Preparation and evaluation of 99mTc(V)-DMSA complex: studies in medullary carcinoma of thyroid

Consequent to the promising results reported with 99mTc(V)-DMSA for imaging certain types of soft tissue tumors, we have developed methods to prepare this radiopharmaceutical in three ways: from freshly prepared reagents, through the use of a two component kit and use of the standard renal DMSA kit by a modified recipe. The 99mTc(V)-DMSA complex has been subjected to paper electrophoretic and chromatographic procedures and also biodistribution studies. The distinctly different behaviour of this new product compared to that of the well known renal DMSA complex has been clearly established. Scintiimaging in a preliminary clinical trial in patients with medullary carcinoma of the thyroid has been encouraging.     

Female and male partner age and menotrophin requirements influence pregnancy rates with human menopausal gonadotrophin therapy in combination with intrauterine insemination

This study analyses the influence of female and male patient age and human menopausal gonadotrophin (HMG) requirements on clinical pregnancy rates and live birth rates with ovulation stimulation using HMG in combination with intrauterine insemination (IUI). In this study, 363 consecutive HMG/IUI treatment cycles in 184 patients carried out at a university fertility centre were analysed in a retrospective fashion. The main outcomes measured were clinical pregnancy rates and live birth rates. Increased female partner age (> or = 35) and male partner age (> or = 40) were found to negatively influence pregnancy rates with HMG/ IUI therapy. In addition, this study demonstrated a critical threshold of HMG requirements beyond which pregnancy did not occur. No pregnancies occurred in treatment cycles requiring > 25 ampoules (1875 IU) of menotrophins to achieve follicular maturity, irrespective of patient age. In conclusion, female partner age, male partner age, and HMG requirements all significantly influence pregnancy rates with HMG/IUI therapy.      

METHYLATION STATUS OF BCL6 DISTINGUISHES DNA SAMPLES FROM BENIGN AND MALIGNANT LYMPHOPROLIFERATIVE DISORDERS

INTRODUCTION: Core biopsy of the breast has become the method of choice for tissue diagnosis of screen detected microcalcifications and some mass lesions in many breast assessment centres. Biopsy results are not available until the following day. Imprint cytology of fresh breast core samples allows same-day reporting and patient counselling.
AIM: To determine the accuracy of core imprint cytology when compared with core biopsy diagnosis when used in a breast assessment centre setting.
METHODS: Core imprints (CI) were prepared and reported on all fresh core biopsies (CB) performed at the Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital Breast Centre from May to December 2000. Fresh core samples were placed on a glass microscope slide. Core radiographs were taken for microcalcification lesions (MC). A laboratory technician gently and quickly rolled the cores on the slide with fine forceps. The cores were fixed in formalin, processed and reported next day. The imprint slide was air dried and stained with DiffQuik. CI were reported using four categories: Insufficient, Benign, Indeterminate and Malignant. Counselling and planning for management were possible on the same day in women with malignant diagnoses. Clinicians were advised not to discuss negative or indeterminate CI results with women and to defer to the final CB report.
RESULTS: Cores were performed on 381 lesions. There were 83 carcinomas (38 in MC and 45 in masses) and 56 were called malignant on CI (absolute sensitivity 67.5%; 78.9% for MC and 57.8% for masses). 3 malignancies on CB were negative on CI giving a false negative rate of 3.6%. There were no false positive diagnoses. The predictive value of a benign diagnosis was 95.3%. There were no adverse effects in the histology of CB.
CONCLUSION: CI was an accurate method of providing an immediate diagnosis of malignancy in two thirds of malignancies confirmed on CB.     

Normal colon of Sprague-Dawley rats

Summary The patterns of expression of the human-tumor-associated antigens, CO17-1A, GA73-3, BR55-2, GICA19-9, CA50 and carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA) were studied in the normal colonic mucosa (the last three also in the serum) of Sprague-Dawley rats. Four immunohistochemically different segments were identified: caecum, ascending colon, transverse colon and descending colon. The immunohistochemical reactions of the cells at the lower part of the crypt were essential for the distinction of the four segments. In the caecum, the MAbs 17-1A, 73-3 and 19-9 stained the glycocalyx of the cells of the lower part of the crypts and the Golgi apparatus of the intercalated cells (IC). MAb55-2 stained very weakly the goblet-like cells (GLC) of the lower part of the crypt of transverse colon, in addition to a nearly complete lack of reaction in the upper part of the crypts. In the ascending colon, the lower part of the crypts showed a characteristic diffuse staining of the intercalated cells with MAb55-2. The perinuclear and mucosal staining observed in the GLC of the transverse colon with MAbs 17-1A, 73-3 and 19-9 as against the supranuclear and Golgi zone staining observed in the GLC/goblet cells (GC)/columnar cells (CC) of the lower part of crypts of the descending colon with the same MAbs, distinguished the former segment from the latter. The IC demonstrated by immunohistochemistry in the lower parts of the crypts of caecum and ascending colon appear to correspond to the replicating cells of the colonic crypts.