Stanisław Pilecki

Calculations in nuclear medicine--application of free online software.

Modern nuclear medicine frequently needs to be supported by software for calculations. A self-designed free-accessible online tool named “Calculator” is presented. It can be used from the web-site www.nuk.bieganski.org, option “Calculator”. The programs offer: calculations of quantity of a radionuclide after a time (equation of simple radioactive decay), quantity of the second and third nuclide in the decay chain (successive radioactive decay, computation with Bateman equations and their limits), converting of activity units as well as of activity of a radioactive substance into its mass and vice versa, and calculations related to radionuclide therapy (radionuclide uptake, effective half time and activity needed for therapy). Mathematical and historical backgrounds of the algorithms used are shortly discussed in this work.

Atypical sites of bony metastases in a prostate cancer patient.

A 65-year-old patient with a newly diagnosed prostate cancer underwent planar bone scintigraphy. This study revealed increased focal activity in the right distal clavicle, left scapula, and right greater cornu of the hyoid bone. SPECT/CT confirmed these lesions. Metastases to the hyoid bone are rare.

Bone scintigraphy hot-spot in projection to rib and kidney: role of single photon emission computer tomography/computer tomography in distinguishing a urine collection in renal calyx from a metastasis to rib.

On planar bone scintigrams, activity enhancement foci in projection to kidney and lower ribs can arise from the kidney, or from bone lesions. A differentiation based only on the exact location and shape of the hot spot can sometimes be misleading, resulting in a false qualification of a rib metastatic lesion as urine collection in the kidney or opposite. The authors illustrate the problem with three cases: In two patients, such a hot spot appeared to be the solitary metastatic focus; in one, highly suggestive for solitary metastatic focus, it was proven to be a urine collection.

Congenital vascular malformations in scintigraphic evaluation

Summary Background Congenital vascular malformations are tumour-like, non-neoplastic lesions caused by disorders of vascular tissue morphogenesis. They are characterised by a normal cell replacement cycle throughout all growth phases and do not undergo spontaneous involution. Here we present a scintigraphic image of familial congenital vascular malformations in two sisters. Material/Methods A 17-years-old young woman with a history of multiple hospitalisations for foci of vascular anomalies appearing progressively in the upper and lower right limbs, chest wall and spleen. A Parkes Weber syndrome was diagnosed based on the clinical picture. Due to the occurrence of new foci of malformations, a whole-body scintigraphic examination was performed. A 12-years-old girl reported a lump in the right lower limb present for approximately 2 years, which was clinically identified as a vascular lesion in the area of calcaneus and talus. Phleboscintigraphy visualized normal radiomarker outflow from the feet via the deep venous system, also observed in the superficial venous system once the tourniquets were released. In static and whole-body examinations vascular malformations were visualised in the area of the medial cuneiform, navicular and talus bones of the left foot, as well as in the projection of right calcaneus and above the right talocrural joint. Conclusions People with undiagnosed disorders related to the presence of vascular malformations should undergo periodic follow-up to identify lesions that may be the cause of potentially serious complications and to assess the results of treatment. Presented scintigraphic methods may be used for both diagnosing and monitoring of disease progression.