The present study aimed to examine the effect of vitamin D receptor agonist paricalcitol (PRC) on doxorubicin (DOX)-induced thyroid gland damage in rats. Twenty-eight Wistar rats were randomly categorized into four groups: (1) control (SF; 2 ml/kg); (2) DOX (18 µg/kg), (3) PRC (0.5 μg/kg) and (4) PRC (1 μg/kg). PRC was administered three times a week for 21 days. In PRC and 18 µg/kg DOX groups, drugs were administered on the 19th, 20th or 21st days of the experiment. On the 22nd day, 99mTc pertechnetate uptake level and serum biochemical parameters were determined. 99mTc pertechnetate uptake was lower in groups receiving DOX and/or 0.5 and 1 μg/kg PRC than in control groups. The 99mTc pertechnetate levels in the 0.5 and 1 μg/kg PRC groups were significantly higher than the DOX group. However, PRC pretreatments decreased 99mTc pertechnetate uptake in rat thyroid gland. Besides, DOX caused a significant increase in blood TSH levels and decreases in T3 and T4 levels compared to the control groups. Administration of PRC decreased TSH level and increased T3 and T4 levels compared to DOX group. PRC administration protects thyroid gland against DOX-induced toxicity.

AIM: We aimed to investigate the possible cardioprotective effects of paricalcitol (PR), its vitamin D receptor agonist, and vitamin D (3) (VIT-D3) on an experimental model of doxorubicin (DX) cardiotoxicity by( 99m) Tc-PYP scintigraphy, electrocardiographic (ECG) and biochemical methods. METHOD: Forty-two male Wistar/Albino rats (250-300 g; aged 10-12 weeks) were randomly separated into six groups, namely into control (CN), doxorubicin (DX), paricalcitol (PR), vitamin D (3) (VIT-D 3 ), paricalcitol + doxorubicin (PR+DX), and vitamin D 3 + doxorubicin (VIT-D (3) +DX) groups. Cardiotoxicity was induced by three doses of DX (18 mg/kg, i.p.) at 24 -hour intervals on days 18, 19 and 20. PR (0.5 ug/ kg, i.p) and VIT-D (3 )(5,000 IU/kg, i.p) were injected for 20 days before and after the application of DX (18 mg/kg, i.p.). On day 21 of the experiment, biochemical parameters [tumor necrosis factor TNF-alpha (TNF-alpha); interleukin-6 (IL -6), nitric oxide (NO), and cardiac troponin T (cTnT)], as well as ECG and scintigraphic (( 99m) Tc-PYP) features were assessed. RESULTS: Compared to CN, DX significantly raised TNF-alpha, IL -6, and NO in heart tissue, cTnT in serum, (99m) Tc-PYP uptake in the myocardium, and ECG parameters, specifically QRS complex duration, QT interval duration, and ST -segment amplitude, while also reducing heart rate (p<0.001). Pretreatment with PR and VIT-D (3) mitigated these abnormalities produced by DX in the heart (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Results show that vitamin D receptor agonist paricalcitol and vitamin D protect against DX -induced cardiotoxicity through anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects (Fig. 4, Ref. 59) . Text in PDF www.elis.sk

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to evaluate possible preventive role of quercetin on doxorubicin (DOX) induced kidney toxicity using Tc-99m Dimercaptosuccinic Acid ([99mTc]Tc-DMSA) renal cortical scintigraphy and biochemical approaches. Methods: 28 Male wistar rats were separated into four groups. First group was intraperitoneally (i.p.) injected saline and regarded as the control group; second one was received 18 mg/kg/i.p doxorubicin for three days at a 24 h interval; the third and last group received 10 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg quercetin for 21 days and for the last 3 days doxorubicin and quercetin were administrated together at the same time. On the 22nd day of the experiment, [99mTc]Tc-DMSA renal cortical scintigraphy and biochemical parameters were measured. Results: DOX administration significantly increased blood urea nitrogen (845%) and creatinine (702%) levels in serum; nitric oxide (158%), plasma tumor necrosis factor-alpha (233%) and interleukin-6 (191%) levels in kidney tissue, and also reduced [99mTc]Tc-DMSA uptake by 29% in the kidneys as well. Pre-treatment with quercetin mitigated such alterations in all mentioned parameters. Conclusion: All data indicate that oxidative stress and inflammatory processes are involved in DOX-induced nephrotoxicity, which might be decreased by quercetin. In addition, [99mTc]Tc-DMSA scintigraphic may be a good method for demonstrating doxorobucin-induced renal injury.

