• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.42 no.sup1
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• pp.162-165
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• 2008

Diagnosis of primary origin site in the management of malignancy of unknown origin (MUO) is the most important issue. According to the histopathologic subtype of primary lesion, specialized treatment can be given and survival gain is expected. F-18 FOG PET (PET/CT) has been estimated as useful in detection of primary lesion with high sensitivity and moderate specificity. F-18 FDG PET (PET/CT) study before conventional studies is also recommended because it has high diagnostic performance compared to conventional studies. Although there has few data, F-18 FDG PET (PET/CT) is expected to be useful in diagnosis of recurrence, restaging, evaluation of treatment effect, considering that PET (PET/CT) has been reported as useful in other malignancies.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.214-219
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• 1994

The purpose of this study is to evaluate thallium scanning as a potential test in differentiating malignant from benign lesions of breast. Thirty-one female patients underwent thallium scan of the breast. After intravenous injection of 74-111 MBq(2-3 mCi)of thallium-201, anterior and lateral images were obtained. We compared thallium scans with pathological results. Of 11 patients with breat cancers, 10 cases(90.9%) were detected using thallium scan. Thallium scan obtained in one patient who had breast cancer but received several cycles of chemotherapy did not show thallium uptake. The smallest detectable cancer was 1.5cm in diameter. In contrast, there is no thallium accumulation in breasts of 17 of 20 patients with benign disease(85%). Three cases of 13 fibrocystic disease show thallium uptake in their breast. In conclusion, thallium scan is an effective test in differentiating benign from malignant lesion.

• Journal of Radiopharmaceuticals and Molecular Probes
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.73-79
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• 2018

In our previous study, tricarbonyl $^{99m}Tc$-labeled TSPO-binding ligand, named $^{99m}Tc$-CB256, having positively charge (+1) was investigated but did not show promising results in in vivo environment despite of a nanomolar binding affinity for TSPO. Because the overall positively charge of $^{99m}Tc$-CB256 would likely interrupt its target protein uptake, we herein designed the neutral tricarbonyl-$^{99m}Tc$ labeled TSPO-binding ligand ($^{99m}Tc$-CB257, 1). $^{99m}Tc$-CB257 was prepared by the facile incorporation of the $[^{99m}Tc(CO)_3]^+$ into a N-(hydroxycarbonylmethyl)-2-picoly moiety in CB257. The radiochemical yield of $^{99m}Tc$-CB257 after HPLC purification was $54.1{\pm}2.4%$ (decay corrected, n = 3). The authentic Re-CB257 (2) was synthesized by using $(NEt_4)_2[Re(CO)_3Br_3]$ in 69.0% yield. The binding affinity of 2 for TSPO was measured in leukocyte and showed approximately 280 times higher than that observed for the positively charged (+1) ligand, Re-CB256 ($K_i=0.57{\pm}0.06nM$ versus $159.3{\pm}8.7nM$, respectively). Our results indicated that 1 can be considered potentially as a new SPECT radiotracer for TSPO-rich cancer and provides the foundation for further in vivo evaluation related with abnormal TSPO-overexpression environments.

• Journal of Radiopharmaceuticals and Molecular Probes
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.57-64
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• 2018

${\omega}-[^{18}F]$-Fluorohexadecanoic acid (FHA) has been used for imaging of fatty acid metabolism of myocardium. To increase retention of radiolabeled fatty acid by blocking ${\beta}$-oxidation, methyl branched analogues have been used. In this experiment, we tried to synthesize 18F-labeled ${\alpha}-$, ${\beta}-$ and ${\omega}-FHA$ for imaging of the myocardial fatty acid metabolism. We synthesized ${\alpha}-$, ${\beta}-$ and ${\omega}$-mesylated methyl hexadecanoates and labeled with $^{18}F$ by reacting with $[^{18}F]$TBAF in acetonitrile at $80^{\circ}C$ for 10 min. Methyl ester group was removed by 1 M NaOH at $80^{\circ}C$ for 5 min. The yields of ${\alpha}-[^{18}F]$ and ${\omega}-[^{18}F]FHA$ were 25.5 and 45.5%, respectively [EOS]. However, ${\beta}-[^{18}F]FHA$ was not labeled at all due to a fast elimination reaction. The biodistribution study in ICR-mice showed that ${\omega}-[^{18}F]FHA$ has higher myocardial uptake and lower liver uptake than ${\alpha}-[^{18}F]FHA$. The electron-withdrawing effect of fluorine at ${\alpha}-$ position is believed to be the major factor affecting the biodistribution.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2013

