Objective
High-grade gliomas (HGGs) carry dismal prognosis with survival typically reported as less than a year. We explored the predictive value of qualitative and quantitative evaluations of post-treatment 99m-technetium-labelled methoxyisobutylisonitrile (99mmTc-MIBI) brain single-photon emission computed tomography-computed tomography (SPECT/CT) tumor uptake in relation to overall survival (OS) in patients with HGG.
Methods
Thirty patients with pathologically or radiologically documented high-grade glioma (HGG) were prospectively recruited for this study (24 male, 6 female; mean age 43 ± 14 years). All patients had a clinical or radiological suspicion of residual/recurrent tumor after initial therapy. 99mTc-MIBI brain SPECT/CT scanning was performed, and the scans were evaluated qualitatively on a five-point probability score (1–5, scores ≥3 considered positive for residual/recurrent tumor); and quantitively via drawing volumes of interest (VOI) on the suspected lesions and normal contralateral brain tissue. All patients were followed up for 1 year or till death.
Results
Positive visual MIBI results were associated with poor survival. Among 10 patients with negative MIBI scores, only two patients died (OS = 75%), while 11/20 patients reported positive on MIBI died, with a median survival of 9 months (OS = 14.5%; P = 0.03). All patients with active isocontour volume ≤1.96 cm3 were alive at the end of the study, compared to a median survival of 9 months and OS of 12% for patients with an isocontour volume of >1.97% (P = 0.003).
Conclusion
In patients with HGG, post-therapy brain SPECT/CT with 99mTc-MIBI can provide useful prognostic information.
Abstract
Fish like any other organisms, are susceptible to ecto & endo-parasites, which have a risky impact
in aquaculture specially those because skin infection with secondary bacterial infection. This study
estimated the parasitic infections in freshwater Catfish (Clarias gariepinus) in Assiut Governorate, and
evaluated environmental factors affecting them.
A total of 100 samples of different sexes and sizes were randomly collected weekly over one year
from different localities in Assiut City. The fish were examined parasitological for ecto-parasites and
dissected for endo-parasites as well as histopathological examination of muscles.
The results showed an overall parasitic rate of 82%. Ecto-parasites were Gyrodactylus, Dactylogrus,
Henneguya and Icthyophthirius multifiliis (2%, 8%, 2% & 5%) respectively, while endoparasites were
trematode (Orientocreadium batrachoides 26%), cestode (Polyochobothrium clarias and Monobothrioides 6% & 21% respectively), nematode (Paracamallanus spp. 12%), encysted metacercaria (66%)
and protozoa (Entamoeba spp. 15%). The variation between the parasitic number length, weight, and
sex seasonally were statistically analyzed.
Key words: Assiut, Clarias gariepinus, parasitic infection, environmental factors
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