AimIn the present study, the effect of quercetin, a powerful antioxidant flavonoid, on genetic absence epilepsy was studied in WAG/Rij rats.Material and MethodTripolar electrodes were implanted into WAG/Rij rats. Basal electrocorticography (ECoG) was recorded following a recovery period. After basal ECoG recording, different doses of quercetin (QRC) (25, 50 and 100 mg/kg) were injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) for 30 days. ECoG recording was continued for 31 days, three hours a day. After recording, the rats were anesthetized and euthanized through cervical dislocation and their brains were excised. Biochemically, TNF-alpha, IL-6 and NO were studied in whole rat brains.ResultsIn WAG/Rij rats, low-dose quercetin (25 mg/kg) reduced the number and duration of spike-wave discharges (SWDs) compared to the control group. However, 50 and 100 mg/kg quercetin doses increased SWDs. Duration of SWDs was prolonged only with 100 mg/kg dose. None of the quercetin doses had any effect on average amplitude of SWDs. In addition, it was observed in biochemical analyses that 25 mg/kg quercetin reduced TNF-alpha, IL-6 and NO levels compared to the control group. While TNF-alpha and IL-6 levels in rat brains were not affected by 50 or 100 mg/kg doses, both doses were found to increase NO levels in rat brains.ConclusionBased on the results of the present study, 25 mg/kg low-dose quercetin may have reduced absence seizures by reducing proinflammatory cytokines and NO, but high-dose quercetin may have increased absence seizures through increasing the NO level. This contrasting effect of quercetin on absence seizures needs to be investigated by advanced mechanisms.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of antiepileptic drug lacosamide on spontaneous absence seizures and anxiety in genetic absence-epilepsy WAG/Rij rats.Methods: Tripolar electrodes were placed in the cortex of WAG/Rij rats in each group using a stereotaxic instrument. Saline (4 mL/kg) was administered to the rats in the control group, while 5, 10, 25, and 50 mg/kg lacosamide was administered intraperitoneally to the rats in lacosamide groups. After lacosamide injections, elect roenc ephal ograp hy recording was taken for 180 minutes. Then, the open field test was performed for 5 minutes.Results: The total number and duration of spikes and wave discharges increased significantly in a dose-dependent manner after lacosamide injection in all lacosamide groups compared to the control group (P < .001). In addition, the seizure activity of rats in all groups began to increase 10 minutes after lacosamide injections (P < 0.001). Intermittent loss of clinical righting reflex was observed after absence seizures and convulsions also developed. Epileptic seizure activity with simultaneous sharp spikes was observed in the elect roenc ephal ograp hy recording, and a dose-dependent seizure activity increase was observed (P < .001). All lacosamide groups had significantly lower values for the number of squares crossed, number of rearing, and duration of grooming in the open field test compared to the control group.Conclusion: It was found in the present study that absence seizures in WAG/Rij rats increased in a dose-dependent manner after lacosamide treatment. Anxiety like behaviors were also increased lacosamide treatment.

Objective: To assess whether more accurate mediastinal lymph nodes radiotherapy can be performed with fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography / comuted tomography. Methods: The retrospective study was conducted at Inonu University Medical Faculty, Malatya, Turkey, and Afyon Kocatepe University Medical Faculty, Afyon, Turkey, and comprised record of patients histopathologically diagnosed with non-small cell lung carcinoma and who underwent fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography / computed tomography between January 2013 and December 2016. Surgery and pathology reports of the patients were reviewed. Histopathologically proven malignant and benign lymph nodes were re-identified with fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography / computed tomography imaging. Anatomical and metabolic parameters of lymph nodes were re-assessed by specialists and compared with histopathology reports. Maximum standardised uptake values were used to assess sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive values. SPSS 22 was used for data analysis. Results: The study included 144 mediastinal lymph nodes related to 42 patients who had a mean age of 62.4 +/- 9.8 years (range: 41-79 years). In terms of subtypes of the primary squamous cell carcinoma was found in 24(57.2%) patients, adenocarcinoma in 12(27.5%), and other subtypes in 6(15.3%) patients. Of the 144 lymph nodes, 48(33.3%) were metastatic. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 92.8%, 64.3%, 56.9%, and 94.7%, respectively when maximum standardised uptake value >2.5 was used as the malignancy criterion. When lymph node maximum standardised uptake value / liver standardised uptake value-mean >1.69 was used as the criterion, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 95.83%, 91.67%, 85.2%, and 97.8%, respectively. When the same values with lymph node >8mm was used as the criterion, the four resultant values were 89.6%, 93.8%, 87.8%, and 94.7%, respectively. When lymph node was replaced with mean attenuation >35 as the criterion, the consequent values were 79.2%, 93.8%, 86.4%, and 90.0%, respectively. Conclusion: Lymph node maximum standardised uptake value / liver standardised uptake value-mean >1.69 was associated with higher negative predictive value and more useful positive predictive value compared to maximum standardised uptake value >2.5. When this parameter was used along with short axis or mean attenuation value, there were no significant increase in positive predictive value, but there was a decrease in negative predictive value.

