A review of approaches to 18F radiolabelling affinity peptides and proteins

Affinity peptide and protein‐ (APP) based radiotracers are an increasingly popular class of radiotracer in positron emission tomography (PET), which was once dominated by the use of small molecule radiotracers. Radiolabelled monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are important examples of APPs, yet a preference for smaller APPs, which exhibit fast pharmacokinetics and permit rapid PET aided diagnosis, has become apparent. ¹⁸F exhibits favourable physical characteristics for APP radiolabelling and has been described as an ideal PET radionuclide. Notwithstanding, ¹⁸F radiolabelling of APP is challenging, and this is echoed in the literature where a number of diverse approaches have been adopted. This review seeks to assess and compare the approaches taken to ¹⁸F APP radiolabelling with the intention of highlighting trends within this expanding field. Generic themes have emerged in the literature, namely the use of mild radiolabelling conditions, a preference of site‐specific methodologies with an impetus for short, automated procedures which produce high‐yielding [¹⁸F]APPs.     

Evaluating the Cost-Effectiveness of Hydrogel Rectal Spacer in Prostate Cancer Radiation Therapy

Purpose

A hydrogel rectal spacer (HRS) is a medical device that is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to increase the separation between the prostate and rectum. We conducted a cost-effectiveness analysis of HRS use for reduction in radiation therapy (RT) toxicities in patients with prostate cancer (PC) undergoing external beam RT (EBRT).

Conventional Ultrafiltration During Elective Cardiac Surgery and Postoperative Acute Kidney Injury

1. Download : Download high-res image (215KB)
2. Download : Download full-size image

     

Development of a Simulation-Based Mastery Learning Curriculum for Breaking Bad News

Introduction

Physician communication impacts patient outcomes. However, communication skills, especially around difficult conversations, remain suboptimal, and there is no clear way to determine the validity of entrustment decisions. The aims of this study were to 1) describe the development of a simulation-based mastery learning (SBML) curriculum for breaking bad news (BBN) conversation skills and 2) set a defensible minimum passing standard (MPS) to ensure uniform skill acquisition among learners.

Editorial Commentary: Teriparatide and Rotator Cuff Healing—Maybe Hormones Can Help Tendons to Heal

Achieving tendon-bone healing continues to be challenging after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, particularly for larger tears, despite significant improvements in repair techniques and implants. Considerable effort has been invested in research to identify methods to improve healing, including patches and injectable biologics. Parathyroid hormone improves tendon-to-bone healing. Teriparatide is osteogenic, stimulating bone growth, and chondrogenic, promoting cartilage formation at the enthesis. However, it could be difficult to justify the expense and potential risk of systemic administration of a recombinant hormone to improve structural healing until improvement in clinical outcomes can be shown.