic background, which was representative of the composition of the natural population. Both populations were started with the two most frequent mitochondrial haplotypes, but at different initial frequencies. After 13 to 16 generations, haplotype II reached fixation in three cages and its frequency was 0.89 by generation 25 in the fourth cage. Random drift can be rejected as the force responsible for the observed changes in haplotype frequencies. There is not only statistical evidence of a linear trend favoring a mtDNA (haploid) fitness effect, but also of a significant nonlinear deviation that could be due to a nuclear component.     

Quantitative evaluation of pancreatic enhancement during dual-phase helical CT

PURPOSE: To determine the improvement in pancreatic enhancement at helical computed tomography (CT) performed with an early delay after administration of contrast material compared with that performed with a standard delay. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Dual-phase helical CT of the abdomen was performed in 120 patients with a 150-mL bolus of contrast material infused at 5 mL/sec. Early and standard delayed scanning was performed beginning at 20 seconds and 49-71 seconds, respectively. Regions of interest were measured in the head, body, and tail of the pancreas in 92 patients. The difference in enhancement between early and standard delayed scanning was calculated. RESULTS: Mean pancreatic enhancement was 82 HU +/- 3 (standard error) with an early delay, whereas enhancement on standard delay scans was 62 HU +/- 2 (P < .001). An improvement in enhancement greater than 10 HU was attained in 66 of 92 cases (72%). CONCLUSION: Pancreatic enhancement at helical CT with an early delay after contrast material administration is often significantly greater than the enhancement seen with a standard delay when a monophasic, rapidly infused bolus of contrast material is used.