It was aimed to investigate the correlation between maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), mean standardized uptake value (SUVmean), and retention index (RI), which represents the quantitative evaluation of the uptake of 18F-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (18F-FDG) used in positron emission tomography (PET) and clinicopathologic as well as biologic prognostic factors. Forty-one women with breast cancer who were histopathologically diagnosed were included in this study. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was applied to all patients before PET/computed tomography (CT). After FDG injection, PET/CT screening was applied within the 1st h (PET-1) and in the 2nd h (PET-2). SUVmax, SUVmean, SUVmax RI, and SUVmean RI of every image were calculated qualitatively and semiquantitatively. The correlation between quantitative and semiquantitative PET parameters and biologic as well as clinicopathologic prognosis factors was evaluated. Statistically, significant positive correlation was found between lymph nodes (LNs), which were evaluated by clinical picture, clinical stage as well as histopathologically and quantitative PET parameters (SUVmax1, SUVmax2, , RImax, SUVmean1, SUVmean2, RImean) (P < 0.05). While statistically significant correlation with RImax was detected only by LN (histopathological), correlations with RImean were detected by clinical picture, clinical stage, metabolic stage, and LN (histopathological). Statistically, significant correlation was found between RImax and estrogen receptor in patients who were histopathologically diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma (n = 34) (P < 0.05). We detected correlations between biologic and clinicopathologic prognostic factors and SUVmax as well as SUVmean values in breast carcinoma. SUVmean values may provide important knowledge when the correlation between prognostic factors and PET parameters is investigated even if they are not used routinely.

Major vascular invasion is one of the worst prognostic factors of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Fludeoxyglucose F 18 ((18) F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) method is succesfully being used in HCC patients for the detection of particularly long-distance metastasis. Major vascular invasion is shown by radiological methods [particularly dynamic CT and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)]. A male patient aged 60 years was diagnosed with HCC, according to biopsy after the detection of a mass in the liver. His medical examinations that were performed for the evaluation in terms of liver transplantation were dynamic CT and dynamic MRI; invasion in the intrahepatic branches of the portal vein and in main portal vein was also detected. PET/CT was performed to investigate the distant metastases. Moreover, diffuse (18) F-FDG uptake in the intrahepatic branches of the portal vein and in the main portal vein was observed.

Cholestatic diseases in neonates which characterized by deterioration of bile passage to intestine. We investigated the usability of Tc-99m MIBI as a hepatobiliary scintigraphy radiopharmaceutical for diferential diagnosis of biliary atresia and hepatitis in experimental model. A total of 20 males Wistar albino rats who had weights ranging from 200-350 g were included in this study. Rats were randomly divided into 4 groups. Control group, sham operated group, biliary atresia group and chemical hepatitis group (with carbon tetrachloride) were created, respectively. Blood flow phases, consantration and early excreation phases was performed after an intravenous injection through the internal jugular vein of 37 MBq Tc-99m MIBI using a gamma camera. Dual late static images were obtained at the same position at 15, 30, 60, 90 and 120 min after injection. In control group, radiopharmaceutical passage into the small intestine was seen between 45 and 60 min and evidently seen between 120 and 150 min as large hyperactive focus on midline or non-linear (snaky) radiopharmaceutical accumulation at the level of kidney. In biliary atresia group, radiopharmaceutical concentration was seen normal in liver but passage into the small intestine was not seen all rats. In carbon tetrachloride group, blood flow, concentration and early excretion scintigraphic images did not differ from control group and radiopharmaceutical passage into the small intestine was seen between 45 and 60 min. Although radiopharmaceuticals passage into the intestine was not shown in all rats of biliary atresia group. We suggest that Tc-99m MIBI as a radiopharmaceutical of hepatobiliary scintigraphy would be the contribution of the differential diagnosis of biliary atresia and hepatitis in humans.