Objective: Oocyte-specific homeobox 4 (Obox4) is preferentially expressed in oocytes and plays an important role in the completion of meiosis of oocytes. However, the Obox4 expression pattern has not been reported yet. In this study, we investigated the subcellular localization of Obox4 using a green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion expression system. Methods: Three regions of Obox4 were divided and fused to the GFP expression vector. The partly deleted homeodomain (HD) regions of Obox4 were also fused to the GFP expression vector. The recombinant vectors were transfected into HEK-293T cells plated onto coated glass coverslips. The transfected cells were stained with 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindol and photographed using a fluorescence microscope. Results: Mutants containing the HD region as well as full-length Obox4 were clearly localized to the nucleus. In contrast, the other mutants of either the N-terminal or C-terminal region without HD had impaired nuclear localization. We also found that the N-terminal and C-terminal of the Obox HD contributed to nuclear localization and the entire HD was necessary for nuclear localization of Obox4. Conclusion: Based on the results of the present study, we demonstrated that the intact HD region of Obox4 is responsible for the nuclear localization of Obox4 protein in cells.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.163-173
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• 2005

Purpose: Abutted scatter energy windows used for a triple energy window (TEW) method may provide wrong estimation of scatter. This study is to propose an extended TEW (ETEW) method, which doesn't require abutted scatter energy windows and overcomes the shortcomings of TEW method. Materials & Methods: The ETEW is a modification of the TEW which corrects for scatter by using abutted scatter rejection windows, which can overestimate or underestimate scatter. The ETEW is compared to the TEW using Monte Carlo simulated data for point sources as well as hot and cold spheres in a cylindrical water phantom. Various main energy window widths (10 %, 15 % and 20 %) were simulated. Both TEW and ETEW improved image contrast, % recovery coefficients and normalized standard deviation. Results: Both of TEW and ETEW improved image contrast and % recovery coefficients. Estimated scatter components by the TEW were not proportional to the true scatter components over the main energy windows when ones of 10 %, 15 %, and 20 % were simulated. The ETEW linearly estimated scatter components over the width of the main energy windows. Conclusion: We extended the TEW method into the method which could linearly estimate scatter components over the main energy windows.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.332-342
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• 1995

This study was designed to evaluate the effects of various factors on the therapeutic effect of the I-131 labeled anti-carcinoembryonic antigen monoclonal antibody(anti-CEA antibody). Tetrazolium-based colorimetric assay (MTT) was used to compare in vitro cytotoxicity of 3 Korean colon cancer cell lines (SNU-C2A, SNU-C4, SNU-C5) for selection of proper 2 cell lines in this study. The changes of the size of tumor which was xenografted to nude mice (balb/c nu/nu) were compared in 4 groups (group treated I-131 labeled anti-CEA antibody, group treated with non-radiolabeled anti-CEA antibody, group treated with I-131 labeled anti-human chorionic gonadotropin monoclonal antibody (anti-hCG antibody) as nonspecific antibody, and group injected with normal saline as a control). Immunohistochemical staining and in vivo autoradiography were performed after excision of the xenografted tumor. The results were as below mentioned. The in vitro cytotoxic effect of I-131 labeled anti-CEA antibody is most prominent in SNU-C5 cell line between 3 cancer cell lines. The changes of xenografted tumor size in both SNU-C4 and SNU-5S cell tumors at the thirteenth day after injection of the antibodies were smallest in the group treated with I-131 labeled anti-CEA antibody (SNU-C4/SNU-C5; 324/342%) comparing with other groups, group treated with anti-CEA antibody (622/660%), group treated with I-131 anti-hCG antibody (538/546%), and control group(1030/724%)(P<0.02 in SNU-C4 and P<0.1 in SNU-C5 at the 13th day after injection of antibodies). On the thirteenth day after injection of the antibodies nude mice were sacreficed to count the radiouptake of tumor and to check the changes of tumor size. Correlations between radiouptake and change of tumor size were calculated in each groups and significant negative correlation was only obtained in the group treated with I-131 anti-CEA antibody (p<0.05). There were no correlations between antigenic expression of carcinoembryonic antigen and distribution of anti-CEA antibody in both SNU-C4 and SNU-C5 cell tumors on immunoperoxidase staining. On in vivo autoradiography the distributions of anti-CEA antibody were heterogeneous and the intensities of binding were various in SNU-C4 and SNU-C5 cell tumors. It is concluded that I-131 labeled tumor-specific monoclonal antibody, anti-CEA antibody is effective in suppressing the xenografted tumor growth and the effect is influenced by sensitivity of tumor cell itself to the radiolabeled antibody and other local factors instead of specificity of antibody.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.239-245
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• 2005

