title: In vivo evaluation of TNF-alpha in the lungs of patients affected by sarcoidosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sarcoidosis is a multisystemic granulomatous disorder characterized by multiple noncaseating granulomas involving intrathoracic lymph nodes and lung parenchyma. Recently, the use of anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha (anti-TNFα) agents has been introduced for therapy of chronic and refractory sarcoidosis with controversial results. Infliximab (Remicade) is a chimeric monoclonal antibody (mAb) that recognizes and binds TNFα, neutralizing its biological effects. In the present study,   (99m)Tc labelled infliximab was used to study the expression of TNFα in sarcoid lesions and to evaluate its role as a predictive marker in response to therapy with Remicade.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 10 patients with newly diagnosed sarcoidosis were enrolled together with 10 control patients affected by rheumatoid arthritis. All patients were studied by planar imaging of the chest with   (99m)Tc-infliximab at 6 h and 24 h and total body [(18)F]-FDG PET/CT. Regions of interest were drawn over the lungs and the right arm and target-to-background ratios were analysed for   (99m)Tc-infliximab. SUV mean and SUV max were calculated over lungs for FDG.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Image analysis showed low correlation between T/B ratios and BAL results in patients despite positivity at [(18)F]-FDG PET.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, patients with newly diagnosed pulmonary sarcoidosis, with FDG-PET and BAL positivity, showed a negative   (99m)Tc-infliximab scintigraphy.
authors: Nuclear Medicine Unit, Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences and Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Ospedale S. Andrea, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Via di Grottarossa 1035, 00189 Roma, Italy.
authors: Filippo
authors: 0000-0002-3439-6010
authors: F
authors: Galli
authors: Nuclear Medicine Unit, Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences and Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Ospedale S. Andrea, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Via di Grottarossa 1035, 00189 Roma, Italy.
authors: Tiziana
authors: 0000-0002-9939-0373
authors: T
authors: Lanzolla
authors: Pneumology Unit, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Ospedale S. Andrea, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Via di Grottarossa 1035, 00189 Roma, Italy.
authors: Vittorio
authors: V
authors: Pietrangeli
authors: Nuclear Medicine Unit, Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences and Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Ospedale S. Andrea, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Via di Grottarossa 1035, 00189 Roma, Italy.
authors: Gaurav
authors: 0000-0003-0736-7991
authors: G
authors: Malviya
authors: Pneumology Unit, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Ospedale S. Andrea, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Via di Grottarossa 1035, 00189 Roma, Italy.
authors: Alberto
authors: A
authors: Ricci
authors: Pneumology Unit, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Ospedale S. Andrea, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Via di Grottarossa 1035, 00189 Roma, Italy.
authors: Pierdonato
authors: P
authors: Bruno
authors: Nuclear Medicine Unit, Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences and Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Ospedale S. Andrea, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Via di Grottarossa 1035, 00189 Roma, Italy.
authors: Paola
authors: P
authors: Ragni
authors: Nuclear Medicine Unit, Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences and Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Ospedale S. Andrea, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Via di Grottarossa 1035, 00189 Roma, Italy.
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Scopinaro
authors: Pneumology Unit, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Ospedale S. Andrea, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Via di Grottarossa 1035, 00189 Roma, Italy.
authors: Salvatore
authors: S
authors: Mariotta
authors: Nuclear Medicine Unit, Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences and Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Ospedale S. Andrea, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Via di Grottarossa 1035, 00189 Roma, Italy.
authors: Alberto
authors: A
authors: Signore
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000069285:Infliximab; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011859:Radiography; D017565:Sarcoidosis, Pulmonary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism*; D013667:Technetium; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D013667:Technetium; D000069285:Infliximab