INTRODUCTION:F-Fluorodeoxyglucose (F-FDG) PET/CT represents an imaging modality that is gaining increasingly more prominence in screening, staging, and therapeutic monitoring of malignant diseases. An incidental focus of uptake in different regions of the body is not an uncommon finding during PET/CT imaging. Patients with incidental gastrointestinal tract findings comprise ∼3% of the overall patient group. The aim of the current study was to provide contributory information in relation to the answer on the most appropriate approach in cases with incidental colonic F-FDG uptake. PATIENTS AND METHODS:A retrospective examination was performed on PET/CT results of 5258 patients. Of these, 152 were recommended to undergo colonoscopy because of the presence of suspicious foci and 31 underwent colonoscopy within 60 days with biopsy from all visible lesions. These dates were also examined. RESULTS:Of the 24 patients undergoing colonoscopy with a suspicion of malignancy, five (20.83%) had no pathological findings. Of the 19 (79.17%) cases with a pathological finding in endoscopy, histopathology showed a benign lesion in five (20.83%), premalignant lesion in seven (29.17%), and a malignant lesion in seven (29.17%). Among seven patients undergoing colonoscopy because of a suspicion of inflammatory bowel disease, five were free of pathological signs and two patients with pathological endoscopy findings had nonspecific inflammation as documented by histopathological examination. CONCLUSION:Colonoscopic and histopathological examination of the increased foci of colonic F-FDG uptake incidentally detected at PET/CT seems to be a plausible approach.

Hepatopulmonary syndrome is an important pulmonary vascular complication of liver disease. Its diagnosis is based on the presence of hypoxaemia and the demonstration of intrapulmonary shunting by contrast-enhanced echocardiography or perfusion lung scanning. Awareness of this condition is critical to improve the outcomes of patients with chronic liver disease and/or portal hypertension because hepatopulmonary syndrome receives additional priority on the waiting list for transplantation. A non-invasive measurement of the blood oxygen saturation with pulse oximetry is recommended as a screening tool for this syndrome. The aim of this report was to present clinical and laboratory findings and follow-up of seven paediatric patients who were diagnosed with HPS at our centre.

Objective. The risk of pulmonary embolism is well recognized as showing an increase in oncological patients. We report a case presenting with pulmonary embolism initially, which was then diagnosed with testicular cancer. Clinical Presentation and Intervention. A 25-year-old man was admitted to the emergency department with a complaint of dyspnoea. Thoracic tomography, lung ventilation/perfusion scintigraphy, and an increased D-dimer level revealed pulmonary embolism. For the aetiology of pulmonary embolism, a left orchiectomy was performed and the patient was diagnosed with a germinal cell tumour of the testicle. Conclusion. In this paper, we present a patient for whom pulmonary embolism was the initial presentation, and a germinal cell tumour was diagnosed later during the search for the aetiology.

Aim Systemic and local therapies can be used to treat painful bone metastases. It has been shown that certain pharmaceuticals such as Re-186 (rhenium-186) are effective in the treatment of pains caused by bone metastasis and a correlation between bone metastases and T cells has also been shown. The aim of this study was to investigate the genotoxic effect of Re-186-1,1-hydroxyethylidenediphosphonate (Re-186-HEDP) on the cultured peripheral blood lymphocytes using an micronucleus (MN)-fluorescence in-situ hybridization assay.Methods Two lymphocyte cultures, with and without Re-186-HEDP, were set up from 20 healthy individuals. MN frequencies were determined by a classical cytokinesis-blocked micronucleus assay and samples with the highest MN frequencies were used for fluorescent in-situ hybridization analyses with the all human centromeres' probe.Results Our results show a significant increase in the MN frequency in Re-186-treated lymphocytes compared with the untreated group (P<0.001). The frequencies of centromere-positive [CEN(+)] and centromere-negative [CEN(-)] MN in the Re-186-treated and untreated groups were found to be similar; however, the ratio of CEN(-)/CEN(+) MN frequency was lower in Re-186-treated samples.Conclusion These preliminary results support the idea that Re-186-HEDP is a highly genotoxic radiopharmaceutical and shows a proaneugenic effect. Causing genotoxicity in lymphocytes, especially in T cells, that regulate bone metastases and tumor growth in bone, might be a mechanism of this pharmaceutical to reduce the pain of patients. Nucl Med Commun 33:415-421 (C) 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health vertical bar Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