Purpose: Hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) is an infiltrative disease of eosinophils affecting multiple organs including the iung. F-18 2-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (F-18 FDG) may accumulate at sites of inflammation or injection, making interpretation of whole body PET scan difficult in patients with cancer. This study was to evaluate the PET findings of HES with lung involvement and to find out differential PET features between lung malignancy and HES with lung involvement. Material and Methods: F-18 FDG PET and low dose chest CT scan was performed for screening of lung cancer. light patients who showed ground-glass attenuation (GGA) and consolidation on chest CT scan with peripheral blood eosinophilia werr included in this study. The patients with history of parasite infection, allergy and collagen vascular disease were excluded. CT features and FDG PET findings were meticulously evaluated for the distribution of GGA and consolidation and nodules on CT scan and mean and maximal SUV of abnormalities depicted on F-18 FDG PET scan. In eight patients, follow-up chest CT scan and FDG PET scan were done one or two weeks after initial study. Results: F-18 FDG PET scan identified metabolically active lesions in seven out of eight patients. Maximal SUV was ranged from 2.8 to 10.6 and mean SUV was ranged from 2.2 to 7.2. Remaining one patient had maximal SUV of 1.3. On follow-up FDG PET scan taken on from one to four weeks later showed decreased degree of initially noted FDG uptakes or migration of previously noted abnormal FDG uptakes. Conclusions: Lung involvement in the HES might be identified as abnormal uptake foci on FDG PET scan mimicking lung cancer. Follow-up FDG PET and CT scan for the identification of migration or resolution of abnormalities and decrement of SUV would be of help for the differentiation between lung cancer and HES with lung involvement.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.58-64
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• 2011

Objective: The 3-dimensional reconstruction method with resolution recovery modeling has advantages of high spatial resolution and contrast because of its precise modeling of spatial blurring according to the distance from detector plane. The aim of this study was to evaluate one of the resolution recovery reconstruction methods (Astonish, Philips Medical), compare it to other iterative reconstructions, and verify its clinical usefulness. Materials and Methods: NEMA IEC PET body phantom and Flanges Jaszczak ECT phantom (Data Spectrum Corp., USA) studies were performed using Skylight SPECT (Philips) system under four different conditions; short or long (2 times of short) radius, and half or full (40 kcts/frame) acquisition counts. Astonish reconstruction method was compared with two other iterative reconstructions; MLEM and 3D-OSEM which vendor supplied. For quantitative analysis, the contrast ratios obtained from IEC phantom test were compared. Reconstruction parameters were determined by optimization study using graph of contrast ratio versus background variability. The qualitative comparison was performed with Jaszczak ECT phantom and human myocardial data. Results: The overall contrast ratio was higher with Astonish than the others. For the largest hot sphere of 37 mm diameter, Astonish showed about 27.1% and 17.4% higher contrast ratio than MLEM and 3D-OSEM, in short radius study. For long radius, Astonish showed about 40.5% and 32.6% higher contrast ratio than MLEM and 3D-OSEM. The effect of acquired counts was insignificant. In the qualitative studies with Jaszczak phantom and human myocardial data, Astonish showed the best image quality. Conclusion: In this study, we have found out that Astonish can provide more reliable clinical results by better image quality compared to other iterative reconstruction methods. Although further clinical studies are required, Astonish would be used in clinics with confidence for enhancement of images.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.127-133
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• 2014

Purpose: Low dose of PET/CT is important because of Patient's X-ray exposure. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of low-dose PET/ CT image through the CTAC and QAC of patient study and phantom study. Materials and Methods: We used the discovery 710 PET/CT (GE). We used the NEMA IEC body phantom for evaluating the PET data corrected by ultra-low dose CT attenuation correction method and NU2-94 phantom for uniformity. After injection of 70.78 MBq and 22.2 MBq of 18 F-FDG were done to each of phantom, PET/CT scans were obtained. PET data were reconstructed by using of CTAC of which dose was for the diagnosis CT and Q. AC of which was only for attenuation correction. Quantitative analysis was performed by use of horizontal profile and vertical profile. Reference data which were corrected by CTAC were compared to PET data which was corrected by the ultra-low dose. The relative error was assessed. Patients with over weighted and normal weight also underwent a PET/CT scans according to low dose protocol and standard dose protocol. Relative error and signal to noise ratio of SUV were analyzed. Results: In the results of phantom test, phantom PET data were corrected by CTAC and Q.AC and they were compared each other. The relative error of Q.AC profile was been calculated, and it was shown in graph. In patient studies, PET data for overweight patient and normal weight patient were reconstructed by CTAC and Q.AC under routine dose and ultra-low dose. When routine dose was used, the relative error was small. When high dose was used, the result of overweight patient was effectively corrected by Q.AC. Conclusion: In phantom study, CTAC method with 80 kVp and 10 mA was resulted in bead hardening artifact. PET data corrected by ultra- low dose CTAC was not quantified, but those by the same dose were quantified properly. In patients' cases, PET data of over weighted patient could be quantified by Q.AC method. Its relative difference was not significant. Q.AC method was proper attenuation correction method when ultra-low dose was used. As a result, it is expected that Q.AC is a good method in order to reduce patient's exposure dose.