Biomedical subjects

Cheng-Chieh Lin

Publications and source records attributed to Cheng-Chieh Lin.

81 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

Tissue polypeptide specific antigen (TPS) and carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA-125) in the early prediction of recurrent ovarian cancer.

It is very important to establish a tumor marker combination with strong lead-time effects in early detection of recurrent ovarian cancer. This retrospective study included 32 patients with recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer after primary therapy. The serum levels of tissue polypeptide specific antigen (TPS) and carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA-125) were followed-up. Normal upper limits of serum levels of 78.5 U/l for TPS and 35 U/ml for CA-125 were selected according to the 95th percentile of serum concentrations measured in healthy control patients. When compared with other follow-up modalities, TPS and CA-125 appeared lead-time effective with early diagnosis of recurrent ovarian cancer in 18 and 16 patients, respectively. This difference was not statistically significant. The combination of TPS and CA-125 provided lead-time effects in 24 patients. Our data indicate that the combination of TPS and CA-125 is a potential tool in the early prediction of recurrent ovarian cancer.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Using non-invasive radionuclide imaging to detect esophagitis in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of our study was to evaluate technetium-99m tetrofosmin SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography) of the chest as a potential non-invasive method to evaluate esophagitis among gastroesophageal reflux disease patients. METHODOLOGY: In this study, we used non-invasive radionuclide imaging technetium-99m tetrofosmin chest SPECT to detect and grade esophagitis in 60 patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease. RESULTS: Based on the endoscopic findings according to the Savary-Miller system, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy rates of technetium-99m tetrofosmin chest SPECT in detecting esophagitis were 95.2%, 72.2%, and 88.3%, respectively. The agreement between the endoscopic and technetium-99m tetrofosmin chest SPECT findings was evaluated and found to be good (kappa: 0.633, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Non-invasive technetium-99m tetrofosmin chest SPECT has excellent sensitivity and good accuracy as a screen for esophagitis among gastroesophageal reflux disease patients.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

C-reactive protein and gallium scintigraphy in patients after abdominal surgery.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Early detection of post-surgical infection is important to decrease mortality in patients after operation. Both C-reactive protein test and gallium-67 scan (gallium scan) are sensitive examinations in the detection of infection. In this study, we compared the diagnostic accuracy of the two modalities in the detection of infection after abdominal surgery. METHODOLOGY: Forty-six patients undergoing abdominal surgery were enrolled in this study. All patients received blood examination for C-reactive protein test and were referred to our department for gallium scan because of unknown fever after surgery. RESULTS: Of the 46 patients with abdominal surgery, 22 (47.8%) were diagnosed to have infection including 6 intra-abdominal abscesses, 8 wound infection and 8 with both intra-abdominal abscesses and wound infection. To achieve better diagnostic results, C-reactive protein value of 2.8 mg/dL was chosen as cut-off value. The diagnostic sensitivities for both gallium scan and C-reactive protein test were 100%. The diagnostic specificity of gallium scan was superior to C-reactive protein test (83.3% vs. 54.2%). The overall diagnostic accuracy of gallium scan and C-reactive protein test were 92.6% and 76%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Both C-reactive protein test and gallium scan have good sensitivity in the detection of infection after abdominal surgery. Gallium scan has better diagnostic specificity than the C-reactive protein test.

Abdominal Abscess↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Comparison between technetium-99m hexamethylpropyleneamineoxide labeled white blood cell abdomen scan and abdominal sonography to detect appendicitis in children with an atypical clinical presentation.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Diagnosing acute appendicitis in children with equivocal signs and symptoms is usually difficult. The usual approach to the patient is hospital observation and frequent reexamination. However, many surgeons are reluctant to delay surgery because of the risk of perforation and a negative laparotomy. The aim of this study is to assess and compare the value of the Tc-99m HMPAO (technetium-99m hexamethylpropyleneamineoxide) labeled white blood cell abdomen scan and abdominal sonography in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in children with an atypical clinical presentation. METHODOLOGY: Forty children with acute abdomen and possible acute appendicitis but atypical findings were included in this study. After an intravenous injection of Tc-99m HMPAO white blood cells, serial anterior abdomen scans at 30 min, 60 min, 120 min and 240 min were obtained using a gamma camera. Meanwhile, at the point of maximal tenderness, abdominal sonography was performed with a graded compression technique for both longitudinal and transverse images. RESULTS: Thirty-three children received operation for surgical and pathological diagnoses. The other 17 children did not receive operation but follow-up of at least a one-month period. The overall sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of Tc-99m HMPAO white blood cell scan to diagnose acute appendicitis in children with atypical findings is 96.7%, 80.0%, and 90.0%, respectively. The overall sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for abdominal sonography is 86.6%, 90.0%, and 88.0%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The Tc-99m HMPAO white blood cell abdomen scan provides a more sensitive and accurate method for the diagnosis of appendicitis in children with atypical clinical presentation when compared with abdominal sonography.

Abdomen↗

PubMedDate not supplied

A trial of single photon emission computed tomography of the liver with technetium-99m tetrofosmin to detect hepatocellular carcinoma.

