title: [Role of thallium SPECT for evaluating the effect of maintenance chemotherapy against malignant gliomas].
abstract: Thallium (Tl)-201 single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is a useful tool for detecting brain tumors. In this study, we evaluated the utility of Tl-201 SPECT for determining the effect of maintenance chemotherapy with ACNU (nimustine hydrochloride)/VCR (vincristine sulfate) against malignant gliomas. The cases were comprised of 16 glioma cases; 6 astrocytomas, 2 anaplastic astrocytomas, and 8 glioblastomas. We first analyzed the correlation between Tl-201 uptake ratio and proliferative activity of the tumor, using Ki-67 immunohistochemistry in 13 cases of glioma. The uptake ratio of Tl-201 correlated with the Ki-67 staining indices (SI), and a closer correlation was obtained using Tl-201 delayed images than with the early images. We also analyzed the chronological changes of Tl-201 uptake ratio and volume of abnormal area evaluated by MRI T2-weighted imaging (MRI T2WI), in 10 cases of malignant glioma during maintenance chemotherapy. The Tl-201 uptake ratio gradually decreased with the effect of maintenance chemotherapy, and the sensitivity was superior to MRI findings. Together with MRI, Tl-201 SPECT is considered to be a useful indicator for evaluating the effect of maintenance chemotherapy against malignant gliomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Showa University, Fujigaoka Hospital, 1-30 Fujigaoka, Aoba-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa, 227-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Goro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nagashima
authors.forename: Tsukasa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujimoto
authors.forename: Ryuta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Jun-ichiro
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Asai
authors.forename: Chin-Wei
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005910:Glioma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015376:Nimustine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013794:Thallium Radioisotopes; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D013794:Thallium Radioisotopes; D015376:Nimustine; D014750:Vincristine