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P Paulus

Publications and source records attributed to P Paulus.

26 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Staging of the mediastinum: value of positron emission tomography imaging in non-small cell lung cancer.

Recent studies have shown limitations of morphological imaging in staging mediastinal lymph node involvement in lung cancer. In contrast to computed tomography (CT), which depends primarily on anatomical imaging features, positron emission tomography (PET) with 18-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) depends mainly on the metabolic characteristics of a tissue for the diagnosis of disease. We have performed a prospective study comparing FDG-PET and CT of the thorax in the presurgical assessment of the mediastinum in 50 patients with newly diagnosed non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). CT and PET scans were interpreted separately, and results were compared to pathological staging obtained during thoracotomy. Hilar or mediastinal lymph node involvement was present in 58%. In staging for lymph node involvement, CT had a sensitivity of 72% and specificity of 81%, whereas PET had a sensitivity and specificity of 90% and 86%, respectively. When the PET study was compared to histological results, there were four cases showing more advanced mediastinal involvement with PET and four cases showing less involvement with PET. From our preliminary results, we conclude that positron emission tomography with 18-fluorodeoxyglucose is significantly more accurate than computed tomography in the mediastinal staging of non-small cell lung cancer.

Aged↗

[Positron emission tomography in the evaluation of intrathoracic lymphatic extension of non-small cell bronchial cancer. A preliminary study of 30 patients].

Current methods for evaluating the mediastinum include chest radiography, computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and mediastinoscopy. Despite advances in morphologic imaging, some lung cancer patients are found to have unresectable disease at surgery. In contrast to CT scan or MR imaging, which depend primarily on anatomic and morphological criteria, positron emission tomography (PET) with 18fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) depends mainly of the metabolic characteristics of a tissue for the diagnosis of disease. We perform a prospective study to compare FDG-PET and CT of the thorax in the presurgical assessment of the mediastinum in patients with newly diagnosed non-small cell lung cancer. Thirty patients have been included. CT and PET-scans were interpreted separately and results were compared to surgical staging during thoracotomy. In assessing mediastinal involvement, CT scan had a sensitivity of 56% and a specificity of 64%. For diagnosis mediastinal nodal disease, FDG-PET was 87% sensitive and 78% specific. Its positive predictive value was 82%, and the negative value was 83%. In conclusion, our preliminary results show that FDG-PET appears more accurate than CT in staging of mediastinal non-small cell lung cancer.

Adult↗

Argyrophilic breast carcinoma, single metastasis to the pituitary gland.

Five years ago, a 44 year-old woman presented with an apparently localized cancer of the right breast, initially treated by surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy. After a 4 year disease-free interval, she developed bi-temporal hemianopsy, due to a suprasellar tumor causing compression of the optic chiasma. The tumor was resected by the transsphenoidal route and histological examination revealed neuroendocrine characteristics described as "argyrophilic breast carcinoma". The exceptional association of this peculiar histology for breast cancer with a rare pattern of recurrence (single pituitary metastasis) is worthwhile reporting.

Adult↗

Usefulness of 18FDG positron emission tomography in detection and follow-up of digestive cancers.

PET is a diagnostic method that creates high resolution, 3 dimensional tomographic images of the distribution of positron emitting radionuclides in the human body. Recent technological developments allow the use of whole-body PET devices in clinical oncology. 18FDG is a glucose analog transported and competitively used with glucose reflecting the increased glucose metabolism into malignant cells. Differential diagnosis between chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer is already a well-documented indication. For initial staging of gastro-esophageal and colorectal tumours, results are preliminary but the clinical impact seems to be rather limited. At present, the major indication of FDG-PET is the detection and staging of colorectal cancer recurrences. FDG-PET allows the differentiation between scared tissue and tumour when structural imaging is often confusing. In the same time, the whole-body imaging capability provides unique information that can modify loco-regional and liver staging. Overall, FDG-PET affects the clinical management of 30 to 40% of these patients. Quantitative assessment of therapeutic response to chemotherapy regimen appears to be one of the most promising applications of FDG-PET. Since the most effective therapy of colorectal cancer are often surgical, the role of chemotherapy in colorectal cancer remains limited to adjuvant therapy and in advanced disease. However, FDG-PET could be of great value in assessing the response of oesophageal carcinomas to chemo-radio therapy, before surgery. In our experience, FDG-PET appears to be the first line diagnostic method in the detection and staging of colorectal recurrence and differential diagnosis of pancreatic tumour versus chronic pancreatitis.

Diagnosis, Differential↗