Fludeoxyglucose F-18

FRIDAY, Aug. 16, 2024 -- Automated multiorgan computed tomography (CT), including visceral fat, can predict diabetes and associated cardiometabolic conditions, according to a study published online Aug. 6 in Radiology . Yoosoo Chang, M.D., Ph.D., from Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine in Seoul, South Korea, and colleagues examined the ability of automated CT-derived markers to predict diabetes and associated cardiometabolic comorbidities in a retrospective cohort study of Korean adults. Participants underwent health screening with fluorine 18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/CT between January 2012 and December 2015. Data were included for 32,166 adults in a cross-sectional analysis and for 27,298 adults in a cohort analysis. The researchers found that diabetes prevalence and incidence were 6 and 9 percent at baseline and during the 7.3-year median follow-up, respectively. The highest predictive performance for prevalent and incident diabetes was seen for the visceral fat index, with areas under the curve (AUCs) of 0.70 and 0.82 for men and women, respectively, and C-indexes of 0.68 and 0.82, respectively. Predictive performance was improved by combining visceral fat, muscle area, liver fat faction, and aortic calcification, yielding C-indexes of 0.69 and 0.83 for men and women, respectively. For identifying metabolic syndrome, the AUCs for the visceral fat index were 0.81 and 0.90 for men and women, respectively. Ultrasound-diagnosed fatty liver, coronary artery calcium scores >100, sarcopenia, and osteoporosis were also identified by CT-derived markers, with AUCs ranging from 0.80 to 0.95. "CT-derived parameters, particularly the visceral fat area index, outperformed traditional methods for predicting type 2 diabetes mellitus in both sexes," the authors write. Several authors disclosed ties to MEDICAL IP. Abstract/Full Text Editorial (subscription or payment may be required) Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.

A more accurate way to scan for tuberculosis (TB) has been developed, using positron emission tomography (PET). The team has developed a new radiotracer, which is taken up by live TB bacteria in the body. Radiotracers are radioactive compounds which give off radiation that can be detected by scanners and turned into a 3D image. The new radiotracer, called FDT, enables PET scans to be used for the first time to accurately pinpoint when and where the disease is still active in a patient's lungs. A more accurate way to scan for tuberculosis (TB) has been developed by UK and US researchers, using positron emission tomography (PET). The team, from the Rosalind Franklin Institute, the Universities of Oxford and Pittsburgh and the National Institutes of Health in the USA, have developed a new radiotracer, which is taken up by live TB bacteria in the body. Radiotracers are radioactive compounds which give off radiation that can be detected by scanners and turned into a 3D image. The new radiotracer, called FDT, enables PET scans to be used for the first time to accurately pinpoint when and where the disease is still active in a patient's lungs. The researchers have put the new radiotracer through extensive pre-clinical trials with no adverse effects and it is now ready to go into Phase I trials in humans. Published in Nature Communications, the research was funded by the Gates Foundation and UK Research and Innovation. Two methods currently exist for TB diagnosis: testing for the TB bacteria in a patient's spit or a PET scan to look for signs of inflammation in the lung, using the common radiotracer FDG. However, a spit test can show a negative long before the disease has been fully treated in the lungs, which could result in patients finishing treatment too early. Scanning for inflammation can be helpful in seeing the extent of the disease, but it is not specific to TB, as inflammation can be caused by other conditions. Inflammation can also persist in the lung after the TB bacteria has been eliminated, leading to treatment continuing longer than necessary. The new approach developed by the researchers is more specific as it uses a carbohydrate that is only processed by the TB bacteria. A key advantage of the new approach is that it only requires a hospital to have standard radiation control and PET scanners, which are becoming more widely available throughout the world. The new molecule is created from FDG using a relatively simple process involving enzymes developed by the research team. This means it can be produced without specialist expertise or laboratories and so would be a viable option in low- and middle-income countries with less developed healthcare systems. These countries currently see over 80% of global TB cases and deaths from the disease. In 2021, 10.6 million people fell ill with TB and 1.6 million people died from the disease, making it the world's second leading infectious killer after COVID-19. Professor Ben Davis, Science Director of the Franklin's Next Generation Chemistry group, led the research. He said: "Finding an accurate way to identify when TB is still active in the body is not only important for initial diagnosis, but to ensure patients are receiving antibiotics long enough to kill the disease, and no longer. "The common radiotracer FDG and the enzymes we've developed to turn it into FDT can all be sent by post. With a minimum of additional training, this effective diagnostic in essence could be rolled out into most healthcare systems around the world -- and most importantly, in the places where this disease is still taking its greatest toll." Dr Clifton Barry III, from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said: "FDT will enable us to assess in real time whether the TB bacteria remains viable in patients who are receiving treatment, rather than having to wait to see whether or not they relapse with active disease. This means FDT could add significant value to clinical trials of new drugs, transforming the way they are tested for use in the clinic."