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We studied the effects of a custom-made lead collar on dose rates and hospitalization days of patients treated with high doses (>400 MBq) of radioiodine (131I). Between October 2005 and March 2006, the dose rates of 28 consecutive patients were studied. Dose rates of patients with and without the collar (5.5 mm lead) were measured daily until the rate dropped below the discharge dose rate of 20 microSv-1 h at 1 m. Age, sex, 131I dose, uptake, thyroid disorder, and days of isolated hospitalization were recorded. The difference in mean dose rate with or without the collar was analyzed by t test or Mann-Whitney test, as appropriate. Twenty-eight patients (7 male, 21 female; mean age, 57 y; range, 29-82 y) were analyzed. Nine patients suffered from Graves' disease, 9 from toxic nodular goiter, and 10 from non-toxic nodular goiter. Patients were treated with a mean dose of 1,647 MBq 131I (range, 511-3,276 MBq). The mean anterior dose rates were 28 +/- 12 microSv-1 h at 1 m and 11 +/- 6 microSv-1 h at 1 m without and with the lead collar, respectively (p < 0.001). The mean reduction in dose rate for patients wearing the collar was 61 +/- 13%. The mean hospital stay was 2.6 +/- 1.3 days without the collar vs. 1.2 +/- 0.6 days with the collar (p < 0.001). A custom-made lead collar significantly reduced dose rates and could reduce compulsory hospitalization, especially in toxic- and non-toxic nodular goiter.

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OBJECTIVE: To perform a systemic review and meta-analysis on the effectiveness of radiosynoviorthesis (RSO). METHODS: A search of medical databases was conducted. Criteria for inclusion: articles in English, minimum follow-up of 6 months, specification of joint disease, reported outcome of at least 5 RSOs. The studies were scored for quality by the Oxford Centre of Evidenced-based Medicine Levels of Evidence, from 1 to 4. RESULTS: Twenty-one (21) studies were included (3 quality 1b, 5 2b and 13 4), analysing 169Erbium/186Rhenium-RSO used predominantly in small joints and 49 (1 quality 1b, 10 2b and 38 4) on 90Yttrium-RSO used predominantly in knee joints. The reported success rates of 169Erbium/186Rhenium-RSO ranged from 69-100% at 6 months, and from 54-100% at > or =12 months; for 90Yttrium they were 24-100% and 29-94%, res-pectively. Studies comparing the effect of RSO with that of glucocorticoid (GC) or saline injection alone were pooled. At 6 months, the pooled odds ratio favouring RSO of the knee with Yttrium over control is 4 (confidence interval (CI) 95% 1.2-14), p=0.02, but at 12 months the ratio was 1.7 (CI95% 0.69-4), p=0.26. For RSO of small joints with Erbium/Rhenium compared to controls, the pooled odds ratio at 6 months is 2 (CI95% 0.66-6), p=0.22 and at 12 months 2 (CI95% 1.09-3.5), p=0.03. CONCLUSION: Reported success rates of RSO are high, but differences in effect with GC injection are less evident, although there is marked heterogeneity in study design of the (small number of) comparative studies.

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PURPOSE: To compare the clinical efficacy of radiosynoviorthesis (RSO) with intra-articular radionuclide plus glucocorticoid (GC) injection (group A) with that of placebo plus GC injection (group B) for the treatment of persistent synovitis in joints of the upper extremity. METHODS: At baseline and at 6 and 12 months after intra-articular injection, six clinical parameters were scored. Changes in clinical values over time were summed to provide a change composite index (CCI), ranging from 0 (no effect) to 12 (maximal effect). A CCI > or =6 was considered to indicate successful treatment. Differences in response rate and CCI between groups A and B were examined. Regression analyses were performed to explore whether baseline variables could predict therapeutic effect. RESULTS: Sixty-eight joints in 44 patients were treated. Six months after intra-articular injection, response rates (CCI > or =6) were 69% (25/36) in group A and 29% (9/31) in group B (p=0.001). The mean CCIs +/- standard deviation at 6 months were 6.7+/-3.2 for group A and 3.3+/-3.8 for group B (p=0.001). At 12 months the response rates were 69% (25/36) in group A and 32% (8/25) in group B (p=0.004). The mean CCIs at 12 months were 6.8+/-3.3 for group A and 4.2+/-4.7 for group B (p= 0.046). None of the baseline variables predicted the therapeutic effect. CONCLUSION: RSO (radionuclide plus GC) of upper extremity joints with immobilisation for 72 h shows a significantly better response rate than placebo plus GC in patients with persistent synovitis after at least one failed outpatient intra-articular GC injection.