The radiation nephritis is a long-term degenerative injury involving nephron and mesangium after radiation exposure. 51 year-old male patient who underwent gastric surgery due to adenocarcinoma 18 months ago and had postoperative chemo-radiotherapy using FUFA Mayo Clinic regimen after surgical resection of gastric cancer. After one year from end of the radiation therapy, bone scan showed markedly increased 99mTc-MDP uptake in the upper pole of the left kidney.

Many patients with ovarian cancer are at high risk of recurrence especially in the 2 years following fist-line therapy. CA 125 serum levels measurement associated to computed tomography (BT), ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are currently used during follow-up to detect recurrent disease. However, CT is the most effective and useful tool at all of these conventional methods. Unfortunately, in a relevant percentage of cases all of these traditional imaging techniques provide a significant number of doubtful/equivocal results or turn out negative even in presence of elevated Ca 125 levels. Noninvasive diagnosis of early recurrence of ovarian cancer is challenging due to the small size of peritoneal metastases. Occasionally small-volume disease may not be evident at anatomic imaging in patients with high CA 125 levels. Positron emission tomography (PET) can help of these patients to identify patients with recurrent tumor. Nevertheless, lesion localization for possible surgery is difficult with PET alone. Combined functional-anatomic imaging with fused PET and computed tomographic (CT) scans is practicable and may upgrade disease detection by increasing radiologic sensitivity and specificity.

Pek cok over Ca’li hasta birinci basamak tedaviyi takiben 2 yil icerisinde rekurrens acisindan yuksek risk altindadir. Gunumuzde rekurren hastaligin tespitinde CA125 serum duzeyleri, bilgisayarli tomografi (BT), manyetik rezonans goruntuleme (MRI) ve ultrasonografi (USG) kullanilmaktadir. Ancak bu goruntuleme metotlari arasinda BT en etkili ve kullanisli olanidir. Ancak vakalarin onemli bir kisminda bu goruntuleme teknikleri kesin sonuc veremez. Bazi hallerde supheli pozitif yada belirsiz sonuclar vermekte bazen ise CA 125 seviyeleri yuksek oldugu halde sonuclar negatif gelmektedir. Over kanserinin erken rekurrensine ait periton metastazlarini cok kucuk boyutlarda oldugunda noninvaziv tani zorlasmaktadir. Bazi durumlarda kucuk capli hastalik CA 125 duzeyleri yuksek hastalarda anatomik goruntulerde saptanamamaktadir. Pozitron emisyon tomografisi (PET) bu tip hasta grubundaki rekurren hastaligi saptamada faydali olabilir. Buna karsin pozitif PET sonuclari cerrahi acidan lokalizasyonu belirlemekte yetersiz kalmaktadir. Bu bakimdan fonksiyonel ve anatomik goruntulemenin beraber kullanildigi PET-BT rekurren hastaligi saptamada yuksek sensitivite ve spesifiteye sahip kullanisli bir goruntuleme teknigidir

Clinical or subclinical hyperparathyroidism is one of the most common endocrine disorders. Excessive secretion of parathyroid hormone is most frequently caused by an adenoma of a parathyroid gland or glands. The conventional surgical approach is bilateral neck exploration, whereas minimally invasive parathyroidectomy has been made possible by the introduction of 99mTc-sestamibi scintigraphy for preoperative localization of parathyroid adenomas. Especially in ectopic localizations of parathyroid gland and its lesions preoperative localization have undeniable value. In minimally invasive technique the incision is small, dissection is minimal, postoperative pain is less, and hospital stay is shorter. Minimally invasive technique is easy, safe, with a low morbidity rate and has better cosmetic results lower overall cost than conventional bilateral neck exploration. In this technique greatly aided by intraoperative guidence with a gamma probe, based on in vivo radioactivity counting after administrating 99mTc-MIBI. In pres¬ent article, we reviewed actual literature on the preoperative localization of parathyroid adenomas and radioguided minimal invasive surgery.