Technetium-99m Tetrofosmin (Tc-TF) has been shown to be useful in identifying several types of tumors, such as breast, lung and thyroid cancers. However, there are no reports in the literature about the usefulness of Tc-TF liver imaging in detecting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Twenty-two patients with HCC were enrolled in this study. Tc-TF liver single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) images were performed 10 minutes after intravenous injection of 20mCi Tc-TF. All patients were pathologically investigated by liver biopsy or surgery within one week after Tc-TF liver SPECT imaging. Among the Tc-TF liver SPECT images, 20 out of 22 (90.9%) patients showed negative results without significant Tc-TF uptake in HCC, whereas only 2 (9.1%) patients showed positive results with significant Tc-TF uptake in HCC. No significant correlation between Tc-TF liver SPECT findings and sex, age, serum alpha feto-protein level, differentiation of the tumor, or status of hepatitis virus infection was found. In this preliminary report, Tc-TF liver SPECT imaging is not a sensitive method to detect HCC. However, further studies are necessary to analyze the correlation of Tc-TF liver imaging findings and the MDR gene Pgp expression in HCC.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Mutation analysis of CTNNB1 (beta-catenin) and AXIN1, the components of Wnt pathway, in cervical carcinomas.

The components of the Wnt-signaling pathway are mutated in tumors, but the relationship between these components and cervical cancer has not been elucidated. In this study, we used immunohistochemistry, single strand confirmation polymorphism (SSCP) and direct sequencing methods to analyze the mutation and protein expressions of both CTNNB1 and AXIN1 in cervical cancer. Among the 30 tested cervical cancers, no mutation of CTNNB1 but 3 polymorphisms were found. Mutation analysis of AXIN1 revealed that one specimen had a heterozygous mutation at codon 740 (GCC right curved arrow ACC) and six polymorphisms were also found. Immunohistochemistry showed no relationship between the protein expression patterns and mutation of AXIN1 and CTNNB1. Mutations of CTNNB1 may not be a factor, whereas mutations of AXIN1 may play a limited role in tumorigenesis of cervical cancer. In addition, aberrant expression patterns are not mutation related, so that other factors may be responsible for these changes.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The clinical usefulness of dual phase 201Tl thyroid scan for false-negative fine-needle aspiration cytological diagnoses in non-functioning cold thyroid nodules.

We evaluated the clinical usefulness of dual phase 201Tl thyroid scan for 11 patients with false-negative fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytological diagnoses to detect malignant non-functioning thyroid nodules. Benign FNA cytological diagnoses categorized by experienced pathologists were considered as false-negative diagnoses because the final diagnoses of surgical histopathology were malignant. Dual phase thyroid scan, including an early image and a delayed image, were acquired at 10 minutes and 3 hours, respectively, after 2 mCi (74 MBq) of 201Tl was injected intravenously. Dual phase 201Tl thyroid scan findings were visually interpreted as malignant or benign diagnoses. Dual phase 201Tl thyroid scan could accurately diagnose all of the 11 patients with false-negative FNA cytological diagnoses. We concluded that dual phase 201Tl thyroid scan was very useful in detecting malignant non-functioning thyroid nodules in 11 patients with false-negative FNA cytological diagnoses.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Limited value of 18F-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography to detect hepatocellular carcinoma in hepatitis B virus carriers.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The differentiation of hepatocellular carcinoma from benign liver diseases in hepatitis B virus carriers by imaging studies based upon morphological aspects can be difficult. METHODOLOGY: FDG-PET (18F-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomographies) were performed in 48 hepatitis B virus carriers to detect hepatocellular carcinoma and differentiate other benign liver diseases. In each patient, the focal liver lesion was visible by ultrasound and an elevated serum alpha-fetoprotein level was noted. Definite diagnosis was established after ultrasound-guided liver biopsy followed by histopathological examination. RESULTS: The histopathological examination revealed hepatocellular carcinoma in 36 patients and benign liver diseases in the remaining 12 patients. Twenty of 36 hepatocellular carcinomas were detectable by FDG-PET and none of 12 benign liver diseases were visualized by FDG-PET. The detection sensitivity of FDG-PET was not related to the echogenicity and size of hepatocellular carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: FDG-PET is not sensitive to but is more specific than ultrasound and serum alpha-feto-protein level to detect hepatocellular carcinoma and differentiate from other benign liver diseases in hepatitis B virus carriers.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Development of a safety index of transarterial chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma to prevent acute liver damage.

BACKGROUND: Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is the most effective palliative treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but may cause acute liver damage. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and ninteen patients with unresectable HCCs, undergoing TACE, were studied prospectively. A safety index to prevent acute liver damage was developed by using logistic regression. RESULTS: Acute liver damage by TACE was not related to the gender or age, but was mostly correlated to Child's classification (beta = 1.89, OR = 6.6, CI: 2.07, 21.01) and the amount of Lipiodol (beta = 0.09, OR = 1.09, CI: 1.02, 1.16) used for the TACE. CONCLUSION: In treatment of a Child's B/C patient by TACE, no more than 20 ml Lipiodol should be used.

Antibiotics, Antineoplastic↗