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OBJECTIVE: The sensitivity and specificity of (99m)Tc-sestamibi scintimammography in patients with non-palpable breast lesions diagnosed by screening mammography and the value of (99m)Tc-sestamibi to detect axillary lymph node metastases was determined. METHODS: Between September 2000 and December 2003, 103 females with non-palpable breast lesions were included for further evaluation. X-ray mammography was repeated and 99mTc-sestamibi scintimammography performed within one-week. Anterior, and left and right lateral images were obtained. The scintimammography was analysed by 2 experienced observers who were blinded to the clinical, pathological, and radiological results. The sensitivity and specificity of scintimammography to diagnose non-palpable lesion(s), including the axillary regions, was compared with histopathology, clinical, and radiological follow up. RESULTS: Two patients (one non-small lung cancer and one non-Hodgkin's disease) were excluded. Both showed (99m)Tc-sestamibi avid lesions in the breast and axillary region. In the remaining 101 patients, 37 true positive (TP), 4 false positive (FP), 52 true negative (TN), and 8 false negative (FN) breast carcinomas were found. The specificity was 92.8%, sensitivity 82.2%, positive predictive value (PPV) 90.2%, and negative predictive value (NPV) 86.6%. (99m)Tc-sestamibi scintimammography showed axillary lesions in 5/15 (33%) patients with axillary lymph node metastasis. CONCLUSION: In patients with non-palpable lesions diagnosed by screening- X-ray-mammography, (99m)Tc-sestamibi scintimammography provided high specificity and PPV. Furthermore, (99m)Tc-sestamibi scintimammography detected 33% of patients with axillary lymph node metastases. Therefore, (99m)Tc-sestamibi scintimammography could be of incremental value in the surgical work-up of these patients.

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The sentinel node (SLN) procedure has gained widespread acceptance for the axillary staging of patients who present with carcinoma of the breast. A first series of 21 patients were imaged 2 and 4 h after the injection of technetium-99m colloidal albumin. Preoperatively, axillary foci were located scintigraphically and with a hand-held gamma probe that was also used to detect the radiolabelled nodes 22 h later in the operating theatre. In a high percentage of our first series it was difficult to localise the sentinel node owing to a low count rate ex vivo. The aim of this study was to facilitate the detection of sentinel nodes by improving the count rate by the use of higher specific concentrations of 99mTc-colloidal albumin, with increased radiochemical labelling efficiency and stability. In vitro tests were performed to establish the radiochemical labelling efficiency and stability of different concentrations of 99-mTc-colloidal albumin. Concentrations of 2.5, 10, 20, 25, 30, 37 and 50 MBq 99mTc/microg colloidal albumin (Nanocoll) were prepared under nitrogen and in vacuum. The quality of the solutions was assessed by testing the radiochemical labelling efficiency and stability after 0.5, 2, 5, 8 and 24 h. The particle size of colloidal albumin was tested by dynamic light scattering at 30.2 degrees, 62.6 degrees and 90.0 degrees angles. Following the results of the in vitro studies, higher concentrations of 99mTc-colloidal albumin were used in vivo in a further series of 98 patients. For labelling under nitrogen, a maximum acceptable concentration of 10 MBq/microg was found, which complies with the specifications of the manufacturer. By preparing the labelling in vacuum vials, a 2.5 times greater radiochemical labelling efficiency over the entire period was achieved, and a significant improvement (P<0.002) in the in vivo series was found. It is concluded that although the rate of successful visualisation of the SLN was high in all studies, a better count rate (nine times higher) was achieved with the highest concentration of 99mTc-colloidal albumin, which facilitated the detection of the SLN by the gamma probe during surgery.

