Gamez, C. (C.)

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    Utilización de un ciclotrón para la producción de radionucleidos emisores de positrones
    (Garsi, 1999) Gamez, C. (C.); Marti-Climent, J.M. (Josep María); Peñuelas-Sanchez, I. (Ivan); Calvo, R. (R.); Richter, J.A. (José Ángel); Gimenez, M. (M.)
    The experience acquired by our center during the first two years of using cyclotron 18/9 (IBA) dedicated to the production of clinical positron emission radionuclides is described. The cyclotron performance characteristics, production yields, quality control and synthesized radiotracers are analyzed. Cyclotron makes it possible to produce up to 3,300 mCi of 18F-, 270 mCi of 18F2, 3,100 mCi of 11C, 502 mCi of 13N (in 120, 60, 35 and 20 minutes respectively) and 540 mCi/min of 15O. In our center, about 85% of the PET studies are performed with 18F-FDG, whereas the remaining are done with 15O-water, 11C-bicarbonate, 11C-methionine, 13N-ammonia or 18F-. Cyclotron is included in the Radiopharmacy Unit of our PET facility and is subjected to a global quality control program. Follow-up of the bombardment parameters and periodic verifications of the cyclotron performance have made it possible to prevent equipment functioning problems, increase mean time between stoppage and decrease downtime. We conclude that cyclotron has high production capabilities and allows enough flexibility for a clinical and research positron emission tomography center; furthermore, it can also be used for regional distribution of 18F-FDG to satellite PET centers.
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    Correlaciones entre la SPECT cerebral y la evaluación neuropsicológica en los estadios leve y moderado de la enfermedad de Alzheimer
    (Universidad de Navarra, 1999) Gamez, C. (C.); Martinez-Lage, J.M. (José M.); Richter, J.A. (José Ángel); Larumbe, R. (R.); Marti, J.M. (J.M.); Arbizu, J. (Javier)
    Se evaluaron 34 pacientes con enfermedad de Alzheimer (EA) probable (EA leve = 16; EA moderada = 18) y 12 controles mediante un estudio semicuantitativo de SPECT con 99mTc-HMPAO y la batería de tests neuropsicológicos CERAD. Resultados: La hipoperfusión temporal (p < 0,01) y los tests de memoria (p < 0,001) permitieron diferenciar los controles de los pacientes con EA leve. En estos pacientes se observaron también correlaciones significativas (p < 0,05) entre: test de recuerdo diferido-hipoperfusión temporal, test de aprendizaje-hipoperfusión temporoparietal y frontal y praxis visuoconstructiva-hipoperfusión temporal posterior. Los pacientes con EA moderada mostraron, respecto a la EA leve, una mayor hipoperfusión temporal (p < 0,01), parietal y frontal (p < 0,05), junto a un empeoramiento de la praxis (p < 0,001) y los test de memoria (p < 0,05). Conclusiones: La SPECT y la evaluación neuropsicológica permiten distinguir entre controles y pacientes con estadios leve y moderado de la EA, existiendo una estrecha correlación entre ambos métodos desde las etapas iniciales de la enfermedad.
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    Image quality evaluation in a modern PET system: impact of new reconstructions methods and a radiomics approach
    (Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2019) Gamez, C. (C.); Reynés-Llompart, G. (Gabriel); Marti-Climent, J.M. (Josep María); Llinares-Tello, E. (Elena); Sabaté-Llobera, A. (Aida)
    The present work investigates the influence of different biological and physical parameters on image quality (IQ) perception of the abdominal area in a modern PET scanner, using new reconstruction algorithms and testing the utility of a radiomics approach. Scans of 112 patients were retrospectively included. Images were reconstructed using both OSEM + PSF and BSRM methods, and IQ of the abdominal region was subjectively evaluated. First, 22 IQ related parameters were obtained (including count rate and biological or mixed parameters) and compared to the subjective IQ scores by means of correlations and logistic regression. Second, an additional set of radiomics features was extracted, and a model was constructed by means of an elastic-net regression. For the OSEM + PSF and especially for the BSRM reconstructions, IQ parameters presented only at best moderated correlations with the subjective IQ. None of the studied parameters presented a good predictive power for IQ, while a simple radiomics model increased the performance of the IQ prediction. These results suggest the necessity of changing the standard parameters to evaluate IQ, particularly when a BSRM algorithm is involved. Furthermore, it seems that a simple radiomics model can outperform the use of any single parameter to assess IQ.
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    Valor de la tomografía por emisión de positrones (PET)-18FDG en el cáncer de pulmón
    (Doyma, 1999) Richter, J.A. (José Ángel); Torre, W. (Wenceslao); Gamez, C. (C.); Aramendia, J.M. (José Manuel); Crespo, A. (Aurora); Nicolás, A. (Anabel); Brugarolas, A. (A.)
    Introduction: 18FDG-PET was studied in the diagnosis of malignancy of the solitary pulmonary nodule and in the early staging of non-small-cell lung cancer. PET results were compared with thoracic-abdominal computed tomography (CT) and brain magnetic resonance (MR). Patients and methods: Fifty-five patients with a radiologically detected solitary pulmonary nodule (54 CT, 1 plain radiography), were studied following an intravenous injection of 370 MBq 18FDG. Attenuation corrected emission data were acquired and analyzed qualitatively and semi-quantitatively. 30 non-small-cell lung cancer underwent MR. Biopsies were obtained in 48 non-small-cell lung cancer and 7 were controlled by follow-up (18 months). The staging of 43 non-small-cell lung cancer was confirmed by surgery (n = 13), mediastinoscopy (n = 9) and follow-up (n = 21). Results: PET correctly diagnosed 52 solitary pulmonary nodules with 3 false positives (100% sensitivity and 75% specificity). In the mediastinal staging (N), CT and PET demonstrated a sensitivity and specificity of 46% vs. 100%, and 59.3% vs. 93.3%, respectively. In 6 patients, some visceral metastases detected by PET were not detected by CT (including 3 adrenals), whereas 2 brain metastases in MR were not diagnosed by PET. PET was considered decisive in the treatment and follow-up of 17 patients (32.7%). Conclusions: Whole body PET imaging is a cost-effective diagnostic technique that simplifies the malignant characterization of solitary pulmonary nodule and improves the early staging of non-small-cell lung cancer. In combination with CT, PET makes an outstanding contribution to the correct assessment of therapeutical decisions in these patients.