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BACKGROUND: The efficacy of mesalazine enemas depends on intraluminal concentration of the drug and is therefore limited by the enema distribution in the colon. Active ulcerative colitis changes colon motility and this leads to uncertainty about enema spread. AIM: To assess the influence of disease activity on enema distribution, we conducted a physician-blinded, longitudinal study of the retrograde spread of three mesalazine enemas. METHODS: Thirty-one patients with mild to moderate ulcerative colitis were subdivided into three groups, and treated with 2 g mesalazine in 30 mL (group I, n = 10), 4 g mesalazine in 60 mL (group II, n = 12) or 1 g mesalazine in 100 mL (group III, n = 9). All patients received oral mesalazine 500 mg t.d.s. Enemas were labelled by adding 10 MBq (99mTc)technetium-sulphur colloid. Anterior scintigraphic images were taken at the start of the study and after 12 weeks of therapy; retrograde spread was assessed by calculating the percentage of the enema in each colonic segment. RESULTS: The activity score of ulcerative colitis diminished significantly after 12 weeks of treatment, but five patients dropped out of the study. At the start of treatment enema activity in group I was mainly concentrated in the sigmoid (99%); in group II activity was found in the rectum (9%), the sigmoid (61%) and the descending colon (15%); in group III activity was distributed between the sigmoid (66%) and descending colon (25%). The colonic distribution of mesalazine enemas was not influenced by disease activity. CONCLUSION: Volume, but not disease activity, is the important determinant of retrograde colonic spread of mesalazine enemas in ulcerative colitis.

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OBJECTIVE: Evaluation of clinical management in patients suspected of pulmonary embolism as compared with the Dutch consensus for diagnosing pulmonary embolism. DESIGN: Retrospective. SETTING: Medical Centre Alkmaar. METHOD: Retrospective analysis of clinical management in patients subjected to ventilation-perfusion scintigraphy on suspicion of pulmonary embolism. RESULTS: In 55 (24%) of the 225 patients included a high-probability scan was found, in 68 (30%) a non-high-probability scan and in 102 (45%) a normal scan. The clinical management in all patients with a normal or high-probability scan was according to the consensus. In the 68 patients with a non-high-probability scan the consensus was completely followed in 16%, partially in 18% and not at all in 66%. CONCLUSION: Clinical management of patients with a non-high-probability scan in the vast majority of cases was not according to the consensus. The consensus was followed in all patients with a normal or high-probability scan.

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A retrospective study was conducted using 36 patients with gastrointestinal bleeding in whom the diagnosis was not directly apparent from first line diagnostic procedures. Final diagnosis was established by surgery, endoscopy, or postmortem examination in 20 patients. Scintigraphic examination with Tc-99m or In-111 labeled red blood cells yielded 24 positive and 18 negative results. Nine out of 13 positive scans (verified by other diagnostic procedures) accurately identified the site of bleeding. This was considered to be a satisfactory result in this group of difficult to diagnose patients. The lowest success rate was observed in patients taking drugs that interfered with coagulation, or in patients prone to diffuse blood loss because of coagulopathy. Late scans did not offer additional information and the use of In-111 for this purpose was not thought to be of benefit. Although the technique is rather noninvasive and simple, its application should be restricted to selected patients and its interpretation related to the results of other investigations.

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A 49-yr-old woman presented with a solid, painless, nontender nodule in the left thyroid lobe. Thyroid scintigraphy revealed a solitary "cold" area in the left lobe and a slightly decreased 24-hr radioactive iodine thyroid uptake (9%). Although there were no specific clinical or biochemical signs suggesting thyroiditis needle aspiration cytology showed the presence of a subacute thyroiditis. Approximately 1 mo later the entire thyroid gland was affected leading to a completely suppressed thyroid radioiodine uptake and elevated serum thyroid hormone concentrations. This case illustrates that in the early phase of the disease, subacute thyroiditis may present as a solitary, painless, "cold" nodule and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of such